An area of networked disk on server bell is available for Phonetics and Linguistics staff members to back up a selected area of  their departmental PC disk. The disk space available for each staff member is 1GB.  (1GB = 1000MB).  This is intended for backing up a selection of important files which are likely to change from time to time. Space cannot be provided for backing up the whole of a PC disk.

To use this networked disk space to create a reliable backup system, the following is recommended:-

Choose one area on your PC disk to hold the files and folders to be backed up. For example this could be a folder in Windows under 'My Computer', 'My Documents'.

Use backup software on the PC which can be set to perform a daily backup automatically at a time when the PC is likely to be switched on. Suitable backup software is supplied with Windows XP and 2000. There are also many other pieces of backup software, some available free. Any used should be able to perform full and incremental backups so that a history of  backups performed can be tracked and particular dated versions of files restored if necessary. Attempting to manually copy changed files on a PC to an external backup area is likely to result in unsatisfactory backups as it relies on your memory and being aware of potentially complicated changes in files and folders.

When the first backup has been made, test that it can be restored using the restore function with the PC backup software. Restore to a different folder from where the backup was made to prevent potential damage to this if the backup was corrupt. Ensure that the restored data can be read.

Ensure that the area on the PC disk to be backed  up is less than 1GB in size. If it is not, your quota
on the networked disk backup area will be exceeded preventing the backup from completing.
You will be automatically sent an email message early morning if  the data in this area exceeds
1GB. No more will be written here if it exceeds 1GB + 10MB, or more that 1GB for 7 days.

The instructions below are for setting up automatic backups of a selected area of PC disk using the backup software supplied with Windows 2000 or XP.  Please get assistance if you don't feel confident to set this up yourself.

 
INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING WINDOWS BACKUP PROGRAM (2000 or XP) TO BACKUP PC FILES TO DEDICATED BACKUP AREA ON SERVER  BELL
 

1.0     Accessing the Backup Disk on  Server bell

The PC needs to be able to access the networked disk on computer bell to carry out the backup. Therefore it is necessary to ensure that the network connection is made at boot up.

1.1     Window 2000 PCs simply require the directory \\bell\backup to be mounted:-

Right click the My Computer icon, select Map Network Drive, and in the resulting dialog box type \\bell\backup in the Folder box, tick the Reconnect at logon box and click Finish. After this the user will be prompted to connect to the backup area each time the PC is booted.

1.2     Windows XP PCs

Windows XP will not, by default, prompt to logon to the networked drive. The following procedure is required in order to make this happen:-

1.21 Search for computer bell and when found drag onto the desktop. This will put the executable file Samba Server (bell) in the directory C:\Documents and Settings\Pc_users_name\Desktop. To execute this file at bootup its name and path needs to be inserted into the registry as described below.

1.22 Click Start then click Run.

1.23 In the Open Box type regedit and then click OK

Save a copy of the registry by clicking on My Computer in the left window, file, export then select somewhere on the local disk  to save this registry copy to. You will need to give the registry copy a suitable filename.

1.24 Move down the tree of folder icons in the left window:- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer\Run.

(If Explorer is not present it can be created by clicking policies and then selecting Edit, New, and left clicking Key. This will create a new highlighted entry under policies called New Key #1. Change the name New Key #1 to Explorer. Use the same method to create Run within Explorer).

Double click on folder icon Run.

1.25 The right window should now contain the first line beginning ab as shown and possibly additional lines beginning  ab,  eg ab1 .. ab2 etc:-

Name                             Type             Data

ab(Default)          REG_SZ    (Value not set)

1.26  Right click below the last line, then move inside the box containing New and left click on String Value. A box will appear  containing New Value#1 with a blue background. Left click inside this box to the right of the blue area. Delete the box contents using backspace key. Type in 1 if the line above is ab(Default) or a number one higher than any numerical suffix to  ab in this previous line.

1.27 Double right click on the entry just added then left click on Modify and enter:-

C:\Documents and Settings\pc_username\Desktop\Samba Server(bell).

