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    • PA 21.00.18 testing via context menu causes extraction of files

      D

      When the function for testing archives is invoked via the shell context menu (PowerArchiver > Test) then all the files in the archive get extracted to the current folder.

      The test dialog reports as many errors as there are files in the archive but it fails to give any hint as to which files are supposed to be erroneous or what the nature of the problem might be. Comparing the extracted files to the originals shows no differences at all.

      The .7z in question was produced with maximised compression settings in 7zip (taking forever but resulting in smaller archives than .7z produced by PowerArchiver with maximised settings). Therefore I wanted to see whether PowerArchiver can at least test .7z that it produced itself. Hence I had PowerArchiver convert a .pa with the same contents to .7z. There weren’t any errors reported but the resulting .7z contained fewer than half of the files contained in the .pa (137 of 366), so I scratched that test.

      Performance is abysmal when testing via the context menu (e.g. almost 2 minutes for testing a .7z that 7zip tests in 4 seconds), but that is most likely due to the fact that the extracted files are written to disk. Testing the same .7z in the PowerArchiver GUI takes only 8 seconds but causes the mysterious appearance of a UAC dialog, as reported elsewhere.

      The testing function is vital because PowerArchiver has a history of producing archives that it cannot unpack without errors or that do not conform to the respective file format standards (e.g. ZIP) so that other programs report them as erroneous.

      The point of creating archives is that the files in them will most likely have to be extracted at some point. If the extraction cannot be guaranteed to produce correct results then the whole program is absolutely pointless. Actually, worse than pointless - it causes data loss and hence damage.

      Tech Support
    • Start PowerArchiver 2023 Starter when my computer starts

      Brian Gregory

      In PowerArchiver 2023 22.00.06 configuration, the option labelled “Start PowerArchiver 2023 Starter when my computer starts” seems to be redundant.

      I am only allowed to change this option when PA Starter is disabled, and then it seems to be ignored.

      When I enable PA Starter this option is forced to the enabled state.

      I think it’d be good to remove “Start PowerArchiver 2023 Starter when my computer starts” completely. I’ve always found it confusing having both options.

      Added later: However i don’t particularly want to use queue but I do like having the PAStarter icon in my tray area.

      Tech Support
    • Testing .pa archives

      PA_Fan

      W10 Pro 22H2 - 64 -bit

      PA 22.00.06 (PA 2023)

      It has been the case with previous versions of PowerArchiver, but I had hoped that the latest might behave differently. Not so, I’m afraid.

      I have, for various obscure reasons, created a few .pa archives, mainly in the hope that they will save me some more space. From time to time, I use the “Test” option to check that important archives are OK and uncorrupted.

      With every .pa archive I’ve tested, the process runs through OK but then reports that there are errors. This is always the number of files in the archive e.g. if 11 files, then 11 errors reported.

      In the .pa, I can:-

      preview the files (usually PDF) extract some or all files and look at or use them convert the .pa to a .zip or .zipx archive, which then works fine and tests without errors

      Is it the case that the Test routine isn’t designed for .pa archives, or is there another reason? Although the .pa seems to function properly, despite the test reporting errors, I would like to be sure that every .pa is OK and not “broken”.

      Some of the .pas are quite old and produced with earlier PA versions (they are truly “archives”). If I extract all the files in the old .pa, create a new, fresh .pa and add back the files to that, then test the new, no errors (at least in the .pa I’ve tried this on) are reported. This would suggest a mismatch between old .pas and newer versions of PA itself.

      Tech Support
    • PA 21.00.18 Action / Test behaves oddly for me on .PA files

      Brian Gregory

      PA 21.00.18 running on Windows 7 64 bit.
      I made a big .PA file and thought I’d check it was made correctly with Menu / Actions / Test.
      Discovered:
      a) PA always issues a UAC prompt to do this!
      b) PA always says there are many errors in PA files.

      Tech Support
    • Small UI / Theme bug in 2023

      Z

      Clipboard02.jpg

      See the, supposedly, blank space where the green box is? It’s like that in Modern Light theme too. I can toggle it, but it’s missing text or shouldn’t be there I guess?

