Connected Corporation

You may back up your data as often as you like, as long as your computer is turned on and connected to the Internet. The easy-to-use Backup Wizard lets you set days and times for your backup to automatically happen.

What can and cannot be backed up

The Connected Data Backup and Premium Data Backup service plans are intended to protect your data files, not the commercial software that you install from disk or CD. If you were to experience a system crash, it's better to re-install your software so that essential information can be written back into the Windows registry database that is part of your operating system. The service plans are not intended to back up multi-media files. Their size and sheer volume would make it costly and lengthy to restore via the Internet. The service plans are not configured to recognize network drives.

Data Backup Service – Annual Billing Plan will automatically back up files that are located in My Documents, Quicken and QuickBooks folders. This is the default backup set. You may add to the backup set individual files that are located elsewhere on your hard disk. In addition to adding files, you can fine-tune your backup set by de-selecting files that you may not wish to back up. A total of 200MB may be protected. All files on your hard disk that are included in your backup set are considered protected.

Premium Data Backup Service – Monthly and Annual Billing plans will automatically detect and backup data files that are located anywhere on your hard disk. Data files are files that you create, such as documents and spreadsheets, and preferences that you defined in software that you use. Files that change, dynamic files, are data files. (Files that never change, static files, do not need to be backed up because they can be restored from their original disk or CD.) You can fine-tune your backup set by adding and de-selecting files and folders. A total of 4GB of data may be protected. Files on your hard disk that are included in your backup set are considered protected.

With the Premium Service there is an alternative to automatic file selection: manual file selection. With this method, no files are selected for you: you build your own backup set from scratch. This option is set from the menu bar by clicking Options | Advanced Backup Rules | File Selection.

Please refer to plan descriptions for other details.

How do I know backups took place and which files backed up?

The easiest way to confirm that your backups are taking place is to check the logs. Here's how:

Open the Connected software.
Click the Log tab.
Highlight the log for any session that you want and then click the View Details button (bottom of window).

Each log lists every file that was marked as needing to be backed up, and ends with a summary of the backup session.

Where your data is stored

When you open your account, it is assigned to a mirrored pair of Data Centers that are geographically separate. Since the Data Centers are identical, backups and restores can be made to or from either one of them. The software automatically handles the connection for you. The redundancy of a mirrored pair increases the security of your stored data. Additionally, the Data Centers are themselves backed up. Further, duplication permits maintenance to be performed without interrupting the service.

An illustration of how Data Centers are organized can be seen in the Connected software's Help file, under Contents | Welcome | Overview.

Selecting or De-selecting files in Backup View

When you click the Backup View tab, a scan of your hard disk is initiated. Upon completion, a list of files needing backup is displayed. You can de-select files:

Click the box in front of a file name
A red X will be displayed
The file will then be removed from the backup list.

If you want to add files:

Change the display to show a directory tree that you can browse. The button for this is in the window on the left; click "Explore to pick files."
To select/de-select, click the box in front of a file name. In some editions of the software, you will also be able to click on an entire folder to include/exclude everything in it.
A green check indicates the file is selected for backup, while a red X indicates the file is NOT selected for backup.

Deleting files from storage

File management is automatic. Connected Corporation maintains the following data retention settings on our Data Centers for Service Customers:

Files older than 10 versions or 90 days are deleted, but your most recent version is always kept.
Files that have been deleted from your system will be deleted from the Data Centers 90 days later.
Files that you backed up then de-selected from your backup set will be deleted after 30 days.

Can't find a particular file? Use "Find" to locate it.

Using the Find feature is a fast and easy way to locate a specific file. You can use Find in Backup View and Retrieve View. Simply click the magnifying glass icon at the upper right of the window, next to the question mark (the Help icon).

HINT: When entering a long file name, or one that you aren't sure of, use an asterisk (*) as a wildcard symbol. An asterisk can be inserted at any point in a file name in place of characters that you aren't sure of, or you don't want to bother typing. There's only one rule: Don't use two or more asterisks in succession; use one at a time as a placeholder.

