How to Restore the Backup Server

If the Backup Server computer has a problem, you might find that you need to reinstall the Backup Server software on a replacement hard drive or a new computer. When this happens, follow the steps below to restore your Backup Server.

Note, the instructions below assume that all you need to do is reinstall the Backup Server software. This set of instructions assumes that your backup data is still intact. A good example of this situation occurs when the C: drive inside the Backup Server computer fails and you had been storing your backup data to an external drive or a NAS device, or some other disk-based device that has not been affected by the failure of the C: drive.

This webpage provides you with instructions you can follow when you need to:

Restore your Backup Server software.
How to use your existing Backup Data with a new Backup Server.
Troubleshoot problems encountered while reinstalling your Backup Server software.

How to Restore your Backup Server:

You need an operational copy of Windows on the computer that you intend to use as your Backup Server. If Windows is not already installed on this computer, please install it now.
Download the current Backup for Workgroups setup program. Click on the following link to download this program now.

http://www.backup-for-workgroups.com/downloads/bfwsetup.exe
Run the Backup for Workgroups setup program. At the initial, opening screen, press Next, and on the License Agreement page, click "I Agree" to accept the License Agreement Terms and press Next.
On the Welcome screen, choose the option "I need to access my existing Backup for Workgroups backup data. I am reinstalling Backup for Workgroups." Press Next.
Choose the option to "Reinstall the Backup Server." Press Next.
Use the Find Existing Backup Data screen to tell Backup for Workgroups the location of your existing backup data. When finished, press Next.
On the Reinstall Client Account screen, you can choose to reinstall the Backup Client software if you used to include the Backup Server computer in the backup process. Press Next.
Now you are ready to test your access to the Backup Server, at the Test Firewall screen verify that your firewall has port 2125 open to allow inbound TCP. Press Finish.
When the Setup process completes, the Backup Server Administrator appears.
IMPORTANT: To verify that this new Backup for Workgroups installation is correctly accessing your previous backup data, take a look at the Status panel and find the line item that shows the number of files backed up. This should NOT BE ZERO. If it is ZERO, read the Troubleshooting section below.
IMPORTANT: Go to the Clients panel and verify that your list of Clients is intact. You should see your list of computers that you are backing up. IF YOUR CLIENTS PANEL IS BLANK, read the Troubleshooting section below.
Now that your Backup Server software is installed, you are ready to continue normal backups and/or perform file restorations.

After re-establishing this new installation of the Backup Server, you will need to visit each Backup Client computer and re-direct them to this new Backup Server computer (rather than the old one).

Go to a Backup Client computer > Tools > Preferences > Account Info
On the top half of the screen, you should see the computer name or IP address of the old Backup Server computer
In the same field, enter the computer name or IP address of the new Backup Server computer
The Client name and password will remain the same (no changes necessary)
Press the Test Login button to verify the connection to the new Backup Server, using your existing account credentials

How to use your existing Backup Data with a new Backup Server:

This section explains what to do when need to replace the Backup for Workgroups Backup Server with a new computer and you want to keep using your existing backup data as-is.

The following is a quick summary of the steps you follow to change out the computer that is hosting the Backup for Workgroups Backup Server:

Stop the Backup for Workgroups service on the old computer.
Move the backup data to the new backup server.
Install Backup for Workgroups on the new computer.
Tell the Backup Clients to use the new backup server.
Remove Backup for Workgroups from the old computer.

Step 1 - Stop the Backup for Workgroups service on the old computer.

Go to the existing computer that is currently running the Backup for Workgroups Backup Server. This computer will be referred to as the Old Backup Server.
Run Backup for Workgroups and go to the Storage Panel.
The storage panel shows the list of backup storage locations. Make a list of the storage drives holding your backup data so you know which physical drives you will need to move to the New Backup Server.
Close Backup for Workgroups and stop the service to ensure that your backup drives are idle.
Right click on My Computer and select Manage.
At the Computer Management window, expand "Services and Application" and then highlight "Services".
The right hand panel will show all of the installed services. Scroll the panel in the middle until you see the service named "Backup for Workgroups".
Right click on the Backup for Workgroups service and select Stop.

Step 2 - Move the backup data to the new backup server.

If your backup data resides on external drives, move these external drives to the New Backup Server.
If your backup data resides on a NAS or Network Share, make sure that the New Backup Service has access to the NAS or Network Share.
Take a moment to make sure that your New Backup Server has full access to your existing, newly moved backup data. To do this, open My Computer and navigate to the drive(s) holding the backup data. Go to the path on the drive on which you made note of in Step 1 above. Make sure you see that all of these locations are accessible from the New Backup Server.

Step 3 - Install Backup for Workgroups on the New Backup Server.

