Copyright: © Copyright 2000 Adaptec, Inc.


Recommended Reading

There are many incredible features and useful tips in this online Help. To get a better understanding of GoBack, there are two sections that really must be read: First, jump ahead to the Tutorials section. It will give you a practical sense of some of GoBack’s abilities. Next, read Do I still need to make backups? in the Frequently Asked Questions section. Here it is explained why it is important that you continue your normal practice of backing up your computer.


Introduction

What is GoBack? GoBack is the missing piece of the operating system. It is neither a backup/restore product nor a utility product. It is a remarkable tool that integrates itself into the operating system to protect you from data loss. This includes the everyday "oops" that occur from user error or software problems, file recoveries of deleted or overwritten files, virus attacks, problems from software installation, and even system crashes. Generally, with GoBack installed, you can easily back out of trouble, regardless of whether it was caused by you, your system (non-hardware-related issues), or software. Even a "crashed" system that won’t allow your computer to boot usually can’t stop you.

With GoBack enabled, as you use your computer, GoBack keeps track of every move you make that affects your hard disk, allowing you to go back in time. You can retrieve specific files or entirely restore your hard disk. The amount of hard disk space that you set-aside on your computer for GoBack determines how far back in time GoBack is able to retrieve information. Typically, if 10% of the hard disk is set-aside for GoBack, it can maintain at least one week’s worth of data.

GoBack is not just another backup product because, unlike a traditional backup product, GoBack does not involve copying data to a separate tape or disk. Thus there is no specific point in time where you must stop and make a backup. Your system does not even need to be operational in order to restore data. Therefore, mistakes can be corrected without having made a backup.

GoBack provides three essential services. It lets you:

•	View your hard disk as it was at an earlier time.

•	Revert your hard disk to an earlier time.

•	Retrieve specific files from the past.

When you view or revert your hard disk to an earlier time, you essentially specify a date and time. On the other hand, when retrieving and old version of a specific file, GoBack will scan its notes and generate a list of available versions, each corresponding to a time in the past.


Introduction: After Installation
After Installation

After you’ve installed GoBack, you will notice a few changes to your Windows desktop. If you’ve so requested, an icon (shortcut) will be placed on your desktop. There will also be a shortcut placed in the status area of your taskbar (near the clock), from which you can access GoBack.

After installation, GoBack continually protects and monitors your hard disks without requiring any action on your part. With the data GoBack has collected, you can:

•	View the past by creating a virtual GoBack Drive and use it like any other drive.

•	Bring the past forward by reverting your entire hard disk.

•	Recover files, including deleted and overwritten files.

The procedure for uninstalling GoBack follows the standard Windows convention (use Add/Remove Programs from the Control Panel), which is explained in detail in the section Frequently Asked Questions.


Introduction: Starting GoBack
Starting GoBack

After GoBack is installed, it automatically runs whenever you start your computer (unless GoBack has been disabled). The GoBack Main Menu can be started one of several ways:

•	Click Start, then Programs, then GoBack.

•	Click on the GoBack icon in the taskbar.

•	Right-click on the GoBack icon in the taskbar, and then select one of the main GoBack functions from the pop-up menu.

•	Double-click the GoBack icon on the desktop (if available).


Overview: What GoBack Can Do for You
What GoBack Can Do for You

As GoBack monitors and records all information being written to your hard disk(s), it provides you with a number of ways to view, copy, or access the information it has recorded.

View Your Hard Disk as it was in the Past

You would typically view your hard disk as it was in the past for the purposes of retrieving an entire directory or looking at a set of interdependent files. This is done by creating a virtual GoBack Drive, whose contents correspond to your real hard disk as it was at some time in the past. For example, if C: is your hard disk, then you might ask GoBack to create a virtual GoBack Drive corresponding to C: as it was an hour ago. The virtual GoBack Drive you create will automatically be assigned a drive letter (for example, D:). This drive D: is very much like a backup of your entire hard disk drive that was made an hour ago. You access drive D: in the same way you would your floppy disk A:. While you are maintaining a virtual GoBack Drive the system must spend a certain extra effort keeping the virtual drive up to date. Thus, when you are done using your virtual GoBack Drive (drive D:), you should ask GoBack to discard it.

Revert Your Hard Disk to an Earlier Time

There are two primary reasons why you would revert your entire hard disk to an earlier time.

•	You may have installed new software or made some modification such that your computer no longer works properly (e.g., it will not boot). Perhaps you added new hardware, followed the instructions to add the device drivers, but something went wrong, and although you can physically remove the new hardware, you need to "undo" the system changes to get back to where you were.

•	Your computer is generally working, but you would like to undo a recent change to the system and you do not know what files to restore. Perhaps you started reading your e-mail, and as you do, you print it out and delete it, only later to find that the printer was out of ink. Ordinarily, you would be out of luck. The e-mail is gone. However, with GoBack you can revert your entire hard disk to before you deleted the e-mail and presto, it is back.

The common thread in these examples is that you really do not know what specific data to restore in order to back out of a problem. Or even if you do, it is easier to revert everything to some time in the past.

Retrieve Specific Files from the Past

For those times when you don’t want to completely revert your hard disk just to get back one deleted or overwritten file, you can use the GoBack File Recovery Window or the GoBack shell extension in Windows Explorer. Here you can select from various versions of a file by name and date, and either restore it or just bring it back for quick viewing.


Overview: GoBack Scenarios
GoBack Scenarios

After you’ve started using GoBack regularly, you may come to wonder how you ever lived without it. There are so many instances where "Undo" doesn’t do it, and your tape backup wasn’t made an hour ago so it won’t help. The following examples illustrate how you can use GoBack to avoid wasted work, save time, and avoid aggravation.

•	At 7:20, you installed some new software. By 7:35, nothing worked. The uninstall at 7:40 didn’t work either. Use GoBack to revert your disk to 7:20 and start over.

•	At 9:15, you started work on your big, monthly progress report using last month’s report as a template. At 9:50, you save your work, only to realize that you’ve just saved this month’s report over the only copy of last month’s report. Use GoBack to go back to 9:15, retrieve last month’s report and save it somewhere else, and then return to 9:50 where you left off.

•	You downloaded something from the Internet and things just don’t look right. Sure enough, your virus checker found something. Let GoBack take you back to the time before the download.


Overview: Accessing GoBack Services
Accessing GoBack Services

After installation there are three ways to access GoBack's services:

•	By launching the GoBack Main Menu.

•	By right-clicking on a specific file from within Windows Explorer.

•	By pressing the spacebar at the GoBack Boot Screen.

The GoBack Main Menu, which is launched like any other program from within Windows, is the main interface into GoBack through which most of its services can be accessed. Here you can create a virtual GoBack Drive, retrieve specific files, or entirely revert your hard drive. The Main Menu takes you to two major windows: the GoBack Drive Window and the File Recovery Window.

The GoBack shell extension into Windows Explorer provides a convenient way to access old versions of a specific file, although somewhat similar functionality is also available through the GoBack Main Menu.

The GoBack Boot Screen appears briefly before the operating system starts (when you turn on your computer). By pressing the spacebar you can access a limited set of functions. This interface is used primarily in emergencies.


Overview: Tutorials
Tutorials

The following tutorials will illustrate what GoBack can do and how to use it.

	To fully demonstrate the capabilities of GoBack you will be instructed to delete or modify existing files. You will then use GoBack to retrieve those deleted files or earlier versions of files. If you want, you can make a backup of any files before deleting or modifying them. Before you begin, verify that GoBack is installed and that you can access the GoBack Main Menu.
Reverting Your Hard Disk

In this tutorial, you are going to delete a number files from your computer and then revert your entire hard disk to the past to demonstrate that your hard drive can be restored to the way is was.

1	Restart your computer (click Start, Shut Down, then Restart). This step is present to simplify the example.

2	In Windows, using Windows Explorer, delete at least one file from a folder on your C: drive.

3	Empty your Recycle Bin (right-click Recycle Bin then click Empty Recycle Bin from the shortcut menu). At this point, the file(s) you deleted is, for the most part, irretrievable.

4	Now you will use GoBack to revert the drive to a time corresponding to when the file(s) existed. For this tutorial you will do this from the GoBack Boot Menu. You can always access the GoBack Boot Menu – even if Windows doesn’t start. To do this, restart your computer, press the reset button, or turn the power off and back on.

5	When the GoBack boot screen message appears, quickly press the spacebar. This will open the GoBack Boot Menu.

6	From the GoBack Boot Menu, click the button labeled Revert Drive (or press the letter "R"). GoBack will then suggest times in the past to revert your hard disk to. These times will be some time before you deleted the files in Step 2.

7	Select a time at which you know the file(s) existed, click Revert, and follow the on-screen instructions. GoBack will then proceed to restore your hard disk to the way it was at that specified time and reboot the computer.

