IDrive is an automated online backup application. Hence, critical folders like Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos and Music are pre-selected for backup with the scheduled time set to 'off-peak hours'.

If these settings are not altered, the application commences the backup of the default Backup set once the scheduled backup time is reached.

You can modify the settings as desired.

To change the day, time, and frequency for the scheduled backup job, click the 'Edit the schedule parameters' button.

To edit your Backup set, click the 'Edit the Backup set' button. This takes you to the main screen of the IDrive for Windows interface. On the 'My Files' pane, you can modify your Backup set using the check boxes.

Also, you can find out the upload / download speed and the time that it will take to backup / restore 1 GB of data at this rate by clicking the 'Bandwidth Test' button.

Click the 'Close' button at the top right corner to go to the main application screen.

What is the Automatic Selection feature?

The 'Automatic Selection' feature lists your most commonly used application data such as 'Microsoft Outlook', 'Microsoft Outlook Express', 'My Documents' and 'My Favorites' folders among others. You can select the application types based on your backup need.

To use this option, from the menu bar, go to File > Automatic Selection.

I see some files / folders marked in red color on the top pane of the main application screen. Why?

The files / folders marked in red under 'My Files' are excluded from backup.

To include them in the Backup set, from the application tool bar, click on the Preferences icon and select the 'Exclude files and folders' tab. Clear the check boxes for the files / folders that you want to backup.

How do I take an immediate (interactive) backup of my data?

Select the desired files / folders / drives (under 'My Files') that you want to backup immediately and click the 'Backup Now' button.

How do I schedule a backup?

To schedule a backup, login to your IDrive account and click the 'Schedule Backup' button.

You can schedule your backup on a daily, monthly or hourly basis.

It also has the following options:

Start the job immediately: Take an immediate backup of your files / folders.

Notify me on the desktop when the scheduled job is complete: Receive notifications on the desktop regarding the status of scheduled backup job.

Cut-Off time: Set the time at which your scheduled backup should stop.

Start the missed scheduled backup when the computer is turned on: Select this option to resume a missed scheduled backup job due to the computer being turned off.

Email notification: Select this option to receive email notifications on the status of the scheduled backup job. Enter the email address on which you want to receive the notifications.

Scheduled job list: Lists the scheduled backup job and its details.

Is there a way to receive an alert in case my scheduled backup fails?

Yes. From the application tool bar, go to Preferences > General tab. Select the 'Alert me if the scheduled backup fails for 7 days' check box to receive a desktop alert in case your backup has not taken place. By default, it is set to seven days.

How do I manage my scheduled backup jobs?

You can manage your scheduled backup jobs by clicking the 'Manage all the Scheduled jobs' option from the IDrive tray menu.

The 'Manage all the Scheduled jobs' screen is displayed. You can change the frequency and options pertaining to a specific backupset for an account.

Edit the backup jobs in the following ways:

1. Highlight any entry and click the 'Edit' icon.
2. Double-click an entry in the list.

Delete a scheduled backup entry in the following ways:

1. Highlight any entry and click the 'Delete' icon.
2. Highlight any entry in the list and press the 'Delete' key on the keyboard.

Stop the scheduled backup in the following ways:

1. Highlight any entry where the status is 'In Progress' and click the 'Stop' icon on the tool bar.
2. Go to 'Status' screen on the IDrive Tray menu and click the 'Stop Transfer' icon.

Does IDrive for Windows perform scheduled backups in 'Standby’ mode?

No. This is because the remote access connections are disconnected without any prompting to disconnect manually before the computer goes into the 'Standby' mode. This applies to any remote access connection including connections to Internet service providers (ISPs) and private networks. This behavior is by design of Windows, by default.

Can I view the status of my scheduled backups?

Yes, you can view the status of your scheduled backups using the IDrive Status option that is active in your system tray once you install IDrive for Windows.

You can also view the status of the last 20 scheduled jobs. Click the 'View Log' button to see the recent session-wise log files.

Is it possible to view all the scheduled backup jobs of all my IDrive accounts on my computer using IDrive for Windows?

Yes. For this, right-click the 'IDrive for Windows Monitor tray icon' and select the 'Manage all the Scheduled Jobs' option. In the window that is displayed, you can view the list of scheduled backup jobs of all IDrive accounts on the local computer.

What is incremental backup?

IDrive for Windows transfers only the modified portions of your files after full initial backup. Incremental backup is a default feature.

How do I backup data from multiple computers to a single IDrive account?

By default, IDrive for windows creates a unique folder with the name of the computer to backup data from multiple computers into a single IDrive account. This prevents data overlap during multiple computers backup.

How can I exclude certain files/folders from being backed up?

