Copyright: Copyright © 1995-1996, ING. Roberto Grassi


Table Of Content
GRBack

GRBack for Windows 95 and Windows NT:

The fast way to make your backups and retrieve your data.

What is GRBack ?

General Description

Frequently Asked Questions

Version History

About The Author

Other Programs

How to Register

Update/Support

Licence/Copyright

Distribution

Install.

Simply copy the package files where you want.

The first time you run GRBack it automatically insert a System Agent Task for you that allows to execute GRBack at every system startup. You can easily modify the shedule options by double clicking the System Agent Icon.

Unistall.

Simply delete the package files.

User Guide.

When you run the shareware version of the program the About dialog box will appear showing you the program version and my address to allows you to register as soon as possible. Clicking the OK button you enter into the program.

The program is a property sheet dialog box with the following pages:

Backup Options

Zip Options

The first page allows you to define the backup jobs, while the second page allows you to select the available zip archive options.

Development Information.

GrBack for Windows/95 Windows/NT was written in C++ with theMicrosoft Visual C++ compiler  with the aids of the Microsoft MFC. The whole code was created and written by the Author ( see About The Author ).

Many thanks to my wife Michela and our sons Fabio and Ilaria for the patience and for the encouragement.

Epilog.

I know that this User Guide is very short. I have keep it so small because the program is very simple to use so that you don't need this manual anymore.

However if you have any questions don't hesitate to contact me. See Contact Information  for my mailing addresses.

I'm checking my e-mail at least once a week.

Windows 95, Windows NT, Visual C++ and MFC are trademark of Microsoft Corporation.


General Description

GRBack is a Cross Backup utility that allows you to backup one hard disk drive into another of the same system. It is designed to cross backup your physical hard disk drives so that if a drive die you have a safe copy on the other drive. It doesn't work with network drives.

For better usefullness you must have at least two physical hard drive so that you are protected from total hardware failures. If you have only one physical hard drive you are only protected from some physical disk surface damages.

The program is designed in order to be better integrated with the microsoft System Agent that you can find in the Microsoft Plus! package for windows 95.

The System Agent is a scheduler that can run different programs at specified times in unattended mode and trasparently to the user.

GRBack allows you to perform an Incremental backup in order to save time or a Full backup every specified number of incremental backup is done.

GRBack create PKZIP compatible ZIP files that you can see with the many available shell without to learn a new navigation tool. Also the program doesn't create a unique big archive file but it make into the destination drive an exact copy of the source directory tree structure with a ZIP file for each source directory.

GRBack is completely configurable via simple $backup.??? files placed into the source directory. This allows you to skip the backup of certain directories or to select some files or to exclude other files.

See What is GRBack ? for an example.

GRBack accept the command line option /A to enable the autostart unattended mode. With this option instead of the typical Backup Options property sheet page you will get the AutoStart dialog box that after a specified delay time execute all defined backup Jobs.

GRBack during the execution show you the Progress Report dialog box showing you what archives are created or updated and report the same information into the GRBack.log file into the same directory where the GRBack.exe file reside.


Backup Options

This Property Sheet page dialog box allows you to select the disk drives you want cross backup.

This is a picture of the dialog layout:

The available tool tips allows you to get a quick help about all the options in this dialog.

The first time you use the program it insert into the Backup Jobs list box the default cross backup jobs taking into account to select only the hard disk drives on your system. In any moment you can build this default initial jobs list by pressing the Scan Drives button.

The next step to do is to define the Number of Backups before Full number. This number allows you to rebuild from scratch your archives when the specified number of incremental backups is reached. The Incremental Backups Counter show you how many incremental backups remain before a full backup. This counter start from the Number of Backups before Full number and decrement avery time an incremental backup correctly finish. An incremental backup is an update backup in which each existing archive is updated with the new files or with a more recent version of an existing file. If the archive doesn't exist the incremental backup became a full backup because all archives must be built from scratch.

