Backing Up Files
How often can I do a backup?
You may back up your data as often as you like, as long as your computer is turned on and connected to the Internet. The easy-to-use Connected Backup for PC and MacTM Backup Schedule option lets you set days and times for your backup to automatically happen.
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How can I tell what files are being backed up?
Your Connected Backup for PC and Mac Agent will automatically detect and backup your data and system files that are located anywhere on your hard disk to ensure full-system backup and recovery. Data files are files that you create, such as documents, spreadsheets, and preferences that you defined in software that you use. A total of 10GB (system and data files) per individual account may be protected. Temporary files, Internet cache, streaming media are automatically excluded.
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How can I confirm backups are taking place?
The easiest way to confirm that your backups are taking place is to check the Agent History. Here's how:
Open the Connected Backup for PC and Mac software.
Click the History tab.
Highlight the log for any session that you want and then click the View button (bottom of window).
Each log lists provides a summary of the session, lists every file that it backed up and lists errors if the back up of a file failed.
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How can I view the files that were backed up?
The easiest way to determine what files were backed up is to check the Agent History. Here's how:
Open the Connected Backup for PC and Mac software.
Click the History tab.
Highlight the entry for any session that you want and then click the View button (bottom of window).
Each log lists provides a summary of the session, lists every file that it backed up and lists errors if the back up of a file failed.
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What can and cannot be backed up?
The Connected Backup for PC and Mac service is intended to protect your critical data files, not the commercial software that you install from disk or CD. If you were to have a system crash you would be better off re-installing your software so that essential information could be written back into the registry database that is part of your operating system.
We recommend that you not back up multimedia files. Their size and sheer volume would make it costly and lengthy to restore via the Internet. Although you could order a CD of your backups, it is generally cost-prohibitive, possibly costing several hundred dollars.
The Small Business subscription service versions of the software are not configured to recognize network drives.
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What is the file retention policy?
The most recent 10 versions of each file backed up are retained on the Connected Backup for PC and Mac Data Centers for 90 days.
Files you delete from your computer are retained on the Data Centers for 90 days.
Files you deselect from your backup set are retained on the Data Centers for 7 days.
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How do I select/deselect files in the Backup Set tab?
See the How-to video, or follow these instructions: When you click the Backup Set tab, a scan of your hard disk is initiated. Upon completion, a list of files that the Agent will back up is displayed. To deselect files:
Click the box in front of a file or folder name to clear it. The file will then be removed from the backup set.
If you want to add files:
Click an empty check box in front of a file or folder name. The Agent displays a green check if the file is selected for backup.
A green check indicates the file is selected for backup, while an empty check box indicates the file is NOT selected for backup.
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How do I use "Find" to locate a particular file?
Using the Find feature is a fast and easy way to locate a specific file when you need to retrieve files. You can use Find in the Retrieve tab.
Simply type all or part of the file name and folder where the file is located.
HINT: When entering a long file or folder name, or one that you aren't sure of, use an asterisk (*) as a wildcard symbol. An asterisk can be inserted at any point in a file name in place of characters that you aren't sure of. Do not use more than one asterisk in succession; use one at a time as a placeholder.
Example 1: For a file named My Resume.doc, type *resume.doc. This example tells Find to look for all files that end in resume.doc.
Example 2: For a file named Peaches and Cream.jpg, you could type P*and*.* or P*and*.jpg or Peach*.jpg
If you don't see the file that you want with your first try, click Find Next until you do find it. You can click Find Next as often as needed; it will cycle through the list no matter where your starting point is.
If you are looking for an older file and are unable to locate it, then select All from the Show Versions list at the top of the window.
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What does this message in the Log mean: "0 Files backed up"? There are several circumstances that may prevent files from being backed up:
You cancelled the backup. Normal backups will resume without error.
You ran a second backup immediately after another backup, so there were no changed files.
Insufficient resources on your computer, such as not enough free hard disk space, not enough available RAM, too small a page file, or numerous background processes.
An outbound connection to the Internet could not be made. See Connections.
Backup Schedule is set to 'Backup On Connection To Network' and there were no changed files since your last backup. No action required; backups will resume normally when there are changed files.
The Connected Backup for PC and Mac software is installed in the same folder with the files you are trying to back up. Application programs, such as the backup software, should always be installed in a folder of their own, not mingled with files from other programs.
A synchronization error occurred, in which case the details of the log would show a Diagnostic with reference to 'Base hash count.' (Contact Support via a Support Request.)
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How can files be deleted from storage?
File management is automatic. Iron Mountain maintains the following data retention settings on our Data Centers for Subscription Service Customers:
Files older than 10 versions or 90 days are deleted, but your most recent version is always kept.
Files that have been deleted from your system will be deleted from the Data Centers 90 days later.
Files that you backed up then de-selected from your backup set will be deleted after 7 days.
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Where is my data stored?
When an account is opened, it is assigned to a mirrored pair of Data Centers that are geographically separate. Because the Data Centers are identical, backups and restores can be made to or from either one of them. The software automatically handles the connection for you. The redundancy of a mirrored pair increases the security of stored data. Additionally, the Data Centers are themselves backed up. Further, duplication permits maintenance to be performed without interrupting the service.
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IMPORTANT: If your question is not answered in the FAQs, please complete a Support Request .
