Improvements

Windows 7 – extra copy taken

Sometimes on Windows 7, when watching folders, a file would be copied and then copied again some time later even though there had been no modifications. This is corrected.

Vss – snapshot created but no files copied

In some cases when using VSS, a disk snapshot set was created but then the files to be copied were deferred. The meant that the snapshot set was created but then no files were copied, spinning the hard drive for no benefit. Now, files are deferred before a snapshot is created, and snapshots are only created if there is a useful file copy to be made.

Logging improvements

Many changes and improvements have been made to logging. More information (especially about failures and errors) is now logged. The logs contain more information including where a fault was detected. Most of the time this is of no consequence but when a fault is found, the extra information will help with diagnosis. As a consequence the format of the log file has changed.

Memory leaks

A small number of memory leaks were identified and fixed.

Improvements

- 0000175: [general] Auto-start on Vista broken

On some Vista machines, QS would not auto-start on login. This is corrected.

- 0000176: [exclusions] Files starting with the name “recycled” were not copied

The general exclusion of recycle bins caught files with a name starting “recycled”. This has been fixed.

- 0000177: [exclusions] Renaming to an excluded name – file was copied

When a file was renamed to a new name that matched an exclusion pattern, it was copied when it should not have been. Now the rename-to (new name) is checked and if it matches an exclusion, the rename will not be propagated or cause a copy.

- 0000178: [VSS] Still some failures with VSS

Some of the improvements to prevent VSS failures made things worse rather than better. This is corrected – the most recent service packs for Windows Vista and 7 also seem to made a significant difference.

New Features

- 0000091: [setup] Show available space on drives

The setup menu includes a new option that shows the amount of available space on a selected destination volume.

- 0000166: [general] Persistent Error report when away from backup device

The error report when away from a backup device (eg a laptop) had an option “do not show this again”, but this setting only lasted the running life of the program. This has been extended now so that it is remembered. A new menu option is added to clear any errors set to “do not show this again”.

- 0000159: [VSS] VSS Errors
- 0000165: [VSS] VSS Errors

On some (especially) busy systems, VSS would cause errors to be reported. The cause is a failure in the VSS service of the operating system, but is retryable. QuickShadow Backup now implements retries, which should cause the frequency of VSS failures to significantly reduce.

- 0000169: [general] Show file size in list of pending files + highlight

The file currently being copied on the pending copy list is shown in highlight. The size of each file being copied is shown alongside the progress bar.

- 0000167: [VSS] On registration, set Snapshots

Once a user has registered they are prompted to enable VSS snapshots. This encourages use of the feature and reduces the number of emails asking how to resolve problems with backup of Outlook and Thunderbird email boxes.

Improvements

- 0000168: [VSS] Huge File Delay default value is wrong

When VSS is selected, the delay period used for large files was 30 minutes, not the 60 minutes presented on the setup forms. The delay has been corrected to 60 minutes.

- 0000158: [registration] Registration state shown in title bar is not changed when registering

Fixed – when registering the title bar is now immediately modified to show a successful registration.

- 0000170: [exclusions] More exclusion paths

A number of new exclusion paths have been added to suit Vista and Windows 7. Users need to select the button to load the default exclusions.

- 0000160: [general] Exceptions on startup when deferred files saved

A defect caused exceptions for some users, some of the time, on startup when loading the deferred files list. This has been corrected.

- 0000161: [general] Showing failure when all working

Sometimes a failure would be shown even though copies to the backup were OK.

- 0000164: [setup] Won’t auto-start if installed on drive other than C

On Vista and Windows 7, the program would not auto-start on logon if installed on anything apart from drive C. Corrected this.

The full review is here.

New Features

- 0000157: [general] Allow backup set to select full/short destination path

Each backup set can now have the format of the destination path chosen between the full source path (as before) or a trimmed form of the source path

- 0000139: [operating system compatibility] Suspend/Hibernate

Major changes have been included to detect and handle operating system suspend / hibernate and resume, especially while copy operations were in progress.

- 0000145: [watch files and folders] Fails if source is a network drive.

Sources that were network drives would sometimes raise errors or not work as expected. A major rewrite has seen significant improvements. Source drives that are remote are prompted for conversion to UNC form – this should be used.

- 0000152: [general] Single instance detection across RDP sessions

Server operating systems with terminal services would allow the program to be run several times in different logon sessions, causing failures and confusion. The program now detects if it is being run across different logon sessions and allows only a single instance.

- 0000137: [general] Need a utility to scrub old versions

Especially on Vista and Windows 7, finding and removing old versions of files (when the versioning feature is used) can be difficult. A new utility is added which searches for old versions of files and allows them the be deleted.

- 0000092: [general] Option to warn when destination is getting full

New feature added to allow a warning to a user when a destination is low on free space.

- 0000136: [watch files and folders] Word 2007 / Excel 2007 – backup failing

Added a checkbox to allow fast rename optimisation to be disabled. This was previously the default but Word 2007 and later save files in unusual ways leading in some cases to old versions on the backup being unavailable.