8	This time, when the GoBack Boot Screen appears, do not press the spacebar. Let the computer boot as normal. After Windows starts, you can verify that the deleted file(s) has been restored and the hard disk is back to the way it was.

9	If you want, you can repeat this procedure to revert to an earlier time. You can even revert to a time just before the last revert – essentially going back "to the future" again!

Recovering an Overwritten File

Have you ever overwritten or deleted a document or other file and wanted to go back to the old version? You can do this easily with GoBack. In this tutorial you will modify a file, save it (overwriting the original), and then retrieve the original file.

1	Open one of your data files (any file in the My Documents folder should work).

2	Modify the document in some way. For example, if you opened a Microsoft Word document, you could delete some of the text or add new text to the document.

3	Save the file. This will replace the original with the new, modified version. Note that if a file is saved twice in quick succession (within about 10 seconds) there is a chance that GoBack will not be able to recover the interim revision. However, earlier or later versions are still recoverable. (GoBack requires that your computer’s disk be idle for a few seconds in order to identify "boundaries" between different versions of a file.)

4	Now close the program you used to edit the file. At this point, the old version of the file is lost and cannot be recovered by any conventional "undelete" utility.

5	In Windows Explorer, right-click the file you just modified. Select Show Revisions on the pop-up menu. GoBack will display a list showing all the versions of the file that can be recovered. The first (top) entry is the current version, and the second one is the file that you overwrote.

6	Just to make sure, click the second file then click the Open button. This will open the old version of the file. If this is the old version, you can:

•	Close the program that started, click the Recover To button, and select a location in which to save the file.

- OR -

•	To replace the current version with the previous one, you can just click Save in the program. The original file is recovered, replacing the modified version.

Recovering Several Files at Once

In this tutorial, you will delete several files and recover them by creating a GoBack Drive, a virtual drive that shows your drive as it was in the past.

1	Delete some of the files in the My Documents folder. As with the other tutorials, if you want, you can make a backup copy of the files in the My Documents folder before you begin.

2	Empty the Recycle Bin (right-click Recycle Bin then click Empty Recycle Bin from the shortcut menu). At this point, the files you deleted are, for the most part, irretrievable.

3	Open the GoBack Main Menu.

4	On the GoBack Main Menu, click the button labeled Revert your entire hard disk to a time in the past, or view your hard drive as it was before. This will open the GoBack Drive Window.

5	If you have more the one hard disk, make sure the disk that contained the deleted files is selected in the File menu.

6	Near the end of the event list (you may need to use the scroll bar on the right side to scroll to the end) you should see several entries in a row that show your files being moved to, and then deleted from, the Recycle Bin.

7	Above those entries, there should be a System Safe Point. Click to select that safe point. This is the point in time before you deleted the files and when GoBack considered the hard drive "safe."

8	Click the Create GoBack Drive button at the bottom of the window. A GoBack Drive – a virtual drive – is created showing what your real hard drive looked like at the time you selected. When a GoBack Drive is created a message box appears, indicating what drive letter was assigned to it.

9	You can now use Windows Explorer to view the GoBack Drive. In Windows Explorer, open the My Documents folder on the GoBack Drive. The files you deleted previously should be visible there.

10	To recover the files, drag them from the GoBack Drive to your real hard drive (you can also use the cut-and-paste capability in Windows Explorer).

11	After you have recovered the files, you can return to the GoBack Drive Window and click the Discard GoBack Drive button to get rid of the GoBack Drive.


GoBack Boot Screen

There are three primary services provided through the Boot Screen, the ability to: perform an emergency revert of the hard disk, boot up from a floppy disk, and disable GoBack.

With GoBack installed, each time you boot your computer the GoBack Boot Screen will appear before that of the operating system. By sitting between your hard disk and the operating system, GoBack lets you, among other things, revert your hard disk back in time to undo catastrophic software failures and restore crashed systems.

The GoBack Boot Screen appears briefly during your computer’s start up. You are given several seconds during which you can press the spacebar to access the emergency recovery functions of the GoBack Boot Menu. If you do not press the spacebar, the computer will start up normally.

If you are able to properly start up under the operating system, it is best to use Windows to access GoBack. However, in an emergency situation, you can revert your hard disk to an earlier state by using the GoBack Boot Screen. Even if the revert point (the time in the past to which GoBack reverts your hard disk) is not ideal, after you start the Windows operating system successfully, you can use the other options in GoBack to revert to a better time.

	If it appears that your computer has a physical hardware failure then it should be serviced before you attempt any data recovery. Repeated attempts to recover using GoBack will use up your GoBack history and may reduce the possibility of reverting your hard disk after the physical problems have been repaired.
	The GoBack Boot Screen supports most mice. However, if the pointer for your mouse does not appear on screen, you will need to use the access keys (underlined letters) appearing in each command option. Press the underlined letter in order to select the option.


Boot Screen: Using the GoBack Boot Menu
Using the GoBack Boot Menu

The actions available in the GoBack Boot Menu are described below:

•	Revert Drive: Activates the GoBack emergency recovery option. Use this when your PC is unable to boot up normally.

•	Disable GoBack: You must disable GoBack if: you are using another operating system and wish to view all files across all drives; you are upgrading or reinstalling Windows; or you want to use disk-partitioning software.

•	Boot from Floppy: This option is necessary only if you want to boot and run an application from a diskette and have access to your GoBack-protected hard disk(s).

•	Continue: Select this option to proceed with the normal boot process of your system (from your hard disk).

•	About GoBack: Select this option for information about GoBack.

Reverting Your Hard Disk

If your system fails to boot and you are unable to run Windows, use the GoBack Boot Menu to perform an emergency recovery – reverting your hard disk back to a time when Windows was operating.

When you choose to revert from the GoBack Boot Screen, GoBack recommends revert times starting with recent safe points. You can choose any of these points to revert your computer to a time corresponding to when it was working. If you are not successful with the first revert time, you can select to revert again and choose a different time. Generally, the first one or two revert attempts will succeed in getting your computer’s operating system to boot.

If GoBack is not able to revert to a time that allows you to properly start your computer then you need to restore from your traditional backups. Keep in mind that a physical malfunction - like the microprocessor failing - will not be fixed by either GoBack or a traditional backup, however the data on your hard disk may not have been lost.

	If it appears that your computer has a physical hardware failure then it should be serviced before you attempt any data recovery. Repeated attempts to recover using GoBack will use up your GoBack history and may reduce the possibility of reverting your hard disk after the physical problems have been repaired.
If you have more than one hard disk protected by GoBack, the revert back in time will affect all these disks.

To revert your hard disk from the GoBack Boot:

1	Restart your computer (use the power switch, the reset button, or press Ctrl+Alt+Delete).

2	When the GoBack Boot Screen appears, press the spacebar.

3	From the GoBack Boot Menu, click Revert Drive. GoBack will search your physical hard disk for safe times (when your hard disk was idle) to which to revert. GoBack identifies safe points and displays them in a dialog box (shown below). You can select a time and click Revert, click More Times to see other possible times, or cancel the revert request.

After you’ve selected one of the revert time options GoBack offers, your system will restart and try to boot. (Remember, do not press the spacebar the second time through the boot process.)

4	If your computer still does not start correctly, repeat Steps 1 through 3 and select a different time to revert to.

After your computer is able to start Windows, you can generally use the GoBack Drive Window to select a different time to which to revert your hard disk. The additional information provided in this window may be helpful in selecting a more desirable time.

Disabling GoBack

Occasionally, such as when you are going to change or upgrade operating systems or if you want to use disk-partitioning software (e.g., FDISK), you will need to disable GoBack. It is important to remember that whenever you disable GoBack, all the history GoBack has been tracking will be lost. In other words, you will not be able to revert your disk or retrieve old versions of a file prior to the time you disable GoBack.

To disable GoBack from the GoBack Boot Menu:

1	When the GoBack Boot Screen appears, press the spacebar (you are given a few seconds). If you miss pressing the spacebar, restart your computer and try again.

2	Select the Disable GoBack button from the GoBack Boot Menu.

GoBack can also be disabled from the Options button in the GoBack Main Menu.

Re-enabling GoBack

If you have disabled GoBack, either through Windows or from the Boot Screen, each time you try to access GoBack in Windows (via the Start menu or the GoBack icon on the taskbar), you will be reminded that GoBack is disabled. You will then have the option to enable GoBack. GoBack can only be enabled from Windows.

Booting from a Floppy Disk

With GoBack installed and enabled, it continuously monitors all access to your hard disk. For those programs that require that you start your computer with their special boot disk, GoBack provides a feature that lets you boot from a floppy disk and still have the protection of GoBack. If you do not use the following procedure, you will still be able to boot from your floppy, as long as it does not need to access your hard disk.