This entry must be exactly as appears in the name associated with the bell icon you dragged onto the desktop in 1.21 above and may differ from the example given here. Now click on ok.

The right window should now look the same or similar to:-

Name                             Type              Data

ab(Default)          REG_SZ      (Value not set)

ab1                       REG_SZ       C:\Documents\andSettings\pc_username\Desktop\Samba

DO NOT EXIT THE REGISTRY EDITOR WITH INCORRECT VALUES ENTERED AS THIS MAY PREVENT THE COMPUTER FROM BOOTING. RIGHT CLICK TO MODIFY OR DELETE IF YOU HAVE ENTERED INCORRECT VALUES. IF THERE IS A REBOOTING PROBLEM YOU WILL NEED TO BOOT OFF A WINDOWS XP CD AND IMPORT THE SAVED REGISTRY COPY.

1.28 Click on file, exit to exit the registry editor and save the additions just made.

The user will now be prompted to logon to bell at bootup.

2.0     Configuring the Backup Program

There are a number of options in configuring the backup program. These are:

1) The type of backup

a) Normal (full).

b) Incremental - only files that have been created or changed since the last normal or incremental backup are copied. The archive bit of a file is set after the backup.

c) Differential - only files that have been created or changed since the last normal or incremental backup are copied. The archive bit is not set after the backup.

Incremental backups result in less data being backed up each time but the last normal backup and all subsequent incremental backups are required in order to restore.

Differential backups result in more data being backed up but only the last full and last differential backup are required in order to restore.

2)  The timing of the backup, e.g. once only, scheduled at fixed periods of time or after the PC has been idle for a certain time.

3) Whether the backup file(s) on bell is(are) overwritten each time a backup is made or whether each new backup is appended to earlier backups. The choice will depend on backup type, total amount of data, and change in amount of data between backups.

The configuration described below schedules a weekly full backup and a daily differential backup.

There are two ways to use the backup menu system for configuring backups. Section 3 Using the ‘wizard’ which guides you through the process automatically selecting menu items, or without the wizard where menu items must be selected. The wizard method is simplest to use, is recommended and is described below.

 Ensure that a username and password is set up to access the  PC  so you are prompted for it when the PC is switched on. This is in addition to the user name and password required to access the server bell via the bell icon on the desktop, The PC and bell server usernames and passwords can be the same or different.

3.0      Setting up with the wizard

3.1             Click on Start, All Programs, Accessories, SystemTools, Backup.

3.2             Click on Backup Wizard (Advanced).

3.3             Under Welcome to Backup Wizard, Click on Next.

3.4             Under What to Backup select Backup selected files, drives or network data and then click on Next.

3.5             Under Items to Back Up select the files and folders to be backed up and then click on Next.

3.6             Under Backup Type, Destination, and Name: Under Type Name for this Backup a name such as backup_full_weekly. Ensure that \\bell\backup\ is entered in Choose a place to save your backup window. If it won’t allow this to be entered by clicking on the  V to the right of this window, then click on Browse, Cancel if the message Please insert a disk into drive A: appears. A window headed  Save As should appear. Navigate to Desktop in the Save in sub window then double click on Samba Server (Bell). Double click on backup in the list of shared bell server disks which should appear. Click on Next.

3.7             Under Completing the Backup Wizard click on Advanced. Under Type of Backup ensure normal is selected then click on Next.

3.8             Under How to Backup select Verify Data after Backup

3.9             Under Backup Options  select Replace the Existing Backups   then click on Next.

3.10        Under When to Run Backups select Later and enter a job name such as ‘weekly backup’ then click on Set Schedule. (This job name entered is the name of a scheduled event to run this backup configuration at set times. It can be displayed on a calendar when set)  In the Schedule Job window select  Weekly and a start time and day of the week when the PC is likely to be switched on. Then Click on OK.

3.11        Under Set Account Information enter the password used to access Windows on the PC. (not your network password if it is different from this one).

3.12        Under Completing the Backup Wizard Click on Finish.