Which Folders Shouldn’t Be Backed Up?

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The BQ Drive Backup product gives you the option to backup your important office documents, images, music, videos to the cloud. However storing every file from your computer to the cloud is not a good idea. This is because many of the files on your computer are specific to that installation, and will not work if they are placed on another machine. Adding unnecessary folders to your backup set will also increase the time it takes to upload your files to the cloud and in some cases will stop the files uploading that you wish to upload. Below we have written a list of the things you should not backup to the cloud. Temporary Files Computers contain folders which store temporary files. These files could be from websites, programs, unsaved office documents etc. The contents of the temporary folder on your computer will constantly modify, with many files being created, updated, and deleted. The problem with backing up this folder is that it will be scanned by BQ Drive, and will mark many files for uploading/updating on each scan. This will greatly increase the total time it takes for you to upload your files to the cloud and the temporary files are essentially inconsequential. Windows and Mac files Each Operating System contains their own set of essential system files and folders. As with the temp folder, many items in the operating system folder will also change and we be uploaded frequently. To reduce the time it takes to upload content we would suggest not backing up OS files. Backups using 3rd Party Applications For example, Mac users have the ability to backup their entire hard drive using Time Machine. However due to the content being backed up using such system files, BQ Drive does not support the backup or storage of other 3rd party backups as they may contain system folders and files. Program Files When the software is installed files are placed in other areas of the computer and some other system files will be edited. We suggest that you do not back up program folders and instead back up the install files or folders. We suggest making sure the following files on Windows and Mac are not backed up: Windows “C:\Windows” folder
“C:\Program Files” or “C:\Program Files (x86)”
“C:\Users” or “C:\Documents and Settings” (you can select folders within the User accounts such as My Documents, My Videos, My Pictures, My Music, Favourites etc)
“C:\Users\{username}\AppData”
System settings
System files
“C:\Users\{username}\Ntuser.dat”
Live databases (exchange, SQL, SAGE, etc) - any database that is constantly in use
Your entire hard drive
Backups using other 3rd party applications
Websites
Mac The entire “/User/” folder (you can select folders within the User accounts such as Documents, Videos, Pictures, Music etc.)
The entire “/Library/” folder
Applications Folder
Utilities Folder
Downloads Folder
Public Folder
Trash
Time Machine
Websites
How to remove files from Backup To remove files/folders from you Backup: 1. Click on the BQ Drive icon and select Open Control Centre 2. Select Settings and then Backup Selection 3. Navigate to the folder you wish to stop backing up, and deselect the item 4. Click OK Once the item(s) has been deselected, they will be marked for deletion and permanently removed from the servers after 30 days.

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Can I Backup External USB Hard Drives?

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You can use BQ Drive Backup with external USB Hard Disk Drives as long as they retain the same drive letter (Windows PCs) or mount point (Mac). As “BQ Drive Backup” is a mirrored copy of the files/folders you select, you must ensure that the device is attached to your computer when running BQ Drive. If the device is disconnected whilst BQ Drive is running, then the previously uploaded files from that device will be marked for deletion. Users therefore, may wish to instead copy their files to their BQ Drive Briefcase (if available) and then work from the Briefcase. Tips when backing up your external USB Hard Disk Drive: Ensure that you let the scan totally complete before unplugging the device. If you unplug during a scan then BQ Drive will start the deleting your external USB files from your backup.
If you are plugging in a different external HD you need to ensure that the drive letter or mount point is not re-assigned otherwise BQ Drive will see this as the same drive but with all data removed and will begin deleting the data from the Backup set stored on the servers.
Ensure that the external HD is attached before running BQ Drive.
It is possible to detach the external HD only once the backup is complete and BQ Drive is stopped.

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Can I Backup My Exchange or SQL Server?