To boot from a floppy disk:

1	Start the computer without the floppy disk in the drive.

2	When the GoBack Boot Screen appears, press the spacebar. The GoBack Boot Menu appears.

3	Insert your program’s floppy disk in the floppy drive.

4	From the GoBack Boot Menu, select Boot from Floppy. Your computer will now boot from the floppy.


GoBack Main Menu

From the GoBack Main Menu, you can access nearly all of the capabilities of GoBack: creating a GoBack Drive, recovering an old version of a file, and reverting your entire hard disk to the way it was in the past.

To open the GoBack Main Menu, select GoBack from Programs in the Start Menu, click the GoBack icon in the taskbar, or double-click the shortcut on your desktop.

GoBack Main Menu

	View a Presentation to Learn More Click this button for an informative overview with a description of what GoBack does and examples of when and why you would use GoBack.
	Revert an Entire Hard Disk or Create a GoBack Drive  Click this button to open the GoBack Drive Window, where you can create a GoBack Drive or revert your hard drive to a time in the past.
	Recover a Deleted or Old Revision of a File Click this button to open the GoBack File Recovery Window, where you can find, view, and recover old versions of your files.
• I would like assistance with this task

When this option is selected, help will be displayed on the subsequent windows. If you do not wish to see online help, click this option to remove the check mark.

GoBack Options

The GoBack Options dialog, accessible by clicking the Options button on the GoBack Main Menu, lets you modify settings and features in two areas: History and Internet.

History tab

In the History tab you can Clear GoBack history for the drives selected in the list or Disable GoBack.

GoBack History Options Dialog

•	Clear GoBack History

To prevent anyone from seeing what has been on your computer you can click Clear the GoBack History. Keep in mind that by clearing the GoBack History you also take away your own ability to go back in time. After the GoBack History has been cleared, it cannot be restored.

•	Disable GoBack

To disable GoBack, click the Disable GoBack button. When you disable GoBack it also clears the GoBack History.

Internet tab

The Internet tab contains options relating to the Web Update feature that allows GoBack to automatically check the Internet for important updates. If your computer has an Internet connection, this option is enabled by default. The Periodically check… check box lets you turn this automatic web checking on or off. To open the browser and view the latest update on the GoBack web site, click View Updates.

GoBack Internet Options Dialog


GoBack Main Menu: Accessing GoBack using the Taskbar
Accessing GoBack using the Taskbar

To access the GoBack Main Menu, click the small GoBack icon in the status area of the taskbar. Alternatively, you can right-click the icon to open a shortcut menu and go directly to one the main menu options.


GoBack Drive Window

You can access nearly all GoBack features from the GoBack Drive Window. You can see a list of all of your computer’s hard disk activities and select times to go back to using the clock, the calendar, and the Event List. After you select a time, you can either create a virtual GoBack Drive showing your hard disk at that time, or you can revert your entire hard disk to the selected time.

	To open the GoBack Drive Window, click the Revert your entire hard disk to a time in the past, or view your hard drive as it was before button from the GoBack Main Menu.


GoBack Drive Window: What is a GoBack Drive?
What is a GoBack Drive?

A GoBack Drive is a virtual copy of your hard disk as it appeared at a selected point in the past. A GoBack Drive lets you view or retrieve old (deleted or modified) versions of files or documents. The virtual GoBack Drive is constructed from information collected by GoBack while monitoring hard disk activity.

When you create a virtual GoBack Drive, GoBack effectively creates a copy of your hard disk as it was at a specific point in time. GoBack will automatically discard a virtual drive if the historic data on which is based becomes unavailable. This situation occurs when you continue to use your hard drive while at the same time maintaining a virtual drive. After you’ve created a virtual GoBack Drive and retrieved the desired files, it is best to discard it. Should a GoBack Drive be automatically discarded and you attempt to access the GoBack Drive, a "blue screen" error message may occur.

If you do not plan to discard your virtual GoBack Drive right away, you can get an idea for how long you will be able to view the contents of the virtual drive. Compare how far back in time the virtual drive was created with how far back GoBack can see (using the calendar). For example, if GoBack can see back one week in time and you create a virtual GoBack Drive looking back one day, it is unlikely that this drive would be automatically discarded in the near future. However, if you create a virtual GoBack Drive looking back near the end of GoBack’s reach (in this example, one week), then you could lose your virtual GoBack Drive at any time. In these situations, you should consider immediately backing up any desired files (e.g., to a floppy disk).


GoBack Drive Window: The GoBack Drive Window
The GoBack Drive Window

GoBack can bring the past forward. Now, you can retrieve data or system information and bring it back into the present. Through the GoBack Drive Window, and using the time and date you select, GoBack reconstructs the state of your hard disk using the current disk image and notes it has made along the way.


GoBack Drive Window: Selecting What to View
Selecting What to View

As you are looking at the GoBack Drive Window, you can view your hard disk’s activities over the past several days. The bold numbers on the calendar indicate the days that you can view. The event list shows you various events that occurred on your computer for the currently selected day. Use the calendar to view different days in the Event List. You can also filter the event list so that you only see the types of activities that are of interest to you.

You may select events directly from this list by clicking the desired item. The clock automatically remains synchronized with the highlighted selection in the Event List. The clock can be used to position the Event List to a specific point in time. Enter a specific time in the area beneath the clock and press the Enter key. Remember to indicate AM or PM. The Event List will be updated to show the events closest to the time that you select.

You may view or revert your hard disk to a point in time corresponding to a Safe Point or Windows Boot Point event in the list. Safe points are automatically created whenever your computer is idle for several seconds. As selectable points in time, they generally prevent you from accidentally choosing a time that is right in the middle of disk activity (for example, saving a word processing document). Accessing such a point in time would typically yield useless transitional data, so GoBack tries to avoid them.

Selecting a Drive

The GoBack Drive Window will initially show the first physical hard disk on your computer. If you wish to view a different disk, select it from the File menu.

Selecting the Date

Dates for which you can view events appear in bold on the Calendar. Clicking on a date will cause the Event List to update with the activity for that date. The date being viewed is highlighted on the calendar. You can click the left and right arrows to scroll to the previous and next month in which there are events available to view.

Selecting the Time

The clock in the GoBack Drive Window provides another way to make a selection from the Event List. When you type a time into the space under the clock and press Enter, it will select the safe point event from the Event List that is closest to the time you entered.


GoBack Drive Window: Working with the Event List
Working with the Event List

The Event List is the primary feature of the GoBack Drive Window. It allows you to review your system activity to help you find useful times to which to view or revert your hard disk. For example, it might show you when you launched programs or modified files. You can scroll through the Event List to view the logged events for the currently selected day. If you have more than one physical drive, you can view any other drive(s) and their partitions by selecting the desired drive letter from the File menu.

It may be helpful to filter the events (from the View menu) shown in the listing. You can also search for particular events by using the Find File or Note option in the Edit menu.

There are several types of events shown in the event list, identified by the following icons:

	The GoBack logo marks GoBack activity, such as system boots and disk reverts.
	A Safe Point icon indicates a point in time when there was not any system activity.
	This icon identifies events relating to system activity such as Windows startup and shutdown points.
	This symbol identifies activities related to files (such as documents, spreadsheets, etc.). There are numerous types of file activity, such as create, rename, and delete. If the name of a file is changed, both the old and the new names will be shown.
	This icon identifies user events, such as user added notes.
	This icon designates shell execute events such as files opened or printed from Windows Explorer, or programs or files run from the Start/Run dialog.
Filtering the Event List

The Filters feature in the View menu "filters out" folders or files of specified types from the Event List. The default filter list excludes temporary and Windows folder activity and .bak and .tmp file types. Note that filtering has no effect on the collection of information or your ability to recover it. It just modifies what you see when you view the Event List.

There are two filtering options available in the View menu:

•	Use Filters: Click to toggle filtering on and off. A check indicates that filtering is active and events may be omitted from the Event List.

•	Edit Filters: Select this option to specify the file extensions and/or folders you wish to omit from the Event List.

You can "add" items to both folder and file extension filters. Be sure you understand that although you are selecting "Add," the effect is to "remove" the items from view. In other words, you are adding to a list of not-viewed items.

You might want to filter out file extensions or folders that are not used for recovery purposes.  For example you might want to filter out your temporary Internet files, or files with the extensions .dll, .exe, .hlp, .gid, .dat, .ffa, .ffl, and .ffv. Folders not needed for viewing might also be ~MSSETUP or recycle. Filtering these out of the Event List can make it easier to find a specific item you want to recover.

To add an item to the filter list:

1	Click Add in the File Filters dialog box (the upper block displays folders; the lower block displays file extensions). A dialog box will appear and allow you to enter the specific folder or file type you wish to filter out from viewing.

