New Backup Engine for OS/2
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New Backup Engine for OS/2 |
Murray Weismer has been released new backup engine for OS/2 Warp based in Infozip features. Fastly, secure and...free! You can download the archive (DrekBak5, 117KB) from Hobbes at
DreckBak is a very simple utility to make it easy to establish a backup strategy for your OS/2 machine. The program will write to any device that is seen by the system as a drive letter. It is ideally suited to Removable Media drives, such as the SyJet, IOmega and ORB products. It will also write to your hard disk. The program comes pre-configured to back up drive C, E, and F. These designations are easily changed, and additional drives can be be added as well. There is a provision for specifying directories and files that you don't want backed up. Yes!!! There is no need for your CACHE and DELETE directories to waste space in your backup Full logging of all actions and errors to the directory of your choice. Set this up with a CRON program, or the included scheduler, for fully automated backups. The package includes 2 freeware utilities used by DreckBak, a scheduler, complete documentation, easy setup instructions, and an install program to create the objects. Just click on the DreckBak icon to launch a full backup, or use a CRON or scheduling program for unattended use. SCHEDB2.ZIP is included in this archive for your convenience. The FreshBak icon allows you to back up any drive to any location. The example below is a backup of my "E" boot partition after applying FixPak10. The partition will be backed up in the Freshbak directory on my "J" drive.<Picture: FreshBak1><Picture: FreshBak2>The program prompts for input. Just enter the Drive, Directory and Zipfile Name. The second screen asks for the drive to be backed up. Full verification of the ZIP files are automatically performed along with full logging of all activities. In the event that you need it, a program object to restore your backup is included. <Picture: Restore1><Picture: Restore2>This approach will work with both a maintenance partition and Floppies.
Readme for Dreckbak ver15 Backup Utility
by Murray Weismer
OVERVIEW
Thank you for evaluating this simple backup solution. In my experience, many computer users do not have a workable backup strategy, and in too many cases, none at all. The enclosed program will help solve this problem with minimal expense and hassle. While neither elegant or sexy, it does the job.It will back up in ZIP format to either a Hard Drive, or removable media, such as an ORB or SyJet drive. I use this to back up my 3 critical partitions daily andhave been able to successfully restore my boot drive PAINLESSLY using the zip files created by this utility. You can also EASILY access any file in the archive using any program that can handle a zip file. (Yes Mr. OldDos, you canuse the unzip command line) Quick and easy restores of specific files and directories are a snap.
LEGAL STUFF
This software is guaranteed to do nothing but take up disk space. Your systemmay blow up, your drives may fry, your mate might run off with the cable guy. (Sorry Jim) You might hit the lottery. It's not my fault!! You, the user, assume all risk and responsibility for any damage or data loss to your system. I will not be liable for anything as the result of your use of these files. Please note that when editing the files, if you do not correctly specify directories, you may have files unexpectedly deleted. CHECK YOUR EDITING and then CHECK IT AGAIN!!!!!
I have no reason to expect this utility to cause any damage of any kind, but beware---- especially if you have no backup strategy.
INSTALLATION
Copy the contents of this package to a temporary directory. Run the installation program (INSTALL.CMD). It will create the DreckBak folder and some program objects, and create the needed directories. There are no changes to config.sys or any ini entries. I keep all of the package on the Maintenance Partition, and have program objects both there, and on my maindesktop as well. Also, be sure that ZIP.EXE and UNZIP.EXE are present on your system as well. The default location is d:\ZTB. You can choose any drives or directories to use, but you MUST edit the CMD files to reflect your choices.If you are going to use a CRON program to automate the backups, or if you use the included WPS extension, EBSCHED, you can set the DreckBak object to start minimized. For best results, critical backups should be done from the maintenance partition to avoid any problems with opened files.
This utility will not abort the backup in this case, but will report that files could not be opened, post a warning in the log, and make some mild noise. I have the program objects on both the main boot partition, and the Maint partitionpointing to the same files.
Be sure to also create these objects while booted to your maintenance partition by running INSTALL.CMD.
Edit all .CMD files and TEST.LST as described below. All references to drives and directories must match YOUR system. If you are using the default locations,there will not be a lot to edit, but PLEASE CHECK EVERYTHING!!!!! If you are having problems getting this to work, you probably have a drive letter or directory not correctly specified.
Install SCHEDB2 for automation. Be sure to set the last page in the settings notebook for DrekBak.cmd for the schedule. I have been unable to contact the author of SCHEDB2 in over a year, so I do not know the current status of this software. It does work very well for me but there is a small bug. Trying to change a schedule will hang the computer. REMOVE the schedule item and ADD the revision. Everything else works fine.
USAGE
DreckBak.CMD is the file that executes the backup. For automated use, use a cron program, the included SCHEDB2, or other scheduler. You should set up this utility to back up all of your partitions that change. I run a backup 6 nights a week. Whenever I make a Major change to the system, ie: FixPak, etc, I make a full backup using FRESHBAK.CMD, of my Boot Partition, and call it something like "E_FullFP10.ZIP. I do this BEFORE making the change, and again, afterwards, when I am satisfied the the change should stay. I back up both my DOS and OS2 boot partitions, as well as my data partition, daily. DreckBak will give me 2 days worth of backups, for extra safety. ( this can be increased if you have the disk space)
.Before getting started using DreckBak for regular backups, create a backup of each partition on your system. Use the FreshBak object to do this. If you have enough removable media, or hard disk space, be sure to back up all partitions that you wish to be able to easily recreate.