      Thanks :)

      Tech Support
    • PowerArchiver and PACL for macOS

      spwolf

      Dear @Alpha-Testers and all of our users,

      time has come for testing of PowerArchiver and PACL for macOS.
      Please let us know here if you have Mac and can test latest builds.

      Features implemented:
      PowerArchiver 2020 - tabbing, opening, extracting, adding, testing, favorite folders, support for multiple languages, opening via Finder, explorer mode, installer.
      PACL 10 - support for most formats and features in Windows version.

      Upcoming: Tools such as archive converter, batch zip, multi-extract.

      To start testing, please sign up here in this thread, and we will send you latest build.

      thank you!

      Ashampoo_Snap_Wednesday, November 20, 2019_12h54m56s_008_.png Ashampoo_Snap_Wednesday, November 20, 2019_12h55m05s_009_.png Ashampoo_Snap_Wednesday, November 20, 2019_12h55m14s_010_.png Ashampoo_Snap_Wednesday, November 20, 2019_12h55m30s_011_.png Ashampoo_Snap_Wednesday, November 20, 2019_12h55m39s_012_.png Ashampoo_Snap_Wednesday, November 20, 2019_12h55m49s_013_.png Ashampoo_Snap_Wednesday, November 20, 2019_12h56m00s_014_.png Ashampoo_Snap_Wednesday, November 20, 2019_12h54m43s_007_.png

      76e97ab9-8d75-4175-9ce8-446500031f38-image.png

      Tech Support
    • Functions in Windows 11 context menu no longer work after last Windows Update

      T

      For some reason, the PowerArchiver functions in the Windows 11 context menu no longer work after the last Windows Update. Only the functions in the classic context menu function as they should.

      I’ve tried uninstalling PowerArchiver and using RevoUninstaller to remove all bits and pieces that were left behind and did a clean install of PowerArchiver, it didn’t fix the issue. Other items in the Windows 11 context menu work.

      Tech Support

    Can PA2009 create daily scheduled backup and upload to FTP?

    Tech Support
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    • S
      staysafe last edited by

      Hi guys,

      I am a small business owner. I have several computers in the office that share and store documents on a hard drive on one of my computers.

      I really need to have a utility that will…

      *Compress and encrypt several folders, each of which will contain numerous other files and folders. All of these files and folders may be put into 1 zip file or several, it doesn’t matter.

      *Upload the compressed file(s) to my hosting account for safekeeping.

      *Do this daily after work at a scheduled time. Preferably only adding new or changed files. WHatever minimizes time archiving and uploading.

      Can this be done in PowerArchiver 2009?

      Thanks.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • TBGBe
        TBGBe last edited by

        @staysafe:

        Compress and encrypt several folders, each of which will contain numerous other files and folders. All of these files and folders may be put into 1 zip file or several, it doesn’t matter.

        Yes.

        @staysafe:

        Upload the compressed file(s) to my hosting account for safekeeping.

        Yes

        @staysafe:

        Do this daily after work at a scheduled time.

        Using Windows Scheduler - in PA 2009 PRO Version

        @staysafe:

        Preferably only adding new or changed files. WHatever minimizes time archiving and uploading.

        No :(
        You can create a NEW archive of all sub-folders and files, or create a new incremental archive containing only the “new or modified” files, but you cannot (as a scheduled task) update the original archive by just adding those new/modified files.

        Note: archives can be named with date/time stamp for identification.

        I suggest you download the 2009 beta and try it out …

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • spwolf
          spwolf conexware last edited by

          you should have daily backups with modified files, named with time stamps, and weekly/monthly backup that is full. It will work great and exact scenario has been the focus of this version of pa

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          • K
            kafka @spwolf last edited by

            Spywolf,

            I have been doing as you suggest. I have one DVD which contains individual backups (ie images, important Excel files, etc.) so that I can backup the particular files after I change them and another DVD which backs up ALL my important files at the one time (which takes longer).

            I don’t use the timestamp facility as this would result in a separate backup every time I backed up and the DVD would become full very quickly. I discovered early on that it was better to do new backups over the existing ones so I didn’t have to delete earlier backups.

            I seem to remember that a backup program I used years ago allowed me to backup only files that had changed since the last backup or files that had been added. Can I do this in PA 2009?

            spwolf 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • T
              Tankred last edited by

              Have you tried using this option?