2	When you have entered the folder or file type to filter out, click OK.

To edit an item in the filter list:

1	In the File Filters dialog box, select the folder or file type you wish to edit.

2	Click the Edit button to the right of your selection. A screen will appear to let you edit the selected item.

3	After you have made your changes, click OK.

To delete an item from the filter list:

1	In the File Filters dialog box, select the folder or file type you wish to delete from the list.

2	Click the Delete button to the right of your selection.

You can also edit filters by right-clicking on a file event in the GoBack Drive Window and selecting Hide Events in this Folder or Hide Events of this File Type from the pop-up menu. The events you’ve hidden in this manner can be changed using the File Filters dialog box.

Selecting Events

You can click on any event in the Event List. However, if you intend to create a GoBack Drive or revert your disk you must select a safe point event. If you find a file event, such as a file modification, there are typically two safe points you can select. The safe point event that appears just after the file event corresponds to a point in time after the modification. Similarly, the safe point that appears prior to the file event corresponds to a time before the file was changed.

Finding a File or Note

To look for a specific file or note, choose the Find File or Note option from the Edit menu or press Ctrl+F. The Find File or Note option is used to perform a text search of file event and note entries in the Event List. Enter any part of the file name, folder, or extension or a portion of the note. The search is limited to the currently selected day. Select whether you wish to search down or up relative to the current position in the Event List. By default, the search direction is down. Searches are subject to filtering.


GoBack Drive Window: The Drop-Down Menus
The Drop-Down Menus

Each GoBack window has several drop-down menus. Many of these functions are available using the command buttons or by clicking with the right mouse button while the pointer is on the appropriate part of the view.

The drop-down menus in the GoBack Drive Window are described below:

The File Menu

Drive C: and D: (If your computer has different hard drive letters, your File menu may appear different than pictured here.) A list of your physical disks is at the top of the menu (indicated by the logical drive letters assigned to it - see glossary for definitions of logical and physical disks). Click on a physical disk to view its event log. If you only have one physical disk, no other selection is possible.

Create GoBack Drive at Selected Event: Creates a GoBack Drive based on the time you’ve selected in the GoBack Drive Window using the Calendar and either the Clock or Event List.

Discard GoBack Drives: After you are done with a GoBack Drive you should discard it by selecting this option. You will see a screen message indicating that the GoBack Drive has been discarded and that the information is no longer accessible (without creating a new GoBack Drive). If multiple GoBack Drives were created because your physical disk consists of more than one logical drive, then all the GoBack Drives are discarded.

Revert Drives: Reverts your hard disk to the way it was in the past, based on the time you selected in the Calendar and the Event List or Clock. Select this option to revert all the drives on the selected physical disk to the way they were at the selected time. You must select a Safe Point or GoBack event for the revert.

Exit: This closes the GoBack Drive Window.

The Edit Menu

Add Note to Log: This feature lets you add a note of your own to the Event List. For example, if you are going to install a major application or work on important documents, marking the list prior to these activities can make earlier events easier to find. The note is added to the bottom of the list, like any new event. Adding a note does not constitute a selectable safe point (i.e., you cannot necessarily go back to exactly the time at which the note was added).

Find File or Note: This option is used to perform a text search in the Event List and is described in the previous section on Finding a File or Note.

Find Next: This will continue the previous search to the next match.

The View Menu

Filters allow you to narrow down the list of files presented in the Event List. The Use Filters option can be toggled on and off by clicking on it. When the check mark is visible, the filters are ON. For additional information about filters, see the previous section on Filtering the Event List.

The Help Menu

Contents: This option opens GoBack Help.

GoBack Drive Help: This option provides help with the GoBack Drive Window.

What’s This?: To see a screen tip for a command button or screen region, click this option and then click the element you want information about.

Adaptec on the Web: After connecting to your Internet Service Provider, use this to access Adaptec on the Internet.

About GoBack: The version number of GoBack is indicated here. If you need technical assistance, it is important to have this number available.


GoBack Drive Window: The Command Buttons
The Command Buttons

The command buttons appear at the bottom of the GoBack Drive window. These are described below.

GoBack Menu: Displays the GoBack Main Menu.

Revert Drive: Reverts your hard disk to the way it was in the past, based on the time you selected. This option is equivalent to the Revert Drives option on the File menu.

Create GoBack Drive: Creates a GoBack Drive based on the time you selected in the GoBack Drive Window using the calendar and either the clock or event list. This option is equivalent to the Create GoBack Drive at Selected Event option on the File menu.

Discard GoBack Drive: This option discards a previously created GoBack Drive. This option is equivalent to the Discard GoBack Drives option on the File menu.


GoBack Drive Window: Alternative Methods to Enter Commands
Alternative Methods to Enter Commands

In addition to making selections using the drop-down menus and the command buttons, there are several places where you can click the right mouse button to initiate an action.

Using the Right Mouse Button

Clicking on the right mouse button will display a list of options appropriate to each screen, depending the location of your pointer when you right-click. If there is no option available at the location you’ve selected, you are presented with a "What’s This?" dialog as if you had selected it from the Help menu.


GoBack File Recovery Window

With the GoBack File Recovery Window, you can recover earlier versions of files, including files that have been over-written or deleted. The GoBack File Recovery Window allows you to select the file you wish to recover and the folder location in which to save the recovered file. Alternatively, you may directly open a file from the past. This causes the file to automatically be restored and the appropriate application launched to view it. In this case, the recovered file is stored in a temporary folder and is write-protected, anticipating that you will save it elsewhere if you wish to keep it. These files are automatically discarded on system shutdown. Thus, while viewing a file directly opened from the past, if you wish to save it, you should do so promptly.

	To open the GoBack File Recovery Window, click the Recover a deleted file or get back an earlier version of a changed file button from the GoBack Main Menu.


File Recovery Window: Selecting What to View
Selecting What to View

If you have more than one hard drive in your computer then in order for GoBack to display the information that you need in order to recover a file, you must select the drive on which your file is located.

Selecting a Drive

The GoBack File Recovery Window will initially show the first drive on your computer. If you wish to view a different drive, select it from the File menu.


File Recovery Window: Working with the File List
Working with the File List

The File List contains all the files that GoBack can recover. If you know what you are looking for, you can sort the list by clicking on any of the column headings.

The column headings include:

•	Name: The names in this column are the original names of files that GoBack can recover.

•	Size, Type: These columns help you identify the different versions of the files.

•	Location: This shows where each file was originally saved.

•	Original Time: This is the time that each file was originally created.

•	Modified Time: This is the last time that each file was modified, and corresponds to when they were added to the list.

Sorting the File List

Initially the list is sorted in reverse order by Modified Time, with most recent versions at the top. You can click on each of the column headers to sort the list according to that column. By clicking on the column heading a second time, you can switch between ascending and descending order.

It is possible that some dates are initially out of order in the list. This occurs when an application modifies a file and then sets the modified date back.

Locating Files

To locate a file, type all or part of the file name into the Locate Files Matching text box then click Locate Now. This changes the file list to show only files with names that contain the text that you entered. To again view the complete list, click Locate All.

Selecting Files

After you select a file, you can either restore the file or directly open it. You cannot restore multiple files in one operation. In this situation you should consider creating a GoBack Drive that reflects the disk at some point in the past and using Windows Explorer to copy files across to your main disk. This process is faster for recovering large groups of files.


File Recovery Window: The Drop-Down Menus
The Drop-Down Menus

Each GoBack window has several drop-down menus. Many of these functions are also available using the command buttons or by clicking with the right mouse button while the pointer is on the appropriate part of the view. The drop-down menus in the File Recovery Window are described below.

File Menu

(C:): This option indicates and lets you change the drive selected for viewing recoverable files. Depending on your computer’s hard drive configuration, drive names may be different than shown in the illustration. To change drives, click the letter of the drive for which you want to recover files. In the illustration above, the main drive is currently selected.

Open: After you select a file in the File List, this option opens the file for viewing.

Recover Selected File To: This option lets you recover and specify a place to save a selected file. By default, the file is saved to its original location. You may wish to select an alternate location in order to avoid overwriting the current version of the file.

Refresh: Select this option to update the list of recoverable files, reflecting any changes since you opened the window. In other words, after you open the window the list remains fixed. Continued system activity may make the list somewhat obsolete and therefore you may need to refresh it.

Exit: This closes the GoBack File Recovery Window.

Edit Menu

Find File: This option displays a standard Find dialog where you can enter all or a portion of the name of the file you are looking for. If a match is found, the file list will scroll to the first occurrence.

Find Next: This option repeats the previous find request starting from the current location in the list.

Help Menu

Contents: This option opens GoBack Help.

