FSX Back-Up

[OleBoy]

Email received this morning. Something interesting here. After all the posts I've read concerning lost registrations etc etc http://www.fspilotshop.com/product_info.php?products_id=2991 , has anyone any feedback on this potential jewel?

[Warrant]

looks promising. Wonder if this is OS and configuration independent. I make regular back-ups through Windows (Vista Ultimate), but i'm not sure if i can retrieve the files, key's, settings, etc. when i need a new PC install.

[Bone]

I think of all the times I've reformatted, and then all the time spent reconfiguring my FSX set up.

One button to make it all reappear...oy, that would be awesome...and to borrow a term from A/C systems training at the airline level, that's PFM!

[Warrant]

Purchased it, running backup tonight (since i'm flying a C-17 IFR from Eindhoven to Kinshasa at the moment). Will report findings tomorrow evening.

[OleBoy]

Considering I'm spread all over in FSX, I'm actually wondering how in-depth this program is. I have Norton Ghost 10 already, although I haven't updated it (or tried installing it in Windows 7) I'm thinking this program works on the same principal, but more adapted to FSX files specifically? That's what I'm most curious about. Then again, a back-up is a back-up, is a back-up. Regardless, I'm pretty sure you'll be needing another hard drive the size of your FSX drive to do it.

As far as this program goes, there was very little information to read that said anything about what exactly it does.

[spotlope]

As luck would have it, I just did a full FSX backup & restore a couple of days ago. Nothing went wrong with my rig, but I had FSX on a smallish (120GB) SSD, and I wanted to move it up to a 240GB SSD for more room to install scenery. I made a drive image using the free Macrium Reflect software, swapped out drives, and restored the image to the new drive. It was a simple, painless process that didn't even take that long to do. So far, the only weirdness I've had is losing the icons in the shortcuts to the FS install that were on my desktop, which is no biggie. I don't know about this FS backup software, but Reflect seems to work exactly as advertised.

[FSX68]

As luck would have it, I just did a full FSX backup & restore a couple of days ago. Nothing went wrong with my rig, but I had FSX on a smallish (120GB) SSD, and I wanted to move it up to a 240GB SSD for more room to install scenery. I made a drive image using the free Macrium Reflect software, swapped out drives, and restored the image to the new drive. It was a simple, painless process that didn't even take that long to do. So far, the only weirdness I've had is losing the icons in the shortcuts to the FS install that were on my desktop, which is no biggie. I don't know about this FS backup software, but Reflect seems to work exactly as advertised.

Sounds promising but what if you had FSX on a different sector of your hdd,
as you know, the FSX reigstry info would be on drive C (root sector). There would
have to be something that would image the registry entries plus the main FSX stuff
that was installed on a different sector of the same drive. Food for thought.

[OleBoy]

That's where I'm coming from. FSX location (complete separate drive) Not too mention all the other programs that get used for graphics, modeling, etc, that are mixed in there. This program may work, but for $30, and the convenience of related "FSX Back-UP", lets go fishing. Or snake hunting!! :mixedsmi:

[spotlope]

I had FSX on a separate drive too, but since I wasn't making any changes to my C drive, it didn't matter. Using a program like Reflect, you'd have to restore both your C and your FS drive in order to retain full functionality of all your add-ons.

I'll be really interested in hearing a review if someone takes the leap and gets this FS backup program.

[OleBoy]

I had FSX on a separate drive too, but since I wasn't making any changes to my C drive, it didn't matter. Using a program like Reflect, you'd have to restore both your C and your FS drive in order to retain full functionality of all your add-ons.

I'll be really interested in hearing a review if someone takes the leap and gets this FS backup program.

Looks like we have a test subject already:mixedsmi:


Purchased it, running backup tonight (since i'm flying a C-17 IFR from Eindhoven to Kinshasa at the moment). Will report findings tomorrow evening.

[Warrant]

FSX Backup review:

After download i noticed it is a rather small program. There was no key/serialnumber issued or required.
After installation the program's dialogue-window opens.
The program will automatically determine your main FSX root. From there you can select a backup-location.
It will auto-create two folders for backup. In these folders only items from your main FSX folder will be copied.
The program does not make a "ghost" or compressed file from your FSX install. It literally copies your files and pastes/devides these files into the two backup folders.
After selecting "backup" there is a pop-up window that will give you an estimate of the backup-size and space available. After clicking ok, the backup files are made. You get a small progress indicator which takes about one or two minutes to come to 100%. The current file size will indicate a small file-size and no further indication of an ongoing process is given.
This is strange since the dialogue say's "backup complete". Meanwhile, by looking at my external HDD (used for backup location) i noticed the backup-writing was in progress. It took about 4 hrs (my FSX main folder is about 165GB in size), the HDD stopped indications of activity in prgress. At that moment the program was really done with creating my backup. No indication, pop-up or any other indication trom the back-up program was given. After closing the program i inspected the back-up files and noticed they are all accessible with windows explorer (e.g. no compression or image file, but just files copied). A quick search showed me that all key-files placed outside the main FSX structure were not included in the backup! Other FSX linked files and/or folders were neither. I had to copy/paste all these files manually in order to make a complete backup.