The Force FULL backup check box allows you to bypass the previously descibed incremental/full backup policy and force a full backup anyway. In this case the Incremental Backups Counter is decremented as an incremental backup was done and isn't initialized to the Number of Backups before Full number. This option allows you to rebuild your archives because you know that some important changes need the complete archive rebuild without modify the Incremental Backups Counter. The Full backup obviously take more time than the incremental backup so use this option carefully. This option is here to allows the user to force a full backup without breaking the incremental backup counter sequence and must be used only for a run and then removed.

The first time the Backup Jobs list box is filled with the default Jobs you need to modify them in order to best match your needs. To edit an inserted job you must double click it on the list box or you can press the Edit Job button when the Job you want modify is selected. In this way you get the Edit Job dialog box that allows you to modifiy the currently selected Job. You can also append a new job to the list by pressing the Add Job button. Pressing it you get the Add Job  dialog box that allows you to define your Job. You can also delete the currently selected Jobs (one or more) by pressing the Kill Job button.

The Select All button allows you to select all the Jobs with only a mouse click. This operation is needed before you press the Start button to begin the backup task if you want execute all the listed Jobs. When you press the Start button only the selected Jobs will be executed and the Progress Report dialog box appear to show you as the backup proceed.

The Quit button allows you to abort the backup and exit from the program without saving any modified option.

The Apply button allows you to register into the program registry area all the current options so that the next time you start the program you will find your setup as you need. This button is enabled only when you change an option. The same effect is obtained when you press the Start button. In this case you save all your modified options and start the backup jobs.

The Delay to Autostart edit box allows you to define the autostart timeout. When the program start with the command line option /A or when is executed from the Microsoft System Agent the AutoStart dialog box appear. This dialog box allows you to wait the specified delay seconds before automatically start the backup of all the Jobs into the list. This option is usefull when you want to skip the backup for the following  reasons:

•	you have reboot the system and you have already done the backup.

•	you know that there aren't any significant thinks to backup.

The Help button get this help page.


Zip Options

This Property Sheet page dialog box allows you to select the available ZIP compressor options.

This is a picture of the dialog layout:

The available tool tips allows you to get a quick help about all the options in this dialog.

The Archive Mode group box has the following two radio buttons:

•	Update (only changed OR new files)

•	Freshen (only changed files)

The Update (only changed OR new files) option allows you, as explained into the parenthesys, to insert into your ZIP archive the new files and update the existing files.

The Freshen (only changed files) option allows you only to update existing files. Possible new files will not be archived.

The Include System/Hidden files check box allows you to specify to archive also the System or Hidden files into your archives. This option is very usefull when you want to backup also some operating system vital files into the root directory or into the system directory.

The Use Special Path for tmp files check box allows you to select a different temporary directory. When not checked the tmp directory used is the directory where the destination archive will be stored. If you check this option the Path edit box will be enabled allowing you to specify the full path you want to set.

The Compression Level slider allows you to select the compression level from 10 possible values. The Min value imply the simply store of the source files (no compression), while the Max value allows you to minimize the archive size in spite of the program speed. A good value is an intermediate one to satisfy the size and speed needs (the default value is 6).

The Apply button allows you to save into the program registry area the options you have selected. It is enabled only when you change an option.

The Start button begin the backup task of the currently selected Jobs ( see Backup Options ). When you press the Start button only the selected Jobs will be executed and the Progress Report dialog box appear to show you as the backup proceed.

The Help button display this help page.


AutoStart

The following dialog box appear when the program is run with the command line option /A or when it is executed by the Microsoft System Agent.

The available tool tips allows you to get a quick help about all the options in this dialog.

This dialog box allows you to have the possiblity to abort or configure the backup also when the GRBack is execute in autostart mode.

The number to the right of the Time to Autostart string is a count down counter that show you how many seconds remain before the program automatically start.

If the program run unattended by any operator after the count down is terminated the program select automatically all Jobs and start. This is the normal condition.