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As Microsoft Exchange and SQL databases are considered as “live databases” our VSS (Volume Snapshot Service, also known as Volume Shadow Copy Service) used with our software is not compatible to backup these types of databases at present. We do not support backup of any live databases (Exchange, SQL, SAGE, etc) currently but hope to have this feature available in a future release. For now, if you wish to backup an Exchange or SQL server, we would suggest exporting a static file (shadow copy of your database) to a folder, and select this folder for backup. This is a manual process and will require the static file to be copied to the folder periodically to ensure the latest changes are reflected in the backup.

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Can I Backup NAS Drives/Network Drives?

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It is possible to backup NAS devices with BQ Drive Backup, Pro Suite or Business accounts. Customers with Backup will need to purchase the NAS Backup feature for each network drive/NAS device through the Account Settings part of the web portal. You can then add the folders on the drive to your backup selection. Business customers are automatically able to add NAS devices to their Backup. It is important to note, that NAS storage usage is part of the overall allocation of storage in the same way as Backup and Briefcase storage.

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Can I Edit, Delete or Upload Files Online with BQ Drive Backup?

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BQ Drive Backup is designed to be a mirror copy of your local computer files.
BQ Drive keeps an exact copy of the file(s) online, therefore files cannot be edited, deleted or uploaded online via your web portal. If you do make changes to your files such as renaming them or moving them to a new location, you will need to open the Backup Selection menu via the “settings” of the application and de-select your folders as they have been changed. Once they have been de-selected, you can use the “add another folder” option to re-select the folders so that the changes are reflected.
If you want to the ability to edit, move, delete or rename files online, please try BQ Drive Briefcase - our powerful access-anywhere service.

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Is There a File Size Limit When Uploading?

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BQ Drive does not have a file size limit when uploading files using your desktop software or via FTP, SFTP or Webdav. However there is a 2GB size limit when uploading to your Briefcase via your web portal.

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BQ Drive Terminology: Re-queued and Deleting

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When transferring data, the status window may show the following terminology: Re-queuing files If a file cannot be uploaded for any particular reason the file gets re-queued and will be re-attempted when BQ Drive reaches the end of the upload queue. Deleting files If you have recently reinstalled BQ Drive then a new backup set would be created on our servers for your computer. This would mean that the software will scan through all the files and folders you selected to be backed up, and create file and folder place holders, ready to be populated with the file data. When the software attempts to re-upload files that already exist on our servers this is detected by our de-duplication technology - instead of uploading the files from your computer, it copies the files already backed up, and 'deletes' the newly made file place holder If you recently unselected a Parent folder and selected the sub-folders individually to be backed up then BQ Drive will need to reconfigure the way it stores the files in your Backup. You may see a lot of files being deleted in your Detailed Status, however this is where BQ Drive is simply removing the old file placeholders, and recreating them according to the new backup selections you made.
BQ Drive can't simply 'move' the file place holders - it needs to first delete, then recreate the files in the new folder, and due to de-duplication all the files won't need to be re-uploaded from your computer, so its a quick process.

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Restore a previous version of a Backup file

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When a file is edited or amended, once it is saved and exited the file in question will be uploaded to BQ Drive in its entirety during the next backup scan. The file will be saved as the latest version on our servers. BQ Drive stores up to 30 versions of a file and using the restore client built into the desktop software, you can restore any of these versions at any time.
To restore a file version: 1. Launch the Control Centre.
2. Select the Restore tab.
3 .Choose the Backup Set you want to restore.
If your files are not currently in a deleted state skip to step 4. To show files that have been marked as deleted tick the 'Show deleted files' checkbox.
5. Browse to the folder containing the file in question and click View Files.
6. Click Restore.
7. Select the version you wish to restore and choose either a new folder or the original folder to restore to.
8. Click Restore.

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Viewing Your Backed Up Files Online

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The files that you have backed up are all available from your secure web portal. Navigate to the BQ Drive login screen and login with your BQ Drive account e-mail address. Once you’ve logged in, click the Devices tab on the left-hand side and you'll be able to browse your files just like your computer. Via the web portal, you can do the following: Download single files.
Download folders less than 2 GB in size.
Stream your movies with the web based video player.
Stream your music (mp3 with no DRM).
View your office documents.
Display your photos.
If your file is still pending upload, it will appear greyed out in the web portal.