Example 1: For a file named My Resume.doc, type *resume.doc
This tells Find to look for all files that end in resume.doc.
Example 2: For a file named Peaches and Cream.jpg, you could type P*and*.* or P*and*.jpg or Peach*.jpg

If you don't see the file that you want with your first try, click Find Next until you do find it. You can click Find Next as often as needed; it will recycle through the list no matter where your starting point is.

If you are looking for an older file and are unable to locate it, then click the Retrieve Options button (bottom of window) and select 'Show all versions of all files.'

Message in Log: "0 Files backed up"

There are several circumstances that may prevent files from being backed up:

You cancelled the backup. Normal backups will resume without error.
You ran a second backup immediately after another backup, so there were no changed files.
Files needing backup were open. Close all files that you want backed up.
File selection method is set to Manual. You need to reset it—we recommend Automatic. You can leave it in Manual if you intend to select all the files that should be included in your backup group, but don’t forget to select the files. (Only applies to the Premium Data Backup Service plans.)
Insufficient resources on your computer, such as not enough free hard disk space, not enough available RAM, too small a page file, open files, or numerous background processes.
An outbound connection to the Internet could not be made. Check your connectivity. Also, confirm that your connection setting in the software is correctly set for the way you connect, either Dial-Up Networking (Modem) or Direct Connection. AOL is an example of a Direct Connection because the connection is already open when you go to back up. (Connection Settings are under Options, on the menu bar.)
Backup Schedule is set to 'Backup On Connection To Network' and there were no changed files since your last backup. No action required; backups will resume normally when there are changed files.
The backup software is installed in the same folder with the files you are trying to back up. Application programs, such as the backup software, should always be installed in a folder of their own, not mingled with files from other programs. (Contact Support via a Support Request.)
A synchronization error occurred, in which case the details of the log would show a Diagnostic with reference to 'Base hash count.' (Contact Support via a Support Request.)
You are running Norton Anti-Virus software and may have encountered a rare incident that causes the backup to stop transmitting files (Contact Support via a Support Request.)

How can I retrieve a file I backed up?

Click on the Retrieve View tab in the Connected software on your PC.
Click on the "Retrieve Options" button at the bottom of the page.
Choose which files, and from what time frame you would like those files.
Click the box next to the file you want, then click "Retrieve Now."
You will be prompted to rename the file so it does not have the same name as another file on your PC; then the file will be retrieved.

Moving (or restoring) your account and data to a new PC or hard disk

What you will need: Account number, Encryption Key, Password (if there is one), and the current release of the Connected software. See Account Information.

Download the current release of the Connected Software
Save the download (Premium1Backup.exe) to your hard disk and remember where you saved it.
When you are ready to restore your account and files, run the downloaded program by double-clicking on it.
Follow the on-screen prompts to enter your account number, then your encryption key.
When prompted for a password, unless you specifically remember placing a password on your account, leave it blank.
Click Finish*.
The software will connect to a Data Center and download several files that contain information about your account. This completes the recovery process.

Please be advised that the account recovery process simply reestablishes your account and the list of files backed up previously. After performing the account recovery and backing up files on the new system, you will have 30 days to retrieve the data files previously backed up. After 30 days, any files not retrieved from the old system that do not exist on the new system will be marked for deletion from our Data Center.

*AOL Users: When prompted for connection type, select Use Direct Connection. Be sure to connect and log in to your AOL account before clicking Finish.

Selecting files in Retrieve View

Files are selected in Retrieve View the same as they are in Backup View: by clicking on the box in front of whatever you wish to include. You can review a list of your selections at any time by switching the display to show 'Files selected for retrieval.' The button for this is located in the pane to the left.

To locate a specific file, use the Find feature. You can access Find by clicking the magnifying glass icon in the upper right of the screen or from the menu bar by clicking Operations | Find or with the key combination Ctrl+F.

Why can't I see a file that I backed up awhile ago?

Retrieve View defaults to displaying the most recent version of your files. To see older versions, click Retrieve Options (bottom of screen) and select the view that you want. A description of each of the options can be found by clicking the Help button.

If you still don't see the file, set the display to 'Show all versions of all files'; then use the Find feature. You can access Find by clicking the magnifying glass icon in the upper right of the screen, or from the menu bar by clicking Operations | Find or with the key combination Ctrl+F.