In certain cases you may need to change the program configutation before the backup start. In this case you can press the Enter Interactive Mode button and go to the Backup Options property sheet page.

Other times you need to abort the backup because you have already done it or you have no time to do this backup and you want all the computer resources for you. Inthis case you can press the Exit button and quit the program.

Other time you are at your keyboard when the system boot and GRBack start. In this case you can abbreviate the wait by pressing the Start button.


Edit Job

This dialog box allows you to edit an existing Job.

The available tool tips allows you to get a quick help about all the options in this dialog.

The Source combo box allows you to select the source drive for your backup Job.
The Destination combo box allows you to select the destination drive for your backup Job.

With the OK button you can confirm the source and destination and exit modifying the currently selected Job.

With the Cancel button you doesn't modify the currently selected Job.


Add Job

This dialog box allows you to append a new Job to the current Job list.

The available tool tips allows you to get a quick help about all the options in this dialog.

The Source combo box allows you to select the source drive for your backup Job.
The Destination combo box allows you to select the destination drive for your backup Job.

With the OK button you can confirm the source and destination and exit appending the specified Job to the list.

With the Cancel button you doesn't append any Job to the list.


Progress Report

The following dialog box show you how the backup proceed.

In particular the Current Job show you the currently executing Job, the Current Path show you the path name under analisys and the Elapsed Time show you the program executing time.

The Updated/Created List show you which destination archives are created or updated. You can navigate into this list but when a new item is inserted the focus go to this last inserted item. The whole contents of this list box is dumped to a file named GRBack.log located where is located the GRBack.exe file. In this way you can view what archives are created or updated also after the backup is complete.


What is GRBack ?

GRBack is a full 32 bits cross backup utility written for  Windows 95/NT. The scope of this utility is to do a backup of a disk drive into anther disk drive (CROSS backup).

What is for ?

As the current cost of an Hard Drive is slow you can protect your data installing at least two physical hard drives and using this utility to backup selected data from one hard drive to the other. In this way if one of your hard drive die you have a safe backup into the other.

The created backup archive isn't a unique BIG file but the program will create an exact directory tree as your original source files and a single zip compatible archive for every source directory.

The exact copy of the source tree will have a PKZIP compatbile zip file (that fully support the long file names) for each source directory.

The destination directory will be into the destination hard drive in a root subdirectoy named BAK_? where the simbol '?' is replaced with the drive letter of the source disk.

Each source directory will be compressed into a single PKZIP compatible file and you have the option to select which files of every source directory to insert into this zip archive. You can do this by mean of the following $backup.??? files that must stay into your source directoy:

$backup.hlt  -> if a directory contain this file GRBack doesn't backup this directory and all its sub directories.

$backup.inc --> if a directory contain this file, all the files listed in it (wild characters are allowed) will be inserted into the directory zip file.

$backup.exc -> if a directory contain this file, all the files listed in it (wild characters are allowed) will NOT be inserted into the directory zip file.

Example.

To better explain how the program works, lets see a simple example: suppose you have two hard drive respectively drive C: and D:. Suppose you have the following directory structure:

c:\win

c:\win\system

c:\win\system\vmm32

d:\works

d:\works\project1

d:\works\project1\res

If you doesn't create any $backup.??? file in any source directory GRBack will cross backup all files in all directories. It will create the following destination directories:

c:\bak_d

d:\bak_c

inside each of these directory you will find the exact disk structure of the respective source drives:

c:\bak_d\works

c:\bak_d\works\project1

c:\bak_d\works\project1\res

d:\bak_c\win

d:\bak_c\win\system

d:\bak_c\win\system\vmm32

in each of these directories you will find two files:

$backup.dir	--> contain the complete source directory list.

backup.zip	--> contain the compressed files.

Why to use GRBACK ?

GRBACK offer you many advantages over similar utilities you can find and over the standard Windows functionality. Here are some of these reasons:

•	It has an intuitive and easy to use User Interface.

