# Backup Engine Notes * Files are copied when a change occurs to the original file. The copying is delayed until 1 second after the last detected change occurred in the watched folders. This stops interference from multiple writes and large number of file copies which you don't want slowed down by the backup process. * In most Microsoft applications, (Word, Excel, Visual Studio) files that are saved, are not saved normally. A new file is created with a .tmp extension or no extension, the original file is deleted, then the temp file is renamed. There are a few variations to this as well. AutoVer will recognise the renaming of the temp file to a real file and will treat the events as a file change (requiring a backup copy) rather than an original file rename. * Versioned files will be stored in the default format of file.ext.YYMMDDHHMMSS.ext - this maintains the sort order, file association (via its extension) and provides a unique name ([this is changeable]()).  * Do not watch the whole drive (root) where Windows is located - or the Windows folder as it usually has several highly frequently changing files. Swap files, hibernation files, temp folder, and cache folders have far too much activity and will ultimately slow your system down. It is best to keep your folder selection limited to My Documents and anywhere else which your working files are located. * Try to leave a \*.tmp file exclusion in as you would be surprised how many temp files are created and destroyed while using certain software. * If the backup folder or drive goes offline, the folder is checked every 15 secs until it returns. All operations for that backup folder are cached until 1000 files are queued, then the queue starts throwing away the oldest changes. Click on the "Ensure backup is current" icon to resync the folders if you suspect they are out of sync. * Individual file operation failures (errors copying/renaming/deleting files) are retried over the following 2 minutes then are abandoned. * When a drive is connected and it is used in a watched or backup folder, then that watch is ensured to be current (synchronised). * If you see \\\\?\\ prefixes to some paths in the log file, ignore this bit - that is a just long path flag for the OS. * A solution to backing up locked Outlook PST files: backup: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=8b081f3a-b7d0-4b16-b8af-5a6322f4fd01\&DisplayLang=en *** _Created with the Personal Edition of HelpNDoc: [Save time and frustration with HelpNDoc's WinHelp HLP to CHM conversion feature]()_