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • spwolf
                spwolf conexware @kafka last edited by

                @kafka:

                Spywolf,

                I have been doing as you suggest. I have one DVD which contains individual backups (ie images, important Excel files, etc.) so that I can backup the particular files after I change them and another DVD which backs up ALL my important files at the one time (which takes longer).

                I don’t use the timestamp facility as this would result in a separate backup every time I backed up and the DVD would become full very quickly. I discovered early on that it was better to do new backups over the existing ones so I didn’t have to delete earlier backups.

                I seem to remember that a backup program I used years ago allowed me to backup only files that had changed since the last backup or files that had been added. Can I do this in PA 2009?

                you need to use the option suggested by Tankred - Incremental backups for changed files and full backup for full backup needs.

                You can use timestamp option because data is not deleted from the DVD, it is just hidden - use it for separate PBS with incremental backup (changed files).

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                • spwolf
                  spwolf conexware @kafka last edited by

                  i.e. if you are using DVD-R or CD-R, data is never deleted from the disk, just added to it. So you can replace the filename, but it is still there (in previous session). It doesnt matter as DVD’s are so cheap these days. Thats just how it works (for all programs obviously).

                  thanks!

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • spwolf
                    spwolf conexware last edited by

                    p.s. make sure you are using beta 2.

                    K 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • K
                      kafka @spwolf last edited by

                      Spywolf,

                      I am using PowerArchiver 2009 Version 11 -00-45.

                      If I change my script to incremental from normal will the backup process be quicker?

                      I don’t backup to DVD-R disks, I use DVD-RW disks as my complete backup uses most of the DVD (it includes about 1,000 images).

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • spwolf
                        spwolf conexware last edited by

                        Hi Kafka,

                        yes - you need to create 2 backups (PBS) - one with Full and another one with Incremental backup.

                        Incremental will backup only changed files. Try it out and see.

                        Unless you erase DVD-RW every time before you backup, data will still be added not replaced.

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                        • K
                          kafka @spwolf last edited by

                          Thanks Spywolf,

                          I have done as you suggested and it works fine. In the past I haven’t erased my DVD-RW because I assumed that the original backup was overwritten and that therefore the backup would use roughly the same amount of space. I now understand why my DVDs became unusuable after a few backups; they were filled up. It would be nice to have the ability to have the DVD erased as part of the backup process. I find that once the disk becomes full I am unable to erase it as it is, apparently, read only. In future I will erase the DVD before performing a full backup.

                          Thanks again.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • spwolf
                            spwolf conexware last edited by

                            there is an option to erase RW image in backup, under DVD/BD destination media options :).

                            p.s. it is not much backup if you erase the DVD :). I suggest that you keep monthly DVD backups on DVD-R as they are so affordable these days, it doesnt make sense not to…

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                            • T
                              Tankred last edited by

                              Aside from polluting the environment. ;)

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • K
                                kafka last edited by

                                Thanks again. I don’t have the Pro version so I can’t use the erase RW option. I’ve come up with a compromise which entails using two DVD-RWs for the main backup:-

                                Backup DVD 1 (about 1.7 gb) will contain all the files which rarely, if ever change (eg the 700 photos I took in Europe in June).

                                Backup DVD 2 (much smaller) will contain all the files which change every so often (eg the family budget spreadsheet).

                                *** for both of these DVDs I will have a single icon OFTEN. This means that I click on BACKUP OFTEN and all folders/files which change often are backed up at the same time.

                                I will have a third DVD which contains individual backups (eg the family budget spreadsheet) so that when I click on the BACKUP BUDGET icon only that file is backed up.

                                As you may have gathered, I am rather obsessive about backing up, which is due to a couple of unfortunate experiences at work back in the early nineties (in the days of 5.25" floppies).

                                TBGBe 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • TBGBe
                                  TBGBe @kafka last edited by

                                  @kafka:

                                  As you may have gathered, I am rather obsessive about backing up, which is due to a couple of unfortunate experiences at work back in the early nineties (in the days of 5.25" floppies).

                                  For minimum safety, double up :-
                                  DVD 1A and DVD 1B
                                  DVD 2A and DVD 2B

                                  Then alternate your backups (e.g.
                                  1A in August,
                                  1B in September
                                  1A October

                                  and
                                  2A week 1,
                                  2B week 2,
                                  2A week 3
                                  etc.).