•	It is fully integrated with the Microsoft Plus! System Agent (SAGE).

•	It allows you to skip long lists of backup files and go directly to the source directory into the backup tree where you know your file is and get it.

•	It compress the source files with an industry standard format so that your current shell allows you to see its contents without special tools to learn.

Current GRBACK Limitations.

Never tested on Windows NT. Beta Tester are welcome !


Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Did GRBACK run on Windows NT ?

A:  The current version was intensively tested under Windows/95 and should be run without problems on Windows/NT but was never tested under it.

Q: How can I exclude a whole directory without stopping the subdirectory backup ?

A:  Simply insert the line "*.*" into the file $backup.exc created into the directory you want exclude.


Other Programs

GRDUW.

GRDuw is a 32-Bit program that you can employ to duplicate your diskettes. GRDuw has an easy and intuitive user interface and allows  a very quick operation. GRDuw perform a physical track by track copy. GRDuw can also format your diskettes or hard disks and repair them if you have a failure. GRDuw include a special feature to check your boot sector in order to verify if it is consistent and then virus free. GRDuw can save and load diskette file image in binary form so that you can store your distribution diskettes on your hard drive for a fast diskette generation. GRDuw also accept a file name into the command line so that you can associate it with the .dim extension and integrate it into the explorer. Also you can create a desktop shortcut icon and drop on it a .dim file to run GRDuw and directly load the .dim file.


About The Author
ING. Roberto Grassi.

I'm a software developer since 1978 (BASIC language) when I reached my first degree in Electronics. Then I started working and studying to become an Electronic Engineer in 1985 with full votes.

My daily job is to write embedded applications in C/C++ language for a secure communications company in Italy. I'm involved in the development of the operating systems and all the development utilities connected to them (debugger, project management, project backup etc.. ).

I have a 7 years programming experience in 'C'  and of 3 years in 'C++'.

I also develop some, I hope useful, PC utilities that I'm proposing to the shareware world.


How to Register

Why to register ?

Registering this software give you a lot of advantages:

•	You can be inserted into our e-mail list in order to be advised when new major release will become available.

•	You can get a diskette with the latest version of the program and documentation if you ask it.

•	You will receive our full support.

•	You will receive a license to use your personal copy of the program at your home and at your office. In this way you are NOT in violation of international Copyright law!

How to Register.

You are granted that your fee will be taken only after the registered program is delivered to you!

Please compile the Registration Form  in every part selecting a payment method from the followings:

1. From Europe

Send us the Registration Form  together with one of the following:

•	an Eurocheque in Italian Lire, in the amount of Lit 60000 (Personal License + shipping).

•	an International money order in the amount of US$ 40 (Paid to Roberto Grassi).

•	cash (foreign currency: banknote exchange rate buy, no coins please), at your own risk! Remember to use the "Certificate of Mailing" in order to have evidence that something was mailed to the specified address. This is actually the most simple form. Until now I haven't missed any registration in this form !

2. From the USA

Send us the Registration Form  together with :

•	a personal check (Paid to Roberto Grassi) or cashier's check drawn on a US bank in the amount of US$ 40.

•	an international money order in the amount of US$ 40 (Paid to Roberto Grassi).

•	Cash: US$ 40, at your own risk! Remember to use the "Certificate of Mailing" in order to have evidence that something was mailed to the specified address (USPS form 3917). This is actually the most simple form. Until now I haven't missed any registration in this form !

2. All other countries.

Convert US$ 40 applying  the current banknote-exchange rate buy (up rounded, no coins please) to your money currency.

Send us the Registration Form  together with :

•	a personal check (Paid to Roberto Grassi) or cashier's check drawn on a local bank in the amount equivalent to US$ 40.

•	an international money order in the amount equivalent to US$ 40 (Paid to Roberto Grassi).

•	Cash: the amount equivalent to US$ 40. At your own risk! Remember to use the "Certificate of Mailing" in order to have evidence that something was mailed to the specified address. This is actually the most simple form. Until now I haven't missed any registration in this form !