GoBack File Recovery Help: This option provides help with the GoBack File Recovery Window.

What’s This?: To see a screen tip for a command button or screen region, click this option and then click the element you want information about.

Adaptec on the Web: After connecting to your Internet Service Provider, use this to access Adaptec on the Internet.

About GoBack: The version number of GoBack is indicated here. If you need technical assistance, it is important to have this number available.


File Recovery Window: The Command Buttons
The Command Buttons

The command buttons appear at the bottom of the GoBack File Recovery window. These are described below.

GoBack Menu: Displays the GoBack Main Menu.

Open: With a file selected, click Open to view it. This is equivalent to the Open option in the File menu.

Recover To: Click this button to recover the selected file. This is equivalent to the Recover Selected File To option in the File menu.


GoBack in Windows Explorer

GoBack can be used through Windows Explorer to provide a quick and easy way to retrieve or view older versions of a file. Technically, GoBack is providing a shell extension to Windows Explorer. A recovered file can replace your existing document or be saved with another file name.


GoBack in Windows Explorer: The GoBack Shell Extension
The GoBack Shell Extension

The GoBack Shell Extension lets you access GoBack through Windows Explorer and provides a quick way to view or retrieve old versions of files. After opening Windows Explorer, (Select Start then Programs then Windows Explorer) locate the file that you want to see the revisions of and right-click it. A pop-up menu will appear:

GoBack Shell Extension in Windows Explorer

To see all the old versions of your file that GoBack has maintained, click Show Revisions next to the GoBack logo. A dialog box similar the following illustration will appear:

The example above shows that two versions of the file "swinventory.xls" can be retrieved or viewed.


GoBack in Windows Explorer: Working with the File Version List
Working with the File Version List

The file version list will include all copies (within the time period GoBack is able to record) of a particular file. The list will display the original file name (as it may have been renamed) along with the its size and the time at which it was originally saved.

Sorting the File Version List

Initially the list is sorted by Original Time, with most recent versions at the top. You can click on each of the column headers to sort the list according to that column. By clicking on the column heading a second time, you can switch between ascending and descending order.

Selecting Versions of the File

From the File Version List, you may select one of your old versions. You can then select Open to view the file (and then possibly Save As something else) or Recover to will recover the file without opening it first. Note that the entry at the top of the list corresponds to the current version of the file (not an older one).

For step-by-step instructions, see Frequently Asked Questions.


GoBack in Windows Explorer: The Command Buttons
The Command Buttons

Recover To: Click this button to save the selected file.

Open: Click this button to open the selected file.

OK, Cancel: Clicking on OK or Cancel will remove you from this window.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

This section is designed to answer your questions with simple, easy-to-understand answers. jumps to sections relevant to the questions are also provided so that you may refer to the more detailed information and pictures provided there.

How far back in time can GoBack retrieve data?

The length of time over which GoBack can recover data is determined by the amount of hard disk space allocated to GoBack and the intensity of computer usage. You can usually recover files for several days and possibly for several weeks. It all depends on how much data you are changing and how frequently it is changed. For example, programming and intense work with large graphics will use the space allocated to GoBack faster than word processing, or working in spreadsheets. With today’s hard disk drives becoming larger and less expensive, allocating part of your hard disk for GoBack will almost certainly lead to meaningful recovery ability.

You may wish to periodically check how far you can reach back in time (using the GoBack Drive Window) and adjust the allocated GoBack area accordingly. More space translates to a greater reach.

If massive amounts of data are altered, it is possible that your recovery ability will be limited, if available at all. After normal usage resumes, your recovery ability will usually start just after the massive change. For example, if at installation time, 200 megabytes of disk space is set aside for GoBack, and subsequently 200 megabytes of data is loaded in a short period of time (like from CD-ROM), you will lose your recovery ability at that point in time. However, if you continue working and alter a one megabyte file every ten minutes, working eight hours a day, you will be able to look back as far as four days to any overwritten version of a file.

It is recommended that you continue to periodically back up your hard disk to protect against your hard disk actually breaking (physical hardware failure) as well as ensuring that you have complete snapshots of your data from specific points in time that will eventually be out of GoBack’s reach.

What is MS-DOS Compatibility mode?

MS-DOS Compatibility mode is a mode in Windows 95/98/Me in which your hard disk(s) are not operating optimally using Windows 32-bit drivers, but are instead using MS-DOS real-mode drivers.

If GoBack detects this condition, GoBack will not install or run. You must correct the problem before running GoBack.

There can be many reasons that a hard disk is running in MS-DOS Compatibility mode. These reasons include, but are not limited to:

•	An "unsafe" device driver, program, or virus loaded in Windows memory.

•	A hard disk controller not detected in Windows.

•	A conflict between the hard disk controller and another device.

•	An incompatible hardware device or configuration in Windows.

•	A damaged Windows driver.

Because GoBack does not cause the MS-DOS Compatibility mode condition, you must consult your hardware manufacturer for information about correcting the problem. You can also find many detailed articles about troubleshooting MS-DOS Compatibility mode problems in the support area on the Microsoft web site.

What happens when I upgrade my operating system?

GoBack connects into the operating system at a very low level. Like virus checking software, GoBack should be disabled before upgrading the operating system. This is also true if you should need to reinstall your operating system.

If you wish to use an operating system for which there are no GoBack Drivers, and you wish to access the parts of your physical drive used for Windows, then you must disable GoBack first. Note that this defeats all of the GoBack monitoring and protection services and causes GoBack to discard all of the information regarding your system that it has stored so far. When you are done accessing the physical drive from outside Windows, you can re-enable GoBack. You can disable GoBack through the Main Menu/Options.

	During an upgrade, your computer may be rebooted multiple times. Each time you will be asked if you want to re-enable GoBack. Select No until you have completed the final portion of the upgrade or reinstall. On your next restart, you may then re-enable GoBack for system protection.
Do I still need to make backups?

Yes. GoBack complements a traditional backup by providing recovery ability to virtually any point within GoBack’s reach (typically, a week). It provides a window to your recent past to which you can easily jump back. You do not need to stop and make a traditional backup, in order to have this window available to correct a mistake. However, GoBack does not prevent data loss if your hardware actually breaks (e.g., if your disk drive breaks down) or if the data you desire was altered long ago. This is where a traditional backup comes into play. Thus, GoBack complements your current backup process.

Remember, whether by way of a traditional backup, or going back in time using GoBack, the basic purpose of being able to restore data is to reduce the chances of having to spend a lot of time re-creating the information. The harder it would be to re-create important work, the stronger the steps you should take to protect it. It is common, for extremely valuable information, to not only make a traditional backup, but to make several, and place them at various off-site locations (e.g., in case of fire).

Will GoBack affect my computer’s speed?

In general, GoBack does not significantly impact your computer’s overall performance. Writing to your hard disk should take about the same amount of time, regardless of whether GoBack is installed or not. The work GoBack does in order to provide the ability to go back in time is generally done in the background. If you are loading or modifying very large files (in relation to the disk space set aside for GoBack) such that useful recovery is no longer possible, GoBack automatically steps aside during this period and then resumes tracking as soon as possible.

How does GoBack determine where to put Safe Points?

GoBack continually monitors all hard disk activity, and when it determines that nothing has been written to the hard disk for several seconds, it makes a note (a Safe Point) in its log. When you want to revert your hard disk, create a GoBack drive, or recover a file, GoBack allows you to select these safe times, because you generally wouldn’t want to choose a time when you were in the middle of saving a file.

It’s important to note that if you perform several file activities in rapid succession, such as writing a file and then immediately deleting it, GoBack may not have written a Safe Point in the log. If this happens, you may not be able to select a time between these activities. To avoid this situation, pause between disk activities to allow the hard disk time to catch up.

How do I adjust the amount of space allocated to GoBack?

In order to make adjustments to the installation of GoBack, such as the amount and location of disk space allocated to GoBack, you must uninstall then re-install GoBack. Note that this will reset the information that GoBack has been tracking (GoBack History) and you will not be able to retrieve or revert back to the time before the uninstall.

How do I prevent others from looking at files that I have deleted?

If you work with confidential data or do not want others to be able to look at your hard disk as it was in the past, you can delete the data that GoBack has been collecting. Keep in mind, that after the GoBack History has been cleared, you can no longer view or retrieve data before this time.

To clear the GoBack History:

1	Open the GoBack Main Menu.

2	Click the Options button.

3	Select the drive(s) you’d like to clear.

4	Click the Clear GoBack History button.

How do I view my hard drive as it appeared in the past?

See: How do I create a GoBack Drive?

How do I create a GoBack Drive?