Using iRoam to retrieve files

You can retrieve your backup files from any computer that has Windows installed. Use Microsoft Internet Explorer to go to: https://iroam.connected.com/iroam/

To log in, enter your Account Number and then your Account Password, if you have one. If you do not have an account password, then enter your Encryption Key.

To select files:

Click the box in front of the file(s) that you want to retrieve.
Complete your selections
Click "Prepare Selected Files for Download."
After the file preparation process is finished, you may add more selections or go directly to the Download Files tab.
On the Download Files page, click 'Here' next to each file that you want to download. EXCEPTION: If the file is a graphic, when you click 'Here' the file will open.
To download a graphic file, right-click 'Here' and choose "Save target as…"

Note: be prepared with your account information before you go to use the Web Restore feature. For directions, go to Account Information.

Why you may not see your latest backup with iRoam

The list of your backups that iRoam receives from the Data Center remains on iRoam for 24 hours. So, if you log in within 24 hours of your last login, you will see the same list of files that you saw the previous time. If you backed up during that period, you last backup won't be displayed.

For retrieval of files that were backed up within the 24-hour time frame, use the backup software if possible.

Can I order a CD of my backups?

There are two ways to order a CD of your backups:

If you have the software up and running, use it to order an account CD:

From the menu bar, select Operations | Order CD.
Select a shipping method.
Fill in the shipping label with a street address (no P.O. boxes) then click OK.
Read the order confirmation message then click OK to transmit the order.
Optional: Click on the Log tab to view the log showing your CD order.

Note, the number of CDs required to hold all your backups may affect the cost of your order. See the next section.

If your computer is out of commission or you do not have the backup software installed on your system, or you prefer to order through Support, complete a Support Request You will receive a copy of all files associated with your account number. We are not able to offer selected files or dates.

Also on the CD is a copy of the backup software. You can run the software from the CD or reinstall the software on your computer. Written instructions are included with every CD order.

CD Pricing, Shipping & Handling

$24.95 for a set of 3 CDs, plus shipping and handling: see chart below. If more CDs are required to hold your total backups, there is a charge of $20 for each additional CD. Shipping and handling is a flat rate, regardless of the number of CDs in your order.

CDs, per order:	S&H, per order:
1-3 CDs, $24.95 set 4-up, $20 each	Ground $4 2nd-Business Day Air $11 Next-Business Day Air $20 Shipping outside of U.S. may differ.

Each CD holds approximately 650MB of compressed data. To estimate the number of CDs needed to hold your account backups, submit a Support Request.

Note: it is not possible to selectively include specified files on a CD. A CD order includes all the files that are stored at the Data Center for your account number. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Updating your billing information

Open the software and select Options | Billing from the menu bar. When you click OK, the information that you provided will be encrypted and transmitted to our secure Data Center. The information is not retained on your system, so anyone having access to your computer will not be able to see it.

Updating your profile or credit card infomation

Start Connected (Start | Programs | Connected)
Go to Options | Name & Address to update the name, address, email, and contact information associated with the account. Our billing system will email notifications, receipts, cancellations, and other information to the email address provided.
Under the tab labeled "Billing Information"
1. Select your type of credit card (Visa, Master Card, AMEX)
2. Type in the card number, please no spaces or dashes
3. Enter the expiration date of the card, no dashes here either;
  use mm/yy format, e.g. April of 2003 is entered as 04/03
Go to the tab labeled "Name and Address" - make sure that the address here matches the address your card is billed to
Click OK twice.
The billing window will disappear when the update is complete

If you would like to verify the update, click on the tab labeled "Log:" you should see an entry labeled "Billing information change." The contents should be similar to the text below:
     1/1/2002 8:38:55 AM Sending billing information.
     1/1/2002 8:39:19 AM Operation completed.
     1/1/2002 8:39:19 AM Done.

How do I Uninstall the Connected software?

Your version of Windows may vary slightly, but you should be able to approximate these instructions.

Note: If you attempt to remove the software by deleting it (Recycle Bin), the software will not be completely uninstalled. However, after you uninstall it according to the directions above, some files or folders may remain. It is all right to delete those; they are no longer needed.

IMPORTANT: If you question is not answered in the FAQs or User Guide, please complete a Support Request.