Backup FAQs

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Configuring Backups (faqs)

Question: When I'm selecting files and folders to be backed up, is there a way to select multiple items all at once (ie. files/folder all listed together) or do I have to select each one individually?
Multiple items (both files and folders) can be added to the 'Items to Back Up' field at the same time via the navigation window - for continuous adding (ie. selecting all items from top through to bottom), hold down the shift key to select all all items - for discontinuous adding (ie. selecting items not together in a row), hold down the command (apple) key - once selected, click on the ADD button and they will be included in your items list

Question: How can I select items contained with bundles?
Holding down the 'option' key while clicking on a bundle lets you look inside bundles.

Question: Can I add an alias to a backup set?
Aliases themselves CAN be added to a backup set. The folder/file that the alias points to will not be backed up, only the alias itself.

Question: I've now configured my backup set and I want to perform a manual backup right now - how do I do that?
Make sure you 'Save' your backup set and you can then click on the 'Backup Now' button to begin a backup.

Question: I'd like to configure a filter where the file name 'ends with'; however, just wondering what BackJack considers to be the 'end' of the file name (ie. the extension)?
In Mac OS X Panther & Tiger, Apple's Finder search does consider the extension and, therefore, that is how BackJack currently works as well.

Question: I went into the Backups window to modify my backup set and I noticed a red question mark (?) in the Items list - what does this mean?
If a file/folder can no longer be found on the hard drive, BackJack displays this red colored question mark alerting you to reconfigure the item. Possible reasons why the item can no longer be found = file or folder has been moved, renamed or deleted.

Backup Process (faqs)

Question: Will BackJack back up a file or folder that is in use?
Yes; however, it is recommended to close any open documents before the session begins. If BackJack is unable to capture and successfully back up an open file, it will communicate this to you via the confirmation email (the emails you receive at the end of each backup session). Your confirmation email will contain the word (ERRORS) in the subject line.

Question: What happens if BackJack cannot get a connection right away?
 If the start of a session fails (BackJack cannot connect to our servers for any reason), a countdown window (from 10 minutes) will appear. When it reaches zero, BackJack will attempt the connection again. If unsuccessful, BackJack will either continue this process until the connection is made or the 'Stop' button is clicked by the user.

Question: Why does my backup seem to take longer than I think it should?
Since BackJack uses the internet to transfer files, it is subject to normal slowdowns that may be encountered. Keep in mind your connection speed also has a direct impact on how efficient the backup process will be - obviously, the faster the connection, the better. It is impossible for online backups to be as quick as backing up to a local drive for obvious reasons (ie. internet traffic, tasks such as compression and encryption that must first be completed before the files can be sent, etc.).

Question: Can I use my Mac while a backup session is in progress?
Yes. BackJack was designed to be a good background client which enables you to work in other applications while it is backing up.

Question: I have BackJack configured for an automated launch, but it didn't work. Why?
There are several reasons why an auto-launch may not have occurred. Some of the most common reasons are:

Question: BackJack sometimes launches when I turn on my Mac or when I launch the BackJack application. Why?
If BackJack was unable to execute a regularly scheduled backup (ie. an automated backup), it will attempt to retry the backup as soon as you either launch the program or start your Mac. You will see a 15-second Backup countdown window, which will give you time to decide whether to let the backup occur or defer the backup until the next scheduled execution.

Note that the above will not occur if the Mac wakes up from Sleep mode (ie. if a scheduled session was to occur at 1 am; however, the Mac woke at 2 am, the missed backup will not take place) - Scheduled backups that are set to launch some time after waking will still work properly.

Question: I started my backup last night and when I came in this morning, it was still going? Is it OK to stop a backup session?
The rate at which BackJack is able to back up files depends on a number of different factors. If the backup session is not complete, you can let BackJack continue to run in the background or you can stop the backup by pressing the Stop button. The information that has been backed up to this point will be on our servers and the next time you execute this backup it will start from where it left off. If you need to force the quit for any reason, the information up to that point will still remain backed up; however, the session will not have been properly closed and you will not receive a confirmation email from us. Force quitting BackJack is not recommend unless absolutely necessary.

Question: What happens if there is a problem during a backup session? (ie. computer accidentally gets turned off, hydro goes out, etc.)
BackJack will continue to re-attempt the session.

Question: Why do I receive an email message after each backup session? Can they be sent to another email address or stopped completely?
The confirmation emails are a convenient way to let users know the status of every backup session. They were designed to provide detailed feedback to the user such as items backed up, problems encountered, original and stored file sizes, amount of space the data is occupying on our servers, etc. We also wanted users to be able to remotely monitor a computer and have the email sent directly to them to track backup sessions from anywhere in the world. For instance, System Administrators can have all the emails sent directly to them to monitor all backups. Changing where the emails go can be done via the Preferences Window (multiple email addresses can be entered and separated with a comma). If you do not want to receive these confirmation emails at all, deactivate the check box under the Email tab in your Preferences window.

Question: My confirmation email indicates there were problems. What do I do?
If your confirmation emails has indicated a problem with a certain file (or files), here is what you can do. First, navigate to your Recover window and determine whether or not the file was successfully sent to our servers. If so, you will see the file name and backup date. The true test would be to recover the file to ensure all okay. If you determine that the file is not showing in your Recover window, attempt the session again when convenient. If problems continue, contact us immediately. Your Log will also provide you with valuable feedback.

Question: Sometimes my confirmation email indicates "No files were backed up during this session". Does this mean the session did not work properly?
Not at all. It simply means that none of the information you had scheduled to back up had changed since the previous session (hence, nothing to back up). You would never see this message after an initial backup session (only on incremental backup sessions).

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