Rules for Windows

[gskibum]

I started using the demo for Retrospect about 2 weeks ago in a live environment. I set up a dedicated Mac Pro to backup a Mac OS X Server, and about 15 mixed Mac & Windows clients.

 

So far things are working quite well. If by the end of the 45 day trial things still look good we'll adopt Retrospect 8. I am very encouraged.

 

I don't have great familiarity with Windows. The test Retrospect 8 Mac Pro was deployed because the backup Mac (running Retrospect 6.5) we were using died.

 

Just prior to that failure I was noticing very large Windows Vista index files getting backed up by viewing the log file. They were dozens of GB in size. However, with Retrospect 8 I can't figure out how to determine these paths. Probably because they are getting backed up. We will be purchasing the Open File Backup for Windows Clients add-on.

 

The built-in rule "All Files Except Cache Files" allows for very much to get through.

 

All I want to back up is the data within the Users directory. And exclude any temp & cache files, and iTunes music within there.

 

Can someone assist me with a rule or another procedure to do so? This will be for XP and Vista clients.

 

I have been using Retrospect on Macs for over 20 years, starting with a 60MB tape drive with tapes that looked just like audio cassettes! I'm glad to see Retrospect 8 starting to mature!

Edited April 22, 2010 by Guest

[Maser]

The way I do stuff like this:

 

First:

 

Set the "Users" folder on your clients as a Favorite Folder. This will be what you use as the "source" your script.

 

Second

 

Make a *new* rule.

 

*include* the:

 

Saved rule includes All Files Except Cache Files

 

rule -- spelling/capitalization counts! -- this rule will get most (but not all) of the temporary stuff

 

then *Exclude* the additional stuff you don't want to back up.

 

ie "Folder Name contains "

 

or

 

"File Name begins with "

 

or

 

"Folder Windows Path contains <\directory\containing\files>"

 

 

 

For me, I don't limit that much from my Windows clients, but one of my rules is:

 

Folder Windows Path contains \AppData\Local\Temp

 

 

 

 

 

Then test this. Note that the "Preview" in 8.1.626 seems broken (still?) for testing the rule using the Backup Wizard. You might have to test the script against backing up the data to a temporary media set.

 

[gskibum]

Thank you masser! Today I'll try your suggestions.

 

I would wager that at least 75% of what is getting backed up with the Windows clients is cache and index files.

 

Even though I'm using the "All Files Except Cache Files" rules as a starting point.

[Daniels]

You can also exclude certain files and folders through the client on each Windows machine. You could also define a character that tells Retrospect to skip the files and folders if the name has that character. Since you can not put an option-8 on Windows I use the hat character "^". In the exclude section of my rule I added the condition to skip files/folders/volumes that contain a "^".

[rhwalker]

Even though I'm using the "All Files Except Cache Files" rules as a starting point.

I would suggest that you make a copy of that rule and then edit that copy for your specific needs. The distributed rules have, over the past decade or more, often been out of date as far as pathnames, etc. Consider them a "starting point", as you may already be doing.

 

Russ