Home Forums Discussions General Discussion Disaster recovery for version 4

Version 3 was easy. You just had to copy the directory to one of the other computers, share it, and then point the other computers to the new database. Last time things crashed (about 4 years ago), we were up and going in a half hour.

I want to set up one of the client computers as a backup computer (XP) for version 4 that that is ready to go and just needs some files copied over. Anyone try this yet? Would it work? Can we just run a fresh install and copy some directorys?

I have not tried just transferring the files, but I have done backup/reinstalls several times on "backup" systems at home and my laptop to work with data. I cannot comment on simply moving the files.

You need to set up the "backup" computer initially as a standalone AC set up, so it puts the "server" SQL stuff into the AC folder. Then take a backup file (one with an .enc ending in your backup folder) and move it to the backup computer. You could set your "backup" computer as a recipient of your backup files.

Open up the AC folder and find the Backup Restore program and double click and follow it through. It will give you a couple warnings about deleting your files. When done, it should be a complete "master" computer.

You would then need to go to the other computers and change the "main" directory to the former "backup" computer to activate this one.

I have tried to just copy the database file from the server to a thumb drive and I always get the message the database is in use and can not be accessed (probably due to the SQL engine constantly "running"). So, what I do is save an extra copy of the backup to an external drive and then copy my Imported items folder onto the same drive (since my Imported Items are not backed up automatically). This will let me set up an exact duplicate on another machine that has ver 4 of AC loaded onto it.

(To do this I set AC on the laptop to run as a standalone program and then reboot so the SQL resets itself. I then rename the old Imported Items folder, copy the "new" Imported Items folder to the AC folder on the backup machine, and then copy the backup copy to the AC folder. I then run the Restore program. Has worked for me three times now without a hitch and is much faster than trying to get a backup by syncing my laptop and my server). For my database this whole process takes about 20-25 minutes from initial server backup to loading on the "backup" laptop. You could easily do this on a desktop as well.

You can actually shut down SQL in amazing utilities but then you have to restart them, that is why it is easier to use the backup program.

Amazing Backup in version 4.062 simply will not work for me; it always ends the backup with an error message, and the .enc file created displays an icon with a "!", which I surmise is not good. I have spent an afternoon with Guardian Angels tech support, without a solution.

These are essential medical records, not somebody's photos or home movies. The answer to the question posed in this thread is therefore very important to me, and perhaps other who can't get Amazing Backup to work: "what files must be manually backed up in order to recover AC in case of a main computer crash?"

I would like an official answer for the few of us who need a secure manual method to back up and restore AC.

This isn't official, but there are 2 sets of SQL database files, the .ldf(database transaction log file) and .mdf (primary database data file).

These are saved for Amazing Charts, codes and meds. Thus 6 files.

Then, of course, there is the import items.

Look in your AC folder and sort by date, you should have a good idea of what has been changed.

In order to copy them, you may have to go to amazsing utilities and disconnect the databases, else you will get a warning that the files are in use.