Conclusion so far:

Pro's:
Eazy install
Option to place back and or burn back-up (backup of main FSX root only)
Back-up files fully accessible (could become handy when placing back-up on another computer configuration and/or OS)

Con's:
FSX root only
After initial indexing of back-up, you are completely left in the dark regarding back-up progress
No compression/ghost
No clear documentation within program, installation folder or on the WWW.

Judgement so far: Not worth the $$$ payed IMHO, and i would suggest to the developer to either heavily improve this utility and add a detailled documentation to it, or submit it as freeware.
If you are unexperienced/unfamiliar in FSX structure, and lack firm knowledge where you can find what in relation to FSX, you should not leave your valuable FSX program and add-ons in the hands of this program. After placing it back on a fresh install you might find a lot is missing, and (payware) add-on stuff will not function (properly).

Best regards, Warrant

[spotlope]

FSX Backup review:

After download i noticed it is a rather small program. There was no key/serialnumber issued or required.
After installation the program's dialogue-window opens.
The program will automatically determine your main FSX root. From there you can select a backup-location.
It will auto-create two folders for backup. In these folders only items from your main FSX folder will be copied.
The program does not make a "ghost" or compressed file from your FSX install. It literally copies your files and pastes/devides these files into the two backup folders.
After selecting "backup" there is a pop-up window that will give you an estimate of the backup-size and space available. After clicking ok, the backup files are made. You get a small progress indicator which takes about one or two minutes to come to 100%. The current file size will indicate a small file-size and no further indication of an ongoing process is given.
This is strange since the dialogue say's "backup complete". Meanwhile, by looking at my external HDD (used for backup location) i noticed the backup-writing was in progress. It took about 4 hrs (my FSX main folder is about 165GB in size), the HDD stopped indications of activity in prgress. At that moment the program was really done with creating my backup. No indication, pop-up or any other indication trom the back-up program was given. After closing the program i inspected the back-up files and noticed they are all accessible with windows explorer (e.g. no compression or image file, but just files copied). A quick search showed me that all key-files placed outside the main FSX structure were not included in the backup! Other FSX linked files and/or folders were neither. I had to copy/paste all these files manually in order to make a complete backup.

Conclusion so far:

Pro's:
Eazy install
Option to place back and or burn back-up (backup of main FSX root only)
Back-up files fully accessible (could become handy when placing back-up on another computer configuration and/or OS)

Con's:
FSX root only
After initial indexing of back-up, you are completely left in the dark regarding back-up progress
No compression/ghost
No clear documentation within program, installation folder or on the WWW.

Judgement so far: Not worth the $$$ payed IMHO, and i would suggest to the developer to either heavily improve this utility and add a detailled documentation to it, or submit it as freeware.
If you are unexperienced/unfamiliar in FSX structure, and lack firm knowledge where you can find what in relation to FSX, you should not leave your valuable FSX program and add-ons in the hands of this program. After placing it back on a fresh install you might find a lot is missing, and (payware) add-on stuff will not function (properly).

Best regards, Warrant

Wow, so no registry entries for your payware were included? Seems like that would pretty much kill any advantage of backing up this way, as you'd have to reinstall most of them anyway.

[Meshman]

Judgement so far: Not worth the $$$ payed IMHO, and i would suggest to the developer to either heavily improve this utility and add a detailled documentation to it, or submit it as freeware.
If you are unexperienced/unfamiliar in FSX structure, and lack firm knowledge where you can find what in relation to FSX, you should not leave your valuable FSX program and add-ons in the hands of this program. After placing it back on a fresh install you might find a lot is missing, and (payware) add-on stuff will not function (properly).

Best regards, Warrant

So nice of you to have been the guinea pig (American slang?) for this uh... product.

As soon as I saw the preview pics at the link given I didn't need to know anymore. But I'll leave the editorial comments out.

Did it back up your log book file?
Your DLL.XML and EXE.XML files?
Your active Scenery.cfg and FSX.cfg files?
The Standard.XML file?
Any .KEY or .LIC files from a Flight1 installation?
Registry keys for installed products?
and so on...