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Windows Client User Guide

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1.1 Setting Up BQ Drive The first time you log into BQ Drive on your device you will be presented with the Welcome Wizard during the installation, which will run through your first backup. . By default, BQ Drive will begin to back-up a few pre-selected folders such as the My Documents, My Pictures and My Videos folders respectively. These folders are chosen as they generally contain the files’ that the majority of our clients would choose to have backed up. If you wish to add additional folders for backup, you can do so by choosing SETTINGS>BACKUP SELECTION>ADD ANOTHER FOLDER [add a screenshot here] From this point on, each time you start your machine you will automatically be logged in to the service. You can change this option by opening the Control Panel then choosing SETTINGS>SECURITY SETTINGS then ticking the check box to “Always ask for a password” 1.2 System Tray Icon The system tray menu changes depending if the client is logged in or not. When logged out you can right-click on the tray icon and choose to either Login or Exit BQ Drive. If you are already logged on the tray menu will appear differently and provide you with more options. These include Open Control Centre, Open Briefcase Folder (Briefcase product required), View Your Files Online, Log Out and Exit BQ Drive. [Add a screenshot here focusing on the system tray and right-clicking BQ Drive icon] 1.3 Control Centre The ‘Control Centre’ houses most of the settings and features that are available with your BQ Drive service. This window is the main window seen when you launch the application. From here you can find the Dashboard, Settings, Restore and Support features along with a link to your Web Portal. [Add a screenshot of Control Centre Dashboard]. 2.1 Message Bar The Control Centre Message Bar displays different icons and text according to the status of the backup. These are always visible when you are on the Dashboard section of the Control Panel.
2.2 Backup Dashboard The Dashboard enables you to initiate a scan of your chosen folder(s) for backup. When this option is accessed BQ Drive calculates the size of the files for backup and provides a real time update of estimated time to completion. Once you have begun to back up your files and folders, the Backup Dashboard displays the percentage total of the backup completed thus far via a constantly updating circular progress bar that provides an accurate estimate of the remaining time till the backup is expected to complete. After the backup has been completed the Backup Dashboard will show the time of the next scheduled backup along with the exact amount of data uploaded. The Backup Dashboard will also scan for new files and folders to add to your cloud. During a backup, whilst new files and folders are being located, the Backup Dashboard will display the message ‘Scanning’. If the client cannot detect an internet connection or if the transfer rate falls to zero for more than 15 seconds, the display will inform you that you are currently “offline” and your files cannot be backed up until the connection is “online” once again. 2.3 Briefcase Dashboard This option on the Dashboard allows users to access the Briefcase folder directly through the Control Centre. It also allows you to see an up-to-date view of uploads and downloads. If you have not yet added any files or folders to their Briefcase, the display will inform you of the benefits of the Briefcase and how you can learn more. 3 Settings This option on the Control Centre gives you access to three different settings - Backup Selection, Security Settings and Advanced Settings. 3.1 Backup Selection Backup Selection allows you to do three specific actions: - View which folders are currently being backed up. Add any new folders that you would like to back up. View and change the backup schedule. Backup Selection allows you to add or remove any folders on your computer by simply clicking the checkbox next to the folder name to select or deselect the folder in question or using the add another folder button. When you choose to add a folder you are directed to another screen on the client that allows you to navigate through your system from top level volumes and drives and select which of these you want to backup. You can add folders to your backup by clicking on the Add button. If you decide to remove a folder from the backup, once the checkbox is de-selected the background colour of the bar will change colour to red and after you confirm you want this removed the folder bar will disappear from the table. If a folder has been renamed since the last time you accessed the client, the folder row will show a pink background and you will be prompted to uncheck and remove this. Once this is done you can then add the folder again under its amended title. *Please note* NAS drives cannot be added to scheduled backups unless you have purchased an add-on for these drives. If you try to perform this action an error box will inform you that you need to get the necessary subscription for this. 3.2 Manage Schedule This option allows you to choose how often to scan for changes in your backed up folders (such as the addition of new files within those folders) You can choose to scan folders every X number of hours (X being your own value) or for the scan to occur at a certain time of day (the application must be running – either open or minimised but not closed for this to be in effect) *Please note* the above options are for setting when the backup begins only. You are not currently able to choose when to stop the backup as it’s a synchronised service. Once a backup has begun, it will continue until completion. [Add a screenshot of the manage schedule screen]. 