• BackupRecovery

Protecting Critical Files and Settings

Your PC will fail; the only uncertainty is when. Setup the appropriate mechanisms to prevent data loss and minimize "down time" when this eventually happens:

1. Backup your log at the end of every operating session: on DXKeeper's Configuration window, select the Log tab, and click the Backup button. To have DXKeeper do this automatically, check the Backup log on shutdown box in the Options panel at the top of the Configuration window's General tab.

2. Direct the Launcher to create and populate a Workspace containing all of your DXLab application settings.

3. Identify other files you've modified or created, and don't want to spend time re-creating while recovering from a catastrophic hardware or software failure
   1. in Commander's folder

      • device data files for frequency-dependent devices, specified in the Data File panel of each device's tab in the Configuration window (if you've created such files)

      • filter group data files created using the Data File panel on the Configuration window's Filter Groups tab

      • memory files you've saved via the Config window's Memory tab

      • custom S-meter files in Commander's Smeter folder

      • BandSegments.txt (if you created it from DefaultBandSegments.txt)

      • Radios.txt (if you modified it)

      • any files containing user-defined control sequences, sliders, and control sets

   2. in DXKeeper's folder

      • Bands.txt (if you created it from DefaultBands.txt)

      • Modes.txt (if you created it from DefaultModes.txt)

      • any custom Log Page Display layout files you may have created; the one currently in use is specified in the Log Page Display layout file panel on the Configuration window's Log tab

      • any scripts you may have created
      • any reports you may have created
   3. in DXView's Databases sub-folder

      • DXCC database - DXCC.mdb (if you've made your own modifications)

      • Override list - Overrides.mdb (if you have defined or downloaded overrides)

   4. in Pathfinder's Searches sub-folder

      • any search files you've modified or created

   5. in PropView's folder

      • Bands.txt (if you created it from DefaultBands.txt)

   6. in SpotCollector's folder

      • Special Callsigns - SpecialCallsigns.mdb in the SpotCollector's Databases sub-folder (if you've specified one or more special callsigns)

      • any Special Callsign lists you created and saved in files

      • sub-band definition file specified in the Sub-band Definition panel on the Configuration window's General tab (if you changed it)

      • any audio files you modified or created in SpotCollector's Sounds sub-folder

      • any SQL filters you created and saved in files

   7. in WinWarbler's folder

      • your minilog(s) (file named YourCallsign.ADI in your WinWarbler folder)

      • PSKBands.txt (if you created it from DefaultPSKBands.txt)

      • RTTYBands.txt (if you created it from DefaultRTTYBands.txt)

      • any macros you've saved in files in WinWarbler's Scripts sub-folder

      • any .wav files you created for phone voice keying (specified in the .wav file folder setting on the Configuration window's Phone tab

   8. if you use the ARRL's Logbook of the World (LotW) and have upgraded to TQSL 2.0 or later, the backup file containing your Callsign Certificates, Station Locations, and preferences

4. Setup a competent on-site backup and restore application that daily makes a backup copy of your Workspace and all critical files that changed since the previous day to a storage device other than your PC's C: drive - ideally, to an external hard drive, to a hard drive on another PC on your network, or to a USB Flash drive. Your log file(s) and the Workspace folder containing your settings are prime examples of critical files.

   • EaseUS Todo

   • Macrium Reflect (free!)

   • StorageCraft ShadowProtect

   • Symantec System Recovery (successor to Norton Ghost)

   • SyncBack

   • SyncBackFree (free!)

   • Synology Cloud Station Server

     • software specifications

     • Cloud Station Backup

5. Setup a competent off-site backup and restore application like iDrive or Carbonite that daily makes copies of changed critical files to a web-accessible archive, including an up-to-date Workspace. You can also configure DXKeeper to automatically backup your log file to a free web storage service like DropBox or OneDrive or Google Drive on shutdown.

   • Best Free Cloud Storage

Why both on-site and off-site backup? Recovering data from an on-site backup is fast, but on-site backups don't protect you from catastrophic damage to your shack, e.g. from fire or flood. Off-site backups provide this protection, but recovering data from an off-site backup can be slow. The combination gives you rapid restoration most of the time, and the ability to recover your data (albeit more slowly) in the event of catastrophic damage.

Recovering From a Catastrophic Failure

Assuming you have followed the instructions above,

1. download and install the DXLab Launcher

2. direct the Launcher to install your other DXLab applications

3. restore each of the files you saved in step 3 above

4. restore the Workspace you saved in step 2 above, and then load the Windows Registry with all settings from that Workspace

Post a question or suggestion on the DXLab Discussion Group

Getting Started with DXLab