Now you are ready to use DreckBak to make regular, frequent, scheduled backups.Remember, the safest backup is one that is not located with your computer, so useremovable media if possible, and rotate them. Consider that if you are backing up to your hard drive, you will not be protected against any problems that may affect your drive. A second physical drive is better than a partition on a drive that you are backing up. Although most Hard Disk problems can be corrected with FDISK, if your machine cannot read your drive, it cannot read your backup, either. Even if you do not have removable media, backing up to your hard drive is FAR better than no backup at all.
DreckBak.CMD calls FRESHBAK.CMD which feeds a command line and parameters to ZIP.EXE, produced by Info-Zip. You must first edit FRESHBAK.CMD to point to the location of ZIP.EXE on your machine. I suggest you specify the full path to ZIP.EXE rather than relying on having it on your path. If you have more than one version of ZIP, and/or you have multiple boot partitions, it's best to know which ZIP is being used.
DreckBak.CMD assumes that FRESHBAK.CMD, TEST.LST, DEEP.EXE and LOGIT.EXE are all in the DRECKBAK directory on drive D: This is not required. You may edit the files to reflect the locations you wish to use.. (Drive D is my maintenance partition) The file TEST.LST should be edited to point to every directory that you
DO NOT want backed up. Prime examples would be TMP, TEMP,and CACHE Some other good ones may be x:\TCPIP\TMP and x:\NETSCAPE\PROGRAM\USER\USERNAME\CACHE.
Edit all references to drive letters and paths for your system!!! The default destination directory for the zips to be stored in is j:\freshbak. Be sure that there is sufficient space for your backups. This program will keep 2 sets. If you do not have enough space, you will get an error posted to the log file and hear a series of beeps.Either create this directory or edit DreckBak.CMD to reflect the correct directory for your system. The directory I use to store the log files is d:\logs. Either create this directory or edit for your system. The logs for each backed up partition are overwritten on each run. The BACKUP.LOG and INTEGRITY.LOG are appended.
DreckBak is set to backup drives F, E, and C and to verify the integrity of the backup . You can either add more drives by copying the section marked "Start Marking Here" to the clipboard and pasting where indicated, or you can set up fewer by remming out the section you don't need. Be sure to edit the drive letters!
Unless you have Mucho Hard disk space, I advise you to set this up to backup the largest drives first and smallest last.
The easiest way to edit these files is, if you have run the install program, to click on the "EDIT ****" items in the DreckBak folder and use "EDIT > FIND" from the menu, and find and replace the following items to refelect YOUR choices of directories and drives. The below list WILL NOT catch every edit. Be very carefull that you have changed drive letters where needed.
ie: f: or f:\ ,etc.
d:\logs\ Directory for Log Files
j:\Freshbak\ Directory to hold backups (zips)
d:\dreckbak\freshbak.cmd Directory containing freshbak
d:\dreckbak\test.lst Directory containing exclusions from backups
d:\dreckbak\beep.exe Location of Beep utility
d:\dreckbak\logit.exe Location of Logging utility
d:\ztb\zip.exe Location of Info-Zip Zip.exe
d:\ztb\unzip.exe Location of Info-Zip Unzip.exe
H_Fbak Backup file name for drive F (Program will create H_Fbak.zip and H_Fbak.1)
H_Cbak File name for drive C
H_Ebak
After you are sure that all of the edits are correct, REM out the third line of the file. This line was included to prevent you from running the program unedited, and, perhaps, having some files deleted.
To restore a backup, click on the restore object and enter the drive:\path\zipname.zip of the backed up. file At the next prompt, type in the drive and dir to restore into.
Example: "j:\freshbak\H_Ebak.zip" "e:\"
This will restore the file H_Ebak.zip to the root directory of drive E.
** Note**
Many files on the boot drive are READ ONLY. They will not be restored unless you change the attributes. For a clean restore, format the drive first. The following line will be displayed at the creation of each archive. It is not an error. You will not see this if you you use the FRESHBAK.CMD object to update an existing ZIP.
"zip warning: j:/freshbak/H_Fbak.zip not found or empty"
Of course, to restore your Boot Drive, you must be either booted toMaintenance Partition or floppies. From floppies, just type unzip x:\sourcedir\zipfile.zip -d x:\targetdirYou will need to have unzip available on the floppy.
Also be aware that empty directories will not be restored. You cancreate dummy files in your empty directories to be sure that restores will recreate these directories.
SUGGESTION FRESHBAK.CMD
This object will allow the creation, or the freshening, of a zip file. You may specify any drive, directory or filename for the zip, as well as the source, and logfile location. This can be used to back up an entire drive or just a portion of the tree. It will also freshen (add new or changed files) existing zip files.
CREDITS
I have included Logit.exe and its docs by Julian Buss. It is FREEWARE. Beep.exe is also a freeware utility contained in the FM2UTILS.zip by M. Kimes. Info-Zip programs (Zip and Unzip) are available on most major OS2 sites. All other files in this archive written by Murray Weismer. If you have any comments, suggestions, bug reports, or problems, please contact me at...
or log on to
RPS.BBS at 215-624-8960
The latest version of this program, along with some screen shotsmay be found at http://weismer.virtualave.net/DreckBak.html
If you find this utility useful, please send donations to:
Murray Weismer
c/o RPS, Inc
8014 Frankford Ave
Philadelphia PA 19136
ENJOY!#
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