3.3 Security Settings Security Settings provide three features: Providing you with the option of encrypting the contents of your Briefcase Providing you with the option of having the client prompt you for a password each time you attempt to start up the client. Providing you with the option of having BQ Drive run automatically when you log in to Windows. However if the Briefcase is disabled (see Advanced Settings below) then Security Settings will only allow you to change whether you require a password prompt upon login or choose whether BQ Drive starts automatically. 3.4 Advanced Settings The Advanced Settings within the Control Centre contains all the settings that would be of interest to advanced users. You can navigate into any of these screens by simply clicking on any of the icons. More information regarding these options are detailed below.
*Please note - the features available are dependent on which BQ Drive package you have so you may not see all the options mentioned. 3.4.1 Priorities The Priorities setting allows you to set which files you want the Briefcase to prioritise for uploading or downloading. This is a handy feature that ensures your most important files are constantly synced with the cloud. For example, if BQ Drive is used for both personal and work files you can prioritise file types such as Word and Excel documents over music and video files to ensure your work documents are constantly being updated. 3.4.2 Bandwidth You can also configure the amount of bandwidth the client uses for uploading and downloading files to and from the cloud. This is handy if you have a limited bandwidth subscription. 3.4.3 Backup Exclusions Backup Exclusions allow you to choose which file types or folders you do not want backed up on BQ Drive. You can either select specific file types such as “*.exe” and “*.iso” file types, or specific folders. There is also a link to view the system folders and file types that BQ Drive does not back up such as temporary, system and browser file types. 3.4.4 LAN Transfers You can use LAN transfers to automatically sync all files in you Briefcase to other computers currently over your LAN that also have the BQ Drive software installed. You can check or uncheck the tick boxes to select if you want to activate/de-activate LAN transfers and then to select which of the devices on the network you perform LAN transfer with.. 3.4.5 Proxy The Proxy setting allows you to access BQ Drive through a web proxy. You can configure your proxy either through a SOCKS protocol or a Web Proxy. If you choose Web Proxy the SOCKS server field changes to an IP Address text field. 3.4.6 System Status The System Status setting provides you with information on any issues that may be currently affecting BQ Drive. 3.4.7 Briefcase Files You can view and manage your online files under the Briefcase Files setting. From here you can configure how BQ Drive handles files that other devices have added to the Briefcase, along with how the files that are currently stored on the cloud should be opened. If you choose to have all files on the Briefcase downloaded to your computer, you can add exceptions to this. For example, if you have videos and documents stored on the Briefcase in the cloud you can choose to exclude multimedia file extensions and/or limit the maximum size file that can be downloaded. However if you do not want files to be automatically downloaded to your computer you can choose to just store files on the cloud. If you do want certain files to be saved on your computer you can add exceptions to this by adding file extensions or choosing to download files smaller than a certain size. 3.4.8 Integrity Check Integrity Check allows you to run a health check on your computer for BQ Drive. This checks your files and folders are correctly synced to the cloud. When you run an Integrity Check the client will compare the files on your system to those on the cloud to ensure they are synced correctly. Once this is complete, BQ Drive will update any files that are not protected in the background. 3.4.9 Turn Briefcase Off You can choose to turn off their Briefcase on your system if you only wish to access your files from the web portal. This action will restart BQ Drive and you will no longer be able to access Encryption, Priorities, LAN Transfers and Briefcase Files as these are linked to the Briefcase. You can turn your Briefcase feature back on by selecting this on the Briefcase Dashboard or by doing this in Advanced Settings.

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