	For more information on GoBack Drives, including pictures of the GoBack Drive Window, see section "GoBack Drive Window."
The following steps re-create a "copy" of a drive at the time of a selected event:

1	First, open GoBack by doing one of the following:

•	Select Start, then Programs, then GoBack

•	Click the GoBack icon in the taskbar.

•	Right-click the GoBack icon in the taskbar, then select one of the main GoBack functions from the pop-up menu.

•	Double-click the GoBack shortcut on the desktop (if available).

2	At the Main Menu, click the Revert your entire hard disk to a time in the past, or view your hard drive as it was before button. The GoBack Drive Window opens.

3	From the File Menu, select the physical disk (one of your hard disks) from which you want to create the GoBack Drive(s).

4	In the Event List, select the Windows Boot Point or System Safe Point on which to base the creation of the GoBack Drive. If the date that you wish to revert to does not show in the event list, either click on the appropriate date in the calendar or use the scroll bar to move the list up or down. Also, if you know the approximate time you wish to go back to, you can type the time under the clock, which will move the Event List to the safe point nearest to the time you typed.

5	Click the Create GoBack Drive button. A message box will appear indicating the drive has been created. A red box will appear around the date and the event from which you created the GoBack Drive. The GoBack Drive(s) will appear as an additional drive(s) in Windows Explorer.

6	Use Windows Explorer to access files on the GoBack Drive(s).

In Windows Explorer, the letter which follows the word "GoBack" indicates the original drive (based on the selected event) which was used to create the GoBack Drive. The drive in parentheses is the designation for the GoBack Drive.

How do I get rid of a GoBack Drive that I created?

After you have finished looking at or retrieving data from the virtual GoBack Drive you created, you should delete the GoBack Drive to save system resources.

1	Open GoBack by doing one of the following:

•	Select Start, then Programs, then GoBack

•	Click the GoBack icon in the taskbar.

•	Right-click the GoBack icon in the taskbar, then select one of the main GoBack functions from the pop-up menu.

•	Double-click the GoBack shortcut on the desktop (if available).

2	From the GoBack Main Menu, click the Revert your entire hard disk to a time in the past, or view your hard drive as it was before button. The GoBack Drive Window will appear. If your system includes multiple physical disks, the GoBack Drive(s) that will be discarded are for the currently selected disk as viewed in the Event List. If you wish to discard a different disk, select it in the File menu.

3	Click the Discard GoBack Drive button. A message box will indicate the drive(s) has been discarded.

How do I get back a deleted or overwritten file?

There are several ways to recover files using GoBack; two of them will be covered here. See sections "File Recovery Window" and "GoBack in Windows Explorer" for additional details and pictures.

To Recover Files using the GoBack Main Menu:

1	Open GoBack by doing one of the following:

•	Select Start, then Programs, then GoBack

•	Click the GoBack icon in the taskbar.

•	Right-click the GoBack icon in the taskbar, then select one of the main GoBack functions from the pop-up menu.

•	Double-click the GoBack shortcut on the desktop (if available).

2	At the GoBack Main Menu, click the Recover a deleted file or get back an earlier version of a changed file button. The GoBack File Recovery Window will appear.

3	From the File menu, select the hard disk your file is located on.

4	Select a file version from the list then:

•	To recover the file, click Recover To, and select a title and location for this recovered version. If you do not wish to replace your current version, be sure that you have selected either a different title or a different location for this recovered version.

•	To view the file, click Open. The file is brought back from the past and stored in a temporary folder in Adaptec\GoBack\Temp. The appropriate application is then automatically launched to view the file. If it turns out that this is the version of the file you were looking for select File, then Save As, and specify a name and location for this version. Upon exiting the application you will return to the Revisions dialog box at which point you may view another version.

To Recover Files Using Windows Explorer (the Shell Extension):

1	From the Start menu choose Programs and then Windows Explorer.

2	Click on the drive containing your document.

3	Open the folders (and subfolders if needed) until you see the file you wish to view.

4	Right-click on your selected file.

5	On the pop-up menu, click Show Revisions.

6	Sort the resulting dialog box, if necessary, by clicking on the column heading by which you wish to sort.

7	Select a file version from the list, then:

•	To recover the file, click Recover To, and select a title and location for this recovered version. If you do not wish to replace your current version, be sure that you have selected either a different title or a different location for this recovered version.

•	To view the file, click Open. The file is brought back from the past and stored in a temporary folder in Adaptec\GoBack\Temp. The appropriate application is then automatically launched to view the file. If it turns out that this is the version of the file you were looking for select File, then Save As, and specify a name and location for this version. Upon exiting the application you will return to the Revisions dialog box at which point you may view another version.

How do I revert my hard disk?

There are two ways to revert your hard drive. See sections "GoBack Boot Screen" and "GoBack Drive Window" for more information. One method is outlined below:

1	Open GoBack by doing one of the following:

•	Select Start, then Programs, then GoBack

•	Click the GoBack icon in the taskbar.

•	Right-click the GoBack icon in the taskbar, then select one of the main GoBack functions from the pop-up menu.

•	Double-click the GoBack shortcut on the desktop (if available).

2	From the Main Menu, click the Revert your entire hard disk to a time in the past, or view your hard drive as it was before button. The GoBack Drive Window will appear.

3	In the File menu, click the disk to be reverted.

4	On the Calendar, click on the date to revert the disk to. You can click on the arrows to change which month is displayed. If the date you wish to select is gray, then GoBack does not have any information for that date and is unable to revert to that date.

5	Select the time from which to revert the disk to:

If you know what time to retrieve the files from, click in the box below the clock, type in the time, and press Enter.

If you aren’t sure what time to revert to, you can use the Event List to help you determine what you were doing at the time. After you find the appropriate time, click on the System Safe Point nearest to that time.

6	Click the Revert Drive button. GoBack will need to restart your computer to complete the revert process.

How do I get back files after I’ve reverted my hard disk?

If you’ve reverted your drive and realize that you no longer have one or more files you were working on, you can generally retrieve them using GoBack. You may use the File Recovery Window or create a GoBack Drive. The later method is presented here. For more related information see the section "GoBack Drive Window."

1	Start GoBack and open the GoBack Drive Window.

2	If you are not viewing the drive containing the files to be retrieved, choose the correct drive from the File menu.

3	On the calendar, click the date from which to retrieve the files. You can click on the arrows to change which month is displayed. If the date you wish to select is gray, then GoBack does not have any information for that date and is unable to retrieve files from then.

4	Select the time from which to recover files. If you know what time to retrieve the files from, click on the box below the clock, type in the time, and press Enter. If you aren’t sure what time to retrieve the files from, you can use the Event List to help you determine what you were doing at the time. After you find the appropriate time, click on the safe point nearest to that time.

5	Click the Create GoBack Drive button. A new drive will appear in Windows Explorer.

6	Use Windows Explorer to find the files you wish to retrieve on the GoBack Drive and copy them to your normal drive.

7	Return to the GoBack Drive Window and discard the GoBack Drive.

How do I view all the recent versions of an MS Word document?

To view (and recover, if desired) your most recent versions of your Word document:

1	Open Windows Explorer by selecting Start, then Programs, then Windows Explorer.

2	Click the drive containing your document.

3	Open folders (and subfolders if needed) until you see the file you wish to view.

4	Right-click on your selected file.

5	On the pop-up submenu that appears, click Show Revisions.

6	Sort the resulting dialog box, if necessary, by clicking on the column heading you wish to sort by.

7	Select the version.

8	Click Open to view the file. This brings the file forward in time, saving it in a temporary folder, and launches MS Word so that you may view the file. To save the file, select File, then Save As, and select a name and location. You may also click Recover To in order to save the file without viewing it.

For more information regarding this topic, see the section "GoBack in Windows Explorer."

How do I start my computer when it’s "locked up"?

When you are unable to start your computer normally, you can perform an emergency recovery from the GoBack Boot Screen. See the section "GoBack Boot Screen" for more information.

To revert your hard disk from the GoBack Boot Menu:

1	Restart your computer (use the power switch, the reset button, or press Ctrl-Alt-Delete).

2	When the GoBack Boot Screen appears, press the spacebar.

3	From the GoBack Boot Menu, click Revert Drive. GoBack will search your physical hard disk for safe times (when your hard disk was idle) to which to revert. GoBack identifies safe points and displays them in a dialog box. You can select a time and click Revert, click More Times to see other possible times, or cancel the revert request.

After you’ve selected one of the revert time options GoBack offers, your system will restart and try to boot. (Remember, do not press the spacebar the second time through the boot process.)

4	If your computer still won’t start correctly, repeat steps 1 through 3 and select a different time to revert to.

How do I use the floppy disk that came with a game or other program?