There's a lot of questionable scenery and aircraft related payware. It's even worse to see some utility that claims one thing and performs at a much lower level.

I cringe to think about those that spend $30USD for this tool and find out later on that it's not what it's suppose to be. But thanks to you, Warrant. Maybe your willingness to gamble will help others decide if this "utility" is really right for them or not.

[OleBoy]

Warrant, I was very suspicious of this software. Considering the size and lack of documentation, I was leery. I hope you get in contact with the developer and get a refund. That's just bogus

[Bjoern]

Never knew you needed software to cut and paste your FSX folders to another location. *Shrug*

[Warrant]

I would not go as far as calling this program a bogus. It certainly has it's pro's for an experienced FSX user. The same review as posted in this thread is posted at the vendor's site as well, and with effect!, Only a few minutes after posting the developer already contacted me. I still have to answer the mail, but is certainly a good and progressive start.

I think we (or at least i) should give the developer(s) a chance here.

Will report back regarding this matter as soon as something constructive can be added (or if i need to answer questions).


Best, Warrant

[FSX68]

I would not go as far as calling this program a bogus. It certainly has it's pro's for an experienced FSX user. The same review as posted in this thread is posted at the vendor's site as well, and with effect!, Only a few minutes after posting the developer already contacted me. I still have to answer the mail, but is certainly a good and progressive start.

I think we (or at least i) should give the developer(s) a chance here.

Will report back regarding this matter as soon as something constructive can be added (or if i need to answer questions).


Best, Warrant

I kind of figured it too good to be true; For it to put everything (FSX) back just
like you had it that is. If one were installing FSX on their "C" drive I suppose
any decent backup program would do the job however, were it becomes a conundrum
is when you install your FSX program on a different sector of your hdd or another
hdd remote from your C:\ drive as those registry entires have to be preserved and
restored when doing a backup/restore function. I usually end up reinstall/repair
FSX/Accel when FSX or something else goes awry. Thanks for your review.
Was very informative. :salute:

[GaryGB]

Another option is using Revo Uninstaller Pro (shareware) "Multilevel Backup", which offers the ability to save deleted files and registry entries found after Revo's "Traced Programs Mode" is used to log an installed application (or FS add-on package which uses an 'automated installer'). :iidea:


In my personal experience over several years of use, Revo Uninstaller (free or shareware) is remarkably thorough, finding apparently all "hidden" traces of an installation, and offering the option to automatically or interactively delete things that 'default' un-install routines may not otherwise "intend" to report... or delete (even when an installation was not "logged" to begin with). :a1310:


Although IIUC Revo Uninstaller Pro's "Multilevel Backup" engine seems to access and use Windows 'System Restore Point' engine, it seems to be able to write the files out to a discrete backup folder other than inside the default Windows hidden storage area, and offers additional options for management of the restore points it (Revo) creates.

See especially Page 27 / 61 in the current Revo Uninstaller Pro users manual:

http://www.revouninstaller.com/manuals/RevoUninstallerProUsersmanual.pdf

"Restore points of deleted by Revo Uninstaller Pro information are created when you delete
data using the “Uninstaller” (in “All Programs” mode or “Traced Programs” mode) or
“AutoRun Manager” tool.

By default the option “Options->Uninstaller->Back up deleted Registry items” is turned on
and Revo Uninstaller Pro backed up deleted Registry data. Also by default deleted files and
folders are not backed up by the Backup Manager. They are deleted to the Recycle Bin, if
you want to back up them you have to switch the option “Options->Uninstaller->Delete
files and folders” to “to Backup folder”


http://www.revouninstaller.com/index.html



BTW: Although one can usually more easily re-install freeware add-ons during a repair or rebuild of FS, since a majority of freeware add-ins do not use an automated installer / un-installer (ex: ZIP files... with or without an internal "relative" FS folder chain structure), FYI, a convenient helper in troubleshooting a problematic installation is NirSoft's "ZIPInst".

ZIPInst 'logs' an installed add-on file list ("uninst1~.nsu") in the destination folder, and then creates an automated 'uninstall' module for that add-on... linked via the Windows Program Menu: :applause:

"The ZipInstaller utility installs and uninstalls applications and
utilities that do not provide an internal installation program. It
automatically extracts all files from the Zip file, copies them to the
destination folder you select, creates shortcuts in the start menu and in
your desktop, and adds an uninstall module to allow you to automatically
remove the software in the future."

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/zipinst.html


Hope these ideas may be of additional interest along with those discussed thus far! :cool:

GaryGB

[muletrain]

Thanks Warrant!