Improvements

- 0000151: [operating system compatibility] Wont auto-start on server 2003

Corrected a problem where the program would not auto-start on logon – only on Windows Server 2003.

- 0000155: [synchronise] QS counts wrong number of files synced

QS used to count the number of files AND folders (including the “.” and “..” entries in each folder. This has been corrected.

- 0000153: [installer] QS installer should run program

The installer now includes an option which can be used to run the program after installation.

- 0000150: [synchronise] Confusion about manual sync causing no auto sync

Previous versions would not perform an automatic sync if a manual sync was performed earlier the same day. This caused confusion. A manual sync now has no effect on the running of an automatic sync.

- 0000138: [synchronise] User reports auto-sync stopped working

In some cases and combinations of circumstances a scheduled sync would not run. This is corrected.

- 0000148: [help, descriptions and FAQ] Help for setup is not clear

The help for setup has been rewritten an improved.

- 0000147: [general] Take account of NAS sleep

Improvements have been made to handle cases where a NAS spins down disks to save power.

- 0000146: [general] Directory choosing dialogs dont have Make New Folder option

Dialogs that allow selecting a folder / directory now include a button to allow a new one to be made.

- 0000144: [logs] Log when old version removed from backup

Old versions that are removed from a backup destination are logged.

- 0000143: [watch files and folders] Improve error for watch files failed

In the event that watching files / folders fails, more information about the cause of the failure is available.

Version 2.0.6 of QuickShadow Backup corrects a small number or minor annoyances:

- 0000132: [general] Faster shutdown

Sometimes QuickShadow Backup would continue to copy the file it was working on, even when requested to shutdown. This was specially frustrating during a windows / PC shutdown. QuickShadow Backup now uses a fast shutdown method that will abort the copying of a large file.

- 0000130: [exclusions] Update exclusions for Chrome & Firefox

New exclusions have been added to prevent copying the web cache of Chrome & Firefox web browsers, when installed on Vista or Win7.

- 0000128: [general] Not backing up some files on some drives

Backup to a FAT formatted drive was sometimes not copying a file if its size was unchanged. This was especially noticeable for large email files (eg outlook). General synchronisation between NTFS, FAT and SAMBA NAS drives is improved.

Version 2.0.5 of QuickShadow Backup corrects a small number or minor annoyances:

- 0000126: [general] Exception at startup when error is displayed

In some rare cases it was possible for an error to display at start time. When that error was displayed, another error tried to be displayed and could not, causing an exception. This case should now be fixed.

- 0000121: [setup] When changing the setup – clear the deferred list

If the settings were changed and the deferred items were being saved, then the change of settings may cause old, saved, deferred items to be tried over and over even though no longer relevant – because the settings had been modified. User is now warning and saved deferred items can be deleted when entering setup.

- 0000120: [synchronise] Make startup delay longer for those who turn on NAS at same time as PC

Some users start their NAS with their PC, and the NAS has a long start/boot time. There is now a new option to make the auto-start take 5 minutes instead of 1 minute.

- 0000119: [setup] Destination using a drive letter sometimes stops working

Windows 7 especially can lose the association between drive letter and its network path. Setup now auto-translates destination drive letters to a full UNC path.

- 0000114: [help, descriptions and FAQ] What do the boxes down the bottom mean? AND BATCHES

Help has been updated to add more information.

- 0000115: [help, descriptions and FAQ] Sync description – won’t run twice on same day

Help has been updated to add more information.

- 0000117: [general] Please wait… checking

Sometimes this would flash up very quickly, causing confusion. Now it is held on the screen a little longer so its easier to read.

- 0000113: [general] Shutting down box – unclear

Wording on the shutting down dialog has been improved.

- 0000112: [general] Spelling error / presentation of destination state

Typo fixed.

- 0000105: [logs] Crash with Access Violation when click “Clear Log”.

Very occasionally clicking “Clear Log” would cause a program crash. This is now trapped and properly handled.

- 0000086: [general] Exlcusions – wording + edit or copy/paste.

The wording on the Setup->Exclusions tab has been improved. Entries can now be edited, and copy / paste of entries is now supported.

- 0000101: [logs] Request for new log option.

Some small changes have been made to logging, the information logged has been improved slightly.

- 0000102: [help, descriptions and FAQ] Add to help – restore.

A section has been added to the help describing restoring using the Windows Explorer / Shell integration.

- 0000109: [general] Exception when verifying files.

Under some rare circumstances an exception and crash would happen when verifying files. This is now trapped and properly handled.

- 0000111: [shell integration] Unregistered: Cant find files on backup.

Some files on the backup could not be found and navigated to or restored. This only happened for 2nd (and subsequent) backup sets, and is now corrected.

For those where this was a sticking point (one of the unsupported operating systems), it is now fixed and tested – you can now use QuickShadow for backing up open files on server operating systems.

Version 2.0.1 Added the option to disable the Tray Icon animation, and corrected a problem where the 30 day free evaluation was not working in some cases.

Version 2.0.2 Corrected a rare exception related to making the tray icon shown or not shown.