                                  You risk losing only one period if something fails.

                                  K 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • K
                                    kafka @TBGBe last edited by

                                    Thanks to all. Final question:My complete backup ( several folders) is backed up as a single archive with all the files from the various folders appearing together. According to Help I should be able to have each folder backed up into its own archive by selecting :Group files from same folder into same archive", but I can’t find this option.

                                    TBGBe 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • TBGBe
                                      TBGBe @kafka last edited by

                                      @kafka:

                                      … According to Help I should be able to have each folder backed up into its own archive by selecting :Group files from same folder into same archive", but I can’t find this option.

                                      That is an option for BATCH Zipping not “normal archive”.
                                      I don’t believe you can BATCH zip as a single pbs script, you would need a seperate pbs for each folder/archive.

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                                      • K
                                        kafka @TBGBe last edited by

                                        I’ve answered my own question to some extent. I found that I could create a batch archive which backed up a number of folders in their individual archives, which is what I wanted, however I don’t know whether it’s possible to save this as a pbs so that I can run it by clicking on a desktop icon. I suspect that I would have to create the batch archive each time, which is not ideal.

                                        Is this right? Ideally I would like to be able to backup a number of folders to individual archives at the press of a button. At the moment I can archive a number of folders at the press of a button but only to a single archive.

                                        I notice also that the archives created via batch archive are much larger than the single archive which contains all the files in all the folders.

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                                        • spwolf
                                          spwolf conexware last edited by

                                          you can not create several archives from backup - only single backup. Once you open the archive, if you use explorer view, you will see contents by folders in any case.

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                                          • K
                                            kafka @spwolf last edited by

                                            Thanks Spywolf

                                            Even if I can’t have the backup create individual archives for the various folders I guess that I can sort the archive by path, which groups the files together under their folders (if you know what I mean !)*

                                            • What I mean is that BACKUP 1 backs up four folders, BUDGET, IMAGES, MUSIC DATABASE and TRAVEL DIARY. When I sort the resulting archive by path all the files in BUDGET are grouped together, etc

                                            Thanks again. Hopefully this will be my last question for a while.

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • spwolf
                                              spwolf conexware last edited by

                                              Go to View> DIsplay style> Explorer with folders and you will see what I meant

                                              :).

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                                              • K
                                                kafka @spwolf last edited by

                                                I see what you mean.

                                                Can I use the SFX Wizard in the following scenario?

                                                Just say that, for some reason, I have to reformat my hard drive back to its facory settings. Can I create self-extracting archives which, when run, create folders on the hard drive into which the relevant backed up files are extracted? For example, my current archive (BACKUP 1 Rare) includes four individual folders (2008 TRIP, CD COVER, FINAL COMPLETE and MY PROJECTS). Would a self-extracting archive create these four folders on the hard drive and extract files into the appropriate folders it has created?

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                                                • spwolf
                                                  spwolf conexware last edited by

                                                  Yes, of course. Thats what SFX’s are for.

                                                  K 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                                  • K
                                                    kafka @spwolf last edited by

                                                    I realize my last question might appear a bit dumb, what I should have added was that I would like to be able to create a shortcut on my desktop which, when clicked, would backup specified folders to a self-extracting archive on a DVD. As I have said before, this is what I do with normal backups. I don’t have to start from scratch each time (specifying folders to be backed up, etc.). I suspect that with self-extracting archives I would have to start at the begining each time I wanted to do a backup.

                                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                                    • spwolf
                                                      spwolf conexware last edited by

                                                      you need to use .pbs for backups.

                                                      There is really no reason to use SFX for backup, every version of Windows in past 7 years has support for zip archives, and you can burn backups to DVD if you have Pro version.

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                                                      • P
                                                        phil @spwolf last edited by

                                                        Originally Posted by staysafe :

                                                        “Preferably only adding new or changed files. WHatever minimizes time archiving and uploading.”

                                                        To do this, try Second Copy :

                                                        spwolf 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                                        • spwolf
                                                          spwolf conexware @phil last edited by

                                                          no advertising of other products…

                                                          P 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                                          • P
                                                            phil @spwolf last edited by

                                                            sorry, it was just to help…

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