IDrive for Windows allows you to exclude files / folders from being backed up during interactive and scheduled backup.

You can exclude files / folders in the following ways:


Via Main Window

Select a file / folder under 'My Files', right click and choose 'Exclude this folder from Backup'.

What is the Bandwidth Throttle feature?

The Bandwidth Throttle feature lets you set the Internet bandwidth to be used by the IDrive application for backups.

Bandwidth Throttle (when system is not in use): This option lets you set the bandwidth to be used by your system for backups, when it is not in use. By default, it is set to 100%.

Note: The percentage set for Bandwidth Throttle is applicable for both scheduled and interactive backups.

Bandwidth Throttle (when system is in use): Select the 'Auto-Pause' check box to use this option.

Auto-Pause option makes intelligent guesses on when to pause and resume backup, to enable optimum desktop appearances during user activity.

This option lets you set the bandwidth to be used by your system for backups when it is in use. This allows other applications to run without hindrance. By default, it is set to 25%.

What is Bandwidth Test feature?

Using 'Bandwidth Test' feature, you can find out the upload / download speed and an approximate time that it will take to backup / restore 1 GB of data to your IDrive account.

Can I backup Mapped / USB / External drives?

Yes, you can backup Mapped / USB / External Drives. The contents to be backed up must be a part of the Backup set and available at the time of backup.

Will IDrive backup my data even if the computer is logged off?

Yes. IDrive will perform scheduled backup of your data even if your computer is logged off (not applicable for mapped drives).

Can I backup my open / locked files?

IDrive application is capable of backing up open files for supported platforms including Windows XP, Windows 2003 and 2008 servers, Windows Vista and Windows 7 is enabled by default.

Thus, even if your Microsoft Outlook application is open, the IDrive application does a reliable backup of associated data. Similarly, your Quickbooks / Quicken and other possible open files are backed up as well.

To disable the feature, go to the application tool bar, Preferences > General Tab and clear the option 'Open file Backup (available with Windows 7/Vista/XP/2003/2008)' from the check box.

I am unable to open my Outlook email client during the backup of my Outlook pst files. I get an error that indicates that the file may be in use. Why?

For Windows XP, Windows 2003 server, Windows Vista and Windows 7 machines, the above issue should not arise.

However, for other Windows OS, the IDrive agent might lock your Outlook email client to perform a successful backup. To resolve the issue, close your MS Outlook email client before initiating the operation.

Will my scheduled backup continue in case of sudden system reboot?

Yes. The scheduled backup that was in progress would automatically continue once you restart the computer.

Will a missed scheduled backup take place when the computer is restarted after the scheduled time?

Yes. The scheduled backup will commence as soon as you restart the computer even if it is after the scheduled time. However, this is applicable only if you have selected the 'Start the missed scheduled backup when the computer is turned on' option from the 'Scheduler' screen.

In case you have not selected the option, then the scheduled backup will commence only if you restart the computer within 30 minutes of the scheduled time.

If you restart the computer after 30 minutes of the scheduled time, the scheduled backup will commence at the next frequency (as per the date and time that was set earlier).

How do I delete data from my Backup set?

You can delete data from the Backup set in the following ways:

• Right-click the file / folder / drive under the 'Contents of my Backup Set' list and choose the 'Delete all items' or 'Delete selected item(s)' from the menu.
  
• Select the file / folder / drive under the 'Contents of my Backup Set' list and press the 'Delete' key on your computer keyboard.

How do I add items to the IDrive Backup set from Windows Explorer?

To add a file / folder to your Backup set from Windows Explorer, browse to the required folder, right-click the file / folder and choose IDrive For Windows > Add to Backup Set, from the menu.

The selected files / folders are backed up when you perform an interactive backup or during the scheduled backup.

Do I need to restart my computer after installing IDrive?

There is no need to restart your computer after IDrive has been installed.

How do I restore my backed up data in case my system crashes (or to a new computer)?

To restore data backed up to your IDrive account to the local machine, follow the steps below:

1) Download and install the IDrive application.

2) Login with your Username and Password. If you had set a private encryption key while logging into the application for the first time, then provide the same.

3) From the 'My IDrive' pane, select the files / folders to be restored. Choose the desired location when prompted.

What is Versioning? Does it impact the available quota (storage space in my account)?

IDrive retains previous versions of all files backed up to your account. Currently, you can restore 30 previous file versions to any location on your local computer.

Your available quota depends on the storage requirements of the most recent view of your data. Backup of older versions do require additional space, however, this is not charged to your usage. In other words versioning does not increase your storage requirement.

How do I view the versions of a file stored in my account?

To view the versions of a file stored in your account, go to 'My IDrive' pane, right-click the required file and select the 'View History' option from the list.