To boot from a floppy disk:

1	Start the computer without the floppy disk in the drive.

2	When the GoBack Boot Screen appears, press the spacebar. This brings up the GoBack Boot Menu.

3	Put your program’s floppy disk in the floppy drive.

4	From the GoBack Boot Menu, select Boot from Floppy. Your computer will now start booting from the floppy.

See the section "GoBack Boot Screen" for more information.

How do I disable GoBack?

There are a few occasions when you may want to disable GoBack:

•	When you wish to boot up using an alternate operating system and be able to access files normally protected by GoBack.

•	Before upgrading your operating system.

•	Before using disk-partitioning software to modify your disk partitions.

To disable GoBack from within Windows (see the section "GoBack Main Menu" for more information about the Options button):

1	From the GoBack Main Menu, select Options.

2	From the GoBack Options dialog, select Disable GoBack.

To disable GoBack from the GoBack Boot Screen (see section "GoBack Boot Screen" for more information regarding the Boot Screen):

1	Press the spacebar when the GoBack Boot Screen appears.

2	From the GoBack Boot Menu, select Disable GoBack.

	Remember, GoBack will not track any information while it is disabled. The "Disable GoBack" option also clears all GoBack history so that you will not be able to revert any disks, view, or retrieve any old files from the time before GoBack was disabled.
How do I uninstall GoBack?

	Be sure to use the uninstaller provided with GoBack. Do not use a third party uninstaller.
The following steps will remove the application from your hard disk and release all allocated storage on all physical drives:

1	From the Start menu, select Settings, Control Panel.

2	In Control Panel, double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.

3	At the Add/Remove Programs Properties dialog box, select GoBack from the list of installed applications and click the Add/Remove button.

4	Follow the on-screen instructions.

The system will reboot to complete the uninstall.

How do I use GoBack with other operating systems?

If you need to be able to access any of the drives that GoBack is protecting, then you must disable GoBack before using an operating system other than Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me (Millennium Edition). If you do not need to access those drives, then it won’t hurt to leave GoBack enabled.

How do I use GoBack with MS-DOS?

GoBack can continue to protect your hard disk(s) while you run an MS-DOS-based window while still in Windows. Note that GoBack may prevent some MS-DOS disk utilities from modifying protected areas of the hard drive.


Glossary

Boot Time

The initial period when your computer is starting is referred to as its boot time. If you restart your computer then a new boot is initiated.

GoBack Drive

A GoBack Drive looks and is used like any other drive (such as your floppy drive) but it is created by you using GoBack. Unlike a real drive, a GoBack Drive doesn’t really exist -- its contents are generated by GoBack based on the way your hard drive was as some selected time in the past. You can use a GoBack Drive to retrieve or just view earlier versions of your files.

	Note that although you can write to a GoBack Drive, any changes will be lost when the drive is discarded (or Windows is shut down).
GoBack History

In order for GoBack to provide the ability to go back in time, it makes notes about changes occurring on your computer. These notes are stored in an area on your hard disk, which is referred to collectively as the GoBack History. The area and its size are established during installation.

Logical Drive

The result of partitioning a physical drive into separate, smaller drives. For example, one physical disk may be divided into two logical drives, C: and D:.

Physical Disk

This is the physical hard disk drive that is interfaced to your computer. Physical disks may be partitioned into one or more logical drives.

Recover

This is the process of retrieving a file that existed at some point in the past and saving it to the "present."

Revert

This is the process of changing an entire physical disk to the way it was at some point in the past. If there is more than one logical drive on the physical disk, all of the drives will be reverted simultaneously.

Safe Point

This is a moment in time that GoBack has determined the hard disk is "stable," meaning that all of the data on the hard disk is in a consistent state. Safe points are the times at which a GoBack Drive can be created or to which a hard disk can be reverted.

Shell Extension

GoBack provides additional functionality to Windows Explorer through the standard means of a shell extension.

Virtual Drive

A "fake" disk drive created with software. GoBack Drives are virtual drives.

Windows Explorer

This application is provided with Windows operating systems. It lets you, among other things, view, copy, and delete files that are on the various hard drives connected to your computer.


Important Updates and Notices

All users of GoBack should read the following.

It is important to realize that, although GoBack adds an underlying safety net to the use of your computer, it is not a replacement for backups. In many situations, GoBack will be able to restore your entire computer or a specific file that would otherwise be lost. However, this ability should not be assumed. GoBack's restorative ability is a function, among other things, of the intensity of disk usage and the amount of disk space allocated for tracking.

A tutorial about the unique features and abilities of GoBack can be launched from the GoBack Main Menu.

Should you wish to do so, GoBack can only be correctly uninstalled using Add/Remove Programs (click Start, Settings, then Control Panel).

The following are important issues relating to the use of GoBack.

MS-DOS Compatibility mode

MS-DOS Compatibility mode is a mode in Windows 95/98/Me in which your hard disk(s) are not operating optimally using Windows 32-bit drivers, but are instead using MS-DOS real-mode drivers.

If GoBack detects this condition, GoBack will not install or run. You must correct the problem before running GoBack. There can be many reasons that a hard disk is running in MS-DOS Compatibility mode.

These reasons include, but are not limited to:

•	An "unsafe" device driver, program, or virus loaded in Windows memory.

•	A hard disk controller not detected in Windows.

•	A conflict between the hard disk controller and another device.

•	An incompatible hardware device or configuration in Windows.

•	A damaged Windows driver.

Because GoBack does not cause the MS-DOS Compatibility mode condition, you must consult your hardware manufacturer for information about correcting the problem. You can also find many detailed articles about troubleshooting MS-DOS Compatibility mode problems in the support area on the Microsoft web site.

Drive support / device drivers

GoBack can protect all drives that are recognized by the BIOS. If your drive is not recognized during the initial BIOS hardware identification phase of the boot or requires special device drivers you will not be able to use GoBack with that drive. GoBack does not protect removable media, like diskettes, Zip, etc.

Using disk partitioning utilities

With GoBack installed you can still use partitioning utilities to manipulate your hard disk's partitions. However, before you use any of these utilities you must disable GoBack (from the GoBack Main Menu, click Options, then Disable GoBack). After you have finished modifying your hard disk's partitions, re-enable GoBack.

The following programs are known to modify disk partitioning: Partition Magic, Partition-It, Ontrack Disk Manager, and EZ-drive.

Installing or moving hard disks

Before installing or moving a hard disk, disable GoBack (from the GoBack Main Menu, click Options, then Disable GoBack), install the drive, then re-enable GoBack. If you want GoBack to track the new hard drive's events you will need to uninstall GoBack (using Add/Remove Programs in Windows Control Panel) then re-install GoBack.

Operating system compatibility and upgrading

GoBack is compatible with all versions of Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me (Millennium Edition). This version of GoBack does not support Linux, OS/2, Windows NT, or Windows 2000 (note: a Windows NT / Windows 2000 version of GoBack is forthcoming).

When upgrading to a new or different operating system, GoBack should first be uninstalled. An appropriate version of GoBack that supports the new operating system should then be obtained and installed.

Using disk compression utilities

GoBack is not supported on drives compressed with a disk-level compression utility (such as DriveSpace, DoubleSpace, etc.). However, GoBack is fully compatible with file-level compression, such as that provided by PKZIP, WINZIP, and ARJ.

Booting from floppy disks

With GoBack installed you can still boot from floppy disks. However, you must ensure that GoBack drivers are loaded. These will allow you to access your hard disks. To boot from a floppy, start by booting your system from the hard disk. In other words, without yet inserting the floppy, restart your PC. When the initial GoBack screen appears, press the spacebar, then insert your floppy disk and then click the Boot from floppy option.

More about "Safe Points" and file recovery

GoBack automatically creates "safe points" surrounding various events like saving a file. You can select a safe point either before or after an event in order to see your disk at these respective times. The file recovery systems in GoBack utilize safe points in order to retrieve otherwise lost files. GoBack requires about ten seconds of hard disk inactivity between operations (like saving a file) in order to distinguish the two events. Thus, if you save a file, quickly make a change and then save it again within about ten seconds there is a chance that GoBack will not be able to recover the interim revision. However, revisions at earlier or later safe points are still recoverable.

GoBack is not a replacement for traditional backup program. However, if you have a non-hardware failure, GoBack will generally be able to save the day.

Disk activity, performance, and restorative ability

In most situations involving disk activity, such as saving a file, GoBack will not noticeably impact the computer's performance. However, it will add some background disk activity that is involved with re-optimizing and ensuring your changes transition safely to the disk (part of its unique protection against data loss). If you have made many changes to your disk in a short amount of time, you may notice the added background disk activity. However, it will complete in time but, because it is done in the background, you can continue to use and/or shutdown your computer.