Credit Cards.

Sorry I'm not currently able to support credit cards !

Multiple License Discounts.

    1 - 9     copies: US$40.00 per copy

  10 - 19   copies: US$400.00 + US$35.00 per copy over 10

  20 - 49   copies: US$750.00 + US$30.00 per copy over 20

  50 - 99   copies: US$1650.00 + US$25.00 per copy over 50

100 - 999 copies: US$2900.00 +US$20.00 per copy over 100

For amounts larger than 1000 please contact the author.


Update/Support

Updates.

As soon as you are registered, (until further notice) all updates are free, provided that you get the latest version yourself. Just install the new (Shareware) version over the old one.

The only important thing is to keep the file grduw.key.

Where to find the latest Shareware version.

CompuServe:

 WINSHARE, Disk Utilities, file name grback??.zip

Internet:

http://www.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/win95/diskfile/grback??.zip

If you don't have access to a modem, you can request  the program directly from us by sending the registration fee. We will mail to you a diskette with the latest available version.

Bug reports

If you find a bug in GRBack you can report it at one of the addresses mentioned below. Please provide the following information:

•	an exact description of the bug (how can it be reproduced?)

•	Version number of the program (to get it you must click the right mouse button and select "About GRBACK ..." option" ).

•	Windows version( for example 4.950 ).

•	For Fatal errors: The error address and the contents of the error box displayed by Windows 95.

Support

If you have any problem please first read the Frequently Asked Questions .

If you still have questions or bug reports, you can reach us at the following addresses: Contact Information


Contact Information

•	If you're on the Internet, e-mail to roberto.grassi@telsy.it.

•	On CompuServe, e-mail to the CIS account 100043,2763.

•	You can also write to our postal address:

GRC

Roberto Grassi

Casella Postale (P.O.Box) 48

Corso Francia

10196 Leuman (Torino)

Italy


Licence/Copyright
Software Licence/Copyright

Software License.

Please read the following lines carefully before using this software. If you disagree with any of the following, you are not allowed to use this program. You MUST then delete it immediately.

Shareware Version.

You have the right to test this program for a period of one month.

Use of this software after the trial period of one month is in violation of International Copyright law! It is also unfair to the author, who has spent hundreds of hours developing this program.

You are allowed to copy this Shareware Version (and ONLY the Shareware Version) and give it to any other person, as long as it is not modified in any way. Under modifications is understood the changing, adding or removing of any files of this package without the author's written permission.

Registration.

This program is neither freeware nor public domain. Use after the 30 day trial period requires registration.

See How to Register for details on registration.

Registered version (personal license).

The registered version may be installed on as many computers as desired, as long as it is ONLY running on one at any one time (I.e. one installation at home and one at the office used by the same person). The usage by multiple people at the same time (on multiple computers) requires additional licenses.

Licensee shall not use, copy, rent, lease, sell, modify,  decompile, disassemble, otherwise reverse engineer, or  transfer the licensed program except as provided in this agreement.  Any such unauthorized use shall result in immediate and automatic termination of the license.

Multiple licenses (additional licenses).

Multiple licenses allow an institution, company or school to install the program on multiple computers or on a server. It must be guaranteed that the program does not run on more machines at the same time than there are licenses purchased.

All licenses are issued to the same (company) name.

Each additional license also allows a single user to use the program at home.

Licensee shall not use, copy, rent, lease, sell, modify,  decompile, disassemble, otherwise reverse engineer, or  transfer the licensed program except as provided in this agreement.  Any such unauthorized use shall result in immediate and automatic termination of the license.

Liability.

We try to keep our software as bug-free as possible. But it's a general rule (Murphy's), that no software ever is error free, and the number of errors increases with the complexity of the program. That's why we cannot guarantee that this software will run in every environment, on any Windows95 compatible machine, together with any other application, without producing errors. Any liability for damage of any sort is hereby denied. In any case, the liability is limited to the registration fee.