You need an operational copy of Windows on the computer that you intend to use as your Backup Server. If Windows is not already installed on this computer, please install Windows now.
Download the current Backup for Workgroups setup program on the New Backup Server computer. Click on the following link to download this program now.

http://www.backup-for-workgroups.com/downloads/bfwsetup.exe
Run the Backup for Workgroups setup program. On the License dialog, click "I Agree" to accept the License Agreement Terms.
On the Welcome screen, choose the BOTTOM option "I need to access my existing Backup for Workgroups backup data. I am reinstalling Backup for Workgroups." Press Next.
Choose the option to "Reinstall the Backup Server." Press Next.
The Setup program will search for your existing backup data. It will display the path(s) that it finds to pre-existing backup data; which should match the list that you made in Step 1 above. If this list does not match the list you made in Step 1, use the Modify button to make changes and/or additional. Press Next when the on-screen list matches your handwritten list.
Now you will see the Reinstall Client Account screen. Here you can choose to reinstall the Backup Client software if you were backing up the Backup Server computer in your overall backup process. Press Next.
Test your access to the New Backup Server. At the Test Firewall screen, verify that your firewall has port 2125 open to allow inbound TCP. Press Finish.
When the Setup process completes, the Backup Server Administrator appears. Now that you have re-installed Backup for Workgroups, make sure you verify access to your pre-existing backup data and that you verify your list of Backup Clients!
IMPORTANT STEP DO NOT SKIP: To verify that this new Backup for Workgroups installation is correctly accessing your previous backup data, take a look at the Status panel and find the line item that shows the number of files backed up. This should NOT BE ZERO. If it is ZERO, read the Troubleshooting section below.
IMPORTANT STEP DO NOT SKIP: To verify your list of Backup Clients, go to the Clients panel and verify that your list of Clients is intact. You should see your list of computers that you are backing up. IF YOUR CLIENTS PANEL IS BLANK, read the Troubleshooting section below.

Step 4 - Tell the Backup Clients to use the New Backup Server.

After setting up your New Backup Server, you will need to visit each Backup Client computer and re-direct each one from the Old Backup Server to the New Backup Server computer.

Go to a Backup Client computer and choose Tools > Preferences > Account Info.
On the top half of the screen, you should see the computer name or IP address of the Old Backup Server computer.
In the same field, enter the computer name or IP address of the NEW Backup Server computer.
You do not need to make any changes to the Client name or password. This information will remain the same (no changes necessary).
Press the Test Login button to verify the connection to the NEW Backup Server, using your existing account credentials.
Press OK to save your changes.
Repeat Step 4 for each Backup Client.

Step 5 - Remove Backup for Workgroups from the Old Backup Server.

After you have observed the New Backup Server for a couple of days and you feel comfortable that everything is running fine; you can remove Backup for Workgroups from your Old Backup Server.

Go to the Old Backup Server and go to Control Panels > Add/Remove Software.
At the Windows Add/Remove Software Screen, select Backup for Workgroups and press the Uninstall button.
The Backup for Workgroups Uninstall Program will ask you if you want to remove just the Program only or do you want to remove the Program and the Backup Data. In this case, you should choose to only remove the Program.

Troubleshooting the Reinstallation of the Backup Server

The most common problems encountered when you are reinstalling the Backup Server are:

Access Rights Problems Occur When Reading/Writing to the Storage Device.
Selecting the Incorrect Path to the Backup Data Storage Device(s).

Access Rights Problems Occur When Reading/Writing to the Storage Device.

If you have reinstalled the Backup Server and you are storing your backup data to a NAS or a network share and you receive the error "cannot write to the Storage Device", the most common cause of this problem is with access rights. The first thing to check is to make sure the Backup Server has the correct rights to access the NAS or share point. Let�s do the following:

Run Backup for Workgroups and go to the Storage Panel.
Select the storage location that is listed in the top portion of the screen under the "Backup Storage" section.
Press the "Modify" button.
At the Modify Storage Location screen press the "Network Share" button.
You are now on the Select NAS Devices and Shared Network Folders to Store Your Backup Data... screen
STEP 1 (TOP) Section:
Enter the name of a Windows User account and the password for that account that exists on this computer.
Usually, people enter the Administrator account for this computer.
The Backup for Workgroups service will use this Windows account to access your network.
STEP 2 (MIDDLE) Section:
In the first field, make sure the path specified in Step 2 is the correct path to the NAS or network share.
In the second field, enter the name of a Windows Account that has full access rights to the NAS or the network share.
In the third field, enter the password for the Windows Account.
The Backup for Workgroups service will use this Windows account to access the data on the NAS or network share.
STEP 3 (BOTTOM) Section:
Press the "Verify" button to test the access to the NAS or network share.
Press "OK" to save your Network Share access information
Press "OK" to save the modifications to the Storage Location and return to the main user interface.

Selecting the Incorrect Path to the Backup Data Storage Device(s).

If you have reinstalled the Backup Server, but then it reports that no files were backed up and the Clients panel is empty and does not have your list of computers, the implication is that the path to the Backup Storage location is incorrect. Instead of using the path to the preexisting data, a different path has been specified that does not point to any preexisting data. As a result, the Backup Server created a NEW, EMPTY Storage location. To correct this situation, all we need to do is change the path to use that points to the preexisting data.

Run Backup for Workgroups and go to the Storage Panel.
Select the storage location that is listed in the top portion of the screen under the "Backup Storage" section.
Press the "Modify" button.
On the Modify Storage Location screen, look at the current storage path.
If the correct storage location is at a network share, press the "Network Share" button to verify the current settings.
If the correct Storage path is on a local drive or USB drive, press the "Advanced" button and enter the correct storage location.
Press "OK" to save your changes.