How do I restore the latest version of a file?

The latest files that are backed up to your IDrive account are listed under 'My IDrive' pane.

To restore the latest version, select the desired file/folder, click 'Restore' button on the main application screen and select the destination to which you want to restore your data.

How do I delete data from my account?

To delete a particular file / folder from your IDrive account, Under 'My IDrive' pane. Select the file / folder to be deleted and click the 'Delete' icon on the toolbar.

I have backed up data on multiple computers. How do I restore?

To restore data backed up to multiple computers:

1. Login to your IDrive account with your username and password.

2. Select the computer(s) name that you wish to restore from the 'My IDrive' pane

3. A list of files/folders backed up from the computer are displayed.

4. Select the files / folders which you wish to retrieve and click on the 'Restore' button.

5. Choose the destination on the local computer to restore the files / folders.

What is Sync and how does it work?

The Sync feature lets you match the contents of your current backup set with your IDrive online account. Thus, if data is deleted from your desktop that has already been backed up previously, the corresponding data in your account would be deleted. This helps keep your account size at optimal levels.

What is 'Automatic Sync'? How does it work?

The 'Automatic Sync' option syncs files between your PC and IDrive account with a lag of 30-days (applicable only for scheduled backups). Thus, if data is deleted from your desktop that has already been backed up previously, the corresponding data in your IDrive account would be deleted after 30-days. This helps keep your account size at optimal levels. As a precautionary measure, in case the files to be deleted are greater than 5% of the total account content, you would have to run a manual sync.*

To access this option, from the application tool bar, go to Preferences > General Tab and select the 'Automatic Sync' check box.

Note: Set this option carefully as it may result in automatic deletion of data from your IDrive account.

* The percentage mention refers to files considered for deletion in your account as a percentage of total number of files. The purpose of this percentage-based control is to avoid large deletion of files in your account due to some unforeseen event on your PC.

I deleted files from my IDrive account. Is it possible to restore the files/folders that are deleted accidentally?

The files / folders that are deleted from your IDrive account are moved to Trash. These files / folders will be automatically deleted after a 30 day period. You can either move your files / folders to the original location in your IDrive account or restore them to your local computer.

To restore/move your files from Trash, follow these steps:

1. Click 'Trash' icon on the toolbar. The files / folders available in Trash are listed with the latest version.
2. Select the check box to restore / move the desired files / folders.
3. Click the 'Move to Original' button to move the files / folders to the original location in your IDrive account OR click 'Restore' button to restore your files / folders to the desired location in your local computer.

Note: To view the files / folders deleted from a specific folder, right-click on it and select 'View Trash'. You can also delete a file / folder permanently from Trash, if it is no longer required.

I want to restore the previous version of a file from Trash. Is it possible?

Yes. To restore previous version of a file, right-click on the desired file and select the 'View Version' option. Select the required file version and click 'Restore'.

If I keep on performing backups, will I use up my quota quickly?

IDrive does incremental backup (only the modified portion of your files/folders are sent to the IDrive servers). Your quota depends on the most recent file/folder copy backed up to your online account. The previous 30 versions of files are stored free.

I received a quota overuse email. What should I do?

You may opt to upgrade your account to accommodate the extra storage or remove some data from your account to bring it in line with your current quota.

To upgrade your account, login to your IDrive account with your Username and Password via the browser. Click 'Upgrade Account' to purchase more storage. Alternately, select the files / folders that you want to delete and click the 'Delete' button.

Can I halt my backups at a particular time?

Yes. To enable this option go to Preferences > General tab and select the 'Enable Cut-off time for scheduled jobs' check box. The backup is resumed at the next scheduled time from the point it was stopped.

Does IDrive support backup and restore of files larger than 2 GB?

Yes. IDrive has been tested to transfer files both ways for files of size upto 10 GB.

How do I view my Backup/Restore activities via the application?

Activity Log allows you to view all the Scheduled and Interactive backup/restore activities in your account.

How do I share file(s)/folder(s) directly from IDrive?

To share data with associates, select files / folders and click the 'Share' icon on the tool bar. This takes you to the 'Share Files and Folders' window from where you can set the share parameters and enter the email address of the recipient(s).

You can choose from among the options listed below while generating a share link:

• Location: Shows the location of shared files/folders in your account
• Write Enabled: Permits your associate to modify and upload the shared files/folders to your account
• Upload New File: Allows your associate to upload a new file to your account
• Number of Downloads: The number of downloads permitted for your shared files/folders before the share link expires
• Number of Days: The duration for which the shared link would be active
• Password: Safeguard the shared files/folders by providing a password and sharing the same with your associates
• Mail Details: Enter the email addresses of the recipient with whom you wish to share the files/folders