How GoBack works and the theory behind it

GoBack works by adding a protective level between the operating system and your hard disk. GoBack tracks all the changes that are made to the disk. It contains special logic to avoid data loss in the event of a sudden crash or power loss. Because it is keeping track of all your changes made in the recent past, it can reconstruct your disk at virtually any point - a "safe point" - in the recent past.

Safe points are moments in time where your disk is idle for about ten seconds. GoBack allows you to return your disk to an earlier state (reverting) or view and/or recover specific files from the past (by referencing back to moments when your disk was idle). Using a portion of the disk to track recent changes, it is very likely that GoBack can restore your computer to working order or retrieve an otherwise lost file. This ability is provided without generally impacting your computer's performance.


Open GoBack Drive Window

Selecting this option open the GoBack Drive Window so that you can create or discard GoBack drives.


Open GoBack File Recover Window

Selecting this option opens the GoBack File Recover Window so that you can recover deleted or changed files.


Open GoBack Revert Window

Selecting this option opens the GoBack Revert Window so that you can revert your hard disk to an earlier time.


View Presentation

Selecting this option will open a short presentation showing how to use GoBack.


Assistance

Enabling this option will result in a "Help" window appearing when you open the GoBack Drive Window or GoBack File Recovery Window. This will walk you through the most common operations of the window.


GoBack Options

Displays a dialog with the option to disable GoBack or clear the GoBack history


Close

Exits from the GoBack Main Menu.


Drive List

Selecting the "Clear GoBack History" button will affect all of the drives highlighted in this list.


Clear GoBack History

This option will clear the GoBack History on each of the drives selected in the drive list.


Disable GoBack

This option will disable GoBack after restarting the computer.


Periodically check Internet for updates

With this option enabled, GoBack will periodically check the Internet for any important updates.


View Updates

This option will open your web browser and display any important updates at the GoBack web site.


Visit the Adaptec web site

This option will open your web browser and display the Adaptec web site.


Change Administrator Password

This option allows you to change the GoBack administrator password.


Change User Password

This option allows you to change the GoBack user password.


Old password

Enter the original password here.


New password

Enter the new password here.


Confirm new password

Enter the new password here for verification.


Enable Auto-Revert

Enabling this option will enable the Auto-Revert feature of GoBack.


Auto-Revert every day at

This option will cause an Auto-Revert to occur every day at the specified time.


Auto-Revert time

If the "Auto-Revert every day at" option is checked, this specifies the time the Auto-Revert will occur.


Read Auto-Revert schedule from file

This option will cause an Auto-Revert to occur at the times and days specified in the schedule file.


Schedule file

If the "Read Auto-Revert schedule from file" option is checked, this specifies the file to read the schedule from.


Browse for schedule file

This option allows you to browse for the Auto-Revert schedule file.


Auto-Revert Now

This option allows causes an immediate Auto-Revert to the Auto-Revert time.


Calendar

Selecting a date in the calendar determines what events will be shown in the event list.

Dates for which GoBack has information are displayed with bold numbers.

The selected date is displayed with inverted colors.

If a GoBack drive has been created, the date it is set to will be outlined in red.


Clock

The clock shows the time associated with the event selected in the event list.


Time Entry Field

Entering a time here will cause the event nearest that time to be selected in the event list.


GoBack and the GoBack logo are trademarks of Adaptec, Inc.


Event List

This is a list of events that have resulted in changes to the hard drive.

Safe points are times when the hard drive was in a stable state.


Revert Drive

This option will revert the current hard disk to the state it was before the selected event occurred.


Create GoBack Drive

This option will create a GoBack Drive showing the current drive in the state it was before the selected event occurred.


Discard GoBack Drive

This option will remove the GoBack Drive associated with the current drive. Any changes to the GoBack Drive will be lost.


GoBack Menu

This button will display the GoBack Main Menu.


File events in the listed folders will not appear in the event list if filtering is enabled.


This option adds a new folder to the filter list.


This option edits a folder in the filter list.


This option removes the selected folder from the filter list.


File events on files with the listed extensions will not appear in the event list if filtering is enabled.


This option adds a new file type (extension) to the filter list.


This option edits a file type (extension) in the filter list.


This option removes the selected file type (extension) from the filter list.


Type the folder name to add to the filter list.


Browse the computer to find a folder to add to the filter list.


Type the file extension to add to the filter list.


File List

This is a list of all the previous versions of files that GoBack can recover.

Old file versions that cannot be recovered are not listed.


Recover To…

This option recovers the selected file to a specified location.


Rescue Files

This option recovers all of the checked files to their original locations.


Open

This option opens (views or runs) the selected file.


GoBack Menu

This button will display the GoBack Main Menu.


Locate Files Matching

You can enter a portion of a file you are looking for in this box.


Locate Now

This option limits the file list to those files which contain the text in the "Locate Files Matching" box.


Locate All

This option resets the file list to show all files, regardless of the text in the "Locate Files Matching" box.


Drive List

This is a list of the hard disks that can be reverted. One or more can be selected and reverted at the same time.


Inactivity List

This is a list of times that the system was inactive for a period of time. The selected hard disks can be reverted to any of these times.


Inactivity Filter

This can be used to reduce the number of entries in the inactivity list to periods at least as long as the slider value.


Usage Graph

This graph shows the amount of hard disk use over time.


Detailed View

This option switches the usage graph between long-term and short-term views of hard disk use.


Show Usage

This option switches the usage graph between "activity/inactivity" and "amount of use" modes.


Selecting this option will cause the disk reversion to be in effect only for the next boot.


Revert

Selecting this will revert all of the selected disks to the selected time.


GoBack Menu

This button will display the GoBack Main Menu.


Applies and saves any changes you have made and then closes this dialog box.


Closes this dialog box without saving any changes you have made.


Help

Opens GoBack Help.


GoBack Drive Window Assistance

This help window will guide you through the most common operations of the GoBack Drive Window.

What are you trying to do?

 Retrieve files from the past.

 Revert a hard disk to the way it was in the past.


Retrieving Files from the Past

1	On the Calendar, click on the date from which to retrieve the files. You can click on the arrows to change which month is displayed.
If the date you wish to select is gray, then GoBack does not have any information for that date and is unable to retrieve files from that date.

2	Select the time from which to retrieve the files:
If you know what time to retrieve the files from, click on the box below the clock, type in the time, and press Enter.
If you aren’t sure what time to retrieve the files from, you can use the event log to help you determine what you were doing at the time. Once you find the appropriate time, click on the System Safe Point nearest to that time.

3	Click the Create GoBack Drive button. A new drive will appear in Windows Explorer.

4	Use Windows Explorer to locate the files you wish to retrieve on the GoBack drive and copy them to your normal drive.

Tips

•	You can double-click on an event in the event log to create a GoBack drive without having to click the Create GoBack Drive button.

•	To reduce the number of entries in the file list, use the filtering option (in the View menu).

•	If you only need to retrieve one or two files, you might want to use the GoBack File Recovery Window.

Note

•	If you create a GoBack drive near the beginning of the GoBack log, you will see a warning dialog telling you this. If this happens, you should try to copy any files you need from the GoBack drive to a different physical drive (e.g., a floppy disk) to ensure that the file doesn’t get lost before you get it.


Revert a Hard Disk to the Way it was in the Past

1	On the Calendar, click on the date to revert the disk to. You can click on the arrows to change which month is displayed.
If the date you wish to select is gray, then GoBack does not have any information for that date and is unable to revert to that date.

2	Select the time from which to revert the disk to:
If you know what time to retrieve the files from, click on the box below the clock, type in the time, and press Enter.
If you aren’t sure what time to revert to, you can use the event log to help you determine what you were doing at the time. Once you find the appropriate time, click on the System Safe Point nearest to that time.

3	Click the Revert Drive button. GoBack will need to restart your computer to complete the process.

Tip

•	If you know what time you want to revert your hard disk to, you might want to use the GoBack Disk Revert Window.


GoBack File Recovery Window Assistance

This help window will guide you through the most common operations of the GoBack File Recovery Window.

What are you trying to do?

 Recover an old version of a file.

 View an old version of a file.


Recovering an old Version of a File

1	Click to select the file you wish to retrieve from the file list.

2	Click the Recover To button.

3	In the Recover To dialog, specify where to save the recovered file and what the file should be called. By default, the file will be recovered to the location where it originally existed, with its original name.

Tip

•	If you wish to recover more than one file from the same time in the past, creating a GoBack Drive from the GoBack Drive Window will allow you to recover many files at once.


Viewing an old Version of a File

1	Click to select the file you wish to retrieve from the file list.

2	Click the Open button. If the selected file is a document, it will be opened by the application that is associated with the file’s type. If the selected file is a program, it will be run.

Tip

•	If you wish to recover more than one file from the same time, creating a GoBack Drive from the GoBack Drive Window will allow you to recover many files at once.