BackUp Maker - Help system

By creating what are often called "backup generations" (in BackUp Maker we call them "backup instances") you can keep a certain number of previous copies of backups. BackUp Maker uses the following system:

Backup 1

You create a backup and call it "backup.zip".

Backup 2

You create another backup, and again call it "backup.zip". However, BackUp Maker does not overwrite the earlier "backup.zip", but keeps it as an additional backup instance under the name of "backup1.zip".

Backup 3

BackUp Maker creates a third backup copy. The earliest copy, "backup1.zip" now becomes "backup2.zip", the following backup becomes "backup1.zip". The latest backup is always "backup.zip".

This system can manage up to 999 backup instances. In order to use this system with multiple instances, increase the default number of "1" in the box by clicking on the upward arrow. This value indicates the number of backups that you have available at any time. If you leave the default value of "1", Backup Maker will always overwrite the previous (only) copy.

Note: Backup instances with the Use current date as filename option enabled (topic Backup name)

Creating several backup instances prevents overwriting earlier backup copies with backups of the same name. If you enable the Use current date as filename (this option is described in the last step of the topic entitled Backup name) there is no danger of overwriting earlier backups (since the names are different). Therefore, the number of backup instances that you may have set is ignored in this case.

Note: Backup instances with target CD/DVD (topic Target)

Since CDs/DVDs are not suitable for managing several backup instances, the number of backup instances that was set is ignored when these targets are chosen.

Option: Back up files with set archive bit only

Under the Windows operating system each file has several flags. These indicate whether a file is write-protected or hidden, whether it is a system file, etc. There is also an "archive bit" flag. This indicates whether a flag has changed since it was last backed up and whether it therefore needs to be included in a new backup operation, or not.

BackUp Maker has its own method for determining whether or not a file has changed. If you are a novice user, we strongly recommend to leave this option disabled.

Option: Back up files with set archive bit only

Enable the Back up files with set archive bit only option, if you are sure that you wish to back up only those files that have their archive bit set. This means that files where this bit is missing will not be included in the backup.

Option: Reset archive bit on backed up files

If you enable the Reset archive bit on backed up files option, the archive bit is reset on all files that were backed up.