Please test this program with non-critical data. We cannot guarantee the safety of your data. Should you detect errors before registration, you accept them if you register. Any description of bugs will be accepted, but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to correct them.

All mentioned Trademarks and Copyrights belong to their respective owners.

Legal domicile is Torino, Italy.


Distribution

I prohibits the distribution of outdated  versions of the package, without written permission.  If the version you have obtained is over twelve (12) months old, please contact us (Contact Information) to ensure that you have the most current version.

Vendor information.

You are allowed to copy this Shareware Version (and ONLY the Shareware Version) and give it to any other person, as long as it is not modified in any way. Under modifications is understood the changing, adding or removing of any files of this package without the author's written permission.

Small additions to the package, such as the introductory or installation batch files used by many shareware disk vendors, are acceptable.

You are NOT allowed to pack this program together with a commercial program

or a book.

A distribution fee may be charged for the cost of the diskette, shipping and handling, as long as the total (per disk) does not exceed US$8.00 in the U.S. and Canada, or US$12.00 internationally.

You are encouraged to put this program on as many BBS systems as possible. The distribution on CD-ROM is also permitted, as long as the original files are not changed in any way. Please contact me (Contact Information) if you want to distribute the program with a different installation program, changed files etc.

This package CANNOT be sold as part of some other inclusive package.  Nor can it be included in any commercial software packaging offer, without a written agreement from the author.

All rights not expressly granted here are reserved to Roberto Grassi.

We would appreciate copies of anything you print regarding this software package.  Please send us a copy of any reviews, articles, catalog descriptions, or other information you print or distribute regarding this package.  Thank you for your time and assistance and for supporting the shareware marketing concept.

Vendor Update Program.

Most vendors have standard procedures for acquiring new files.  They get them from other vendors, BBSs, etc.  Most authors cannot afford to mail disks to hundreds (perhaps thousands) of vendors.  However, some vendors prefer to obtain programs directly from the authors.  If you would like to obtain programs directly from us, automatically, then please help us to cover the cost.

Under this program you can receive updates for an entire year for only $10 per program (this helps to offset our costs).

To receive updates, simply send us a letter (Contact Information) with your name, company name, mailing address, the name of the person we should contact (such as your disk librarian), the program (or programs) for which you would like to receive updates, and a check or money order for $10 for each program. See How to Register for payment details.

All vendors participating in our Vendor Update Program will automatically receive any NEW programs which we may release while their Vendor Update Program is in effect.

The Vendor Update Program is only intended to help us cover our expenses in those cases where a vendor desires to obtain the program directly from us.  If you have other standard ways to obtain programs, then you may prefer not to use our Vendor Update Program.


Version History

August 1996 : Version 1.5.

•	This is the first distributed shareware release.

GRBack exists now in English only.  If you would like to provide translations of GRBack or the documentation in another language, please contact me.

See Update/Support


Registration Form
Version 1.5  Registration Form

Mail this form compiled in every parts to: (Contact Information).

[ ] Register my copy of GRBack for Windows 95.

I have enclosed the requested fee of $40.00 (US funds).

[ ] Send me my personal copy of the "grback.key" file, based on my personal information below, so that my shareware copy become a registered one.

[ ] Mail me a diskette with the latest released version.

[ ] Insert me into your electronic mailing list (e-mail) in order to receive a notification when a new major release will become available.

My payment method is:

    [  ] Personal Cheque (Paid to: Roberto Grassi) on a US bank or my city bank.

    [  ] Eurocheque (Paid to: Roberto Grassi) in Italian Lire 60000.

    [  ] Cash, at my own risk! (Remember to use the Certificate of Mailing).

My Name: ___________________________________________________________

My Address: _________________________________________________________

My City, State, ZIP: ____________________________________________________

My E-mail address : ____________________________________________________

My Phone: (_______)_________-_________________ (Optional)

Where you have found GRBack ?: ___________________________________________________________________

Comments or Suggestions :

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________