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Backup file currupted - need help recovering, Need to decode and view
 
Hello Folks,
I need help.  I have done automatic and manual backups, and the most recent one was just two weeks ago. I am using The Bat! 4.1.11 Pro, and the hard disk drive that it resides on crashed last week, while the backups are on another disk drive.  I installed a shared drive so I could re-install The Bat! to another disk drive.  

I then used the restore feature to try to restore the messages, with limited success. The two oldest back-ups where restored with the only problem being duplicate messages, while the autobackup and the latest manual backup gets part way through and then reports that the file(s) are currupted.  

Is there a way I can view, and maybe correct, the backup files (autobackup.tbk and backup090405.tbk)?  

Thank you in advance for your help.
 
unfortunately it seems there's no way to fix a corrupt backup.

A far more reliable backup method is to simply zip or rar the entire mail folder when theBat is closed. This folder contains everything important (mail, address books, filters and other account settings etc.) and so is everything that you need.
Additionaly, you may export the registry key
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\RIT
, though it keeps non-important stuff (but also, the program's registration info)

Rar is far more reliable as a backup tool, produces smaller files, can have a recovery record, backups are easier to manage & restore (except maybe for novice users) etc. etc. So there is no need to use the built-in backup tool at all, unless you enjoy troubleshooting.

If using the built-in backup tool is more convenient for you, then use both backup methods together. Under normal circumstances, use theBat generated backups. In case of a problem, restore from the other backup.
 
Thanks bigg_one,
For the reply and letting me know where things stand.  It does help for the future. Again, thanks.
 
One option that I had found in recovering parts of the e-mail boxes -- is to select which folders it restores.

It becomes a royal pain - but I have found that some mail boxes can be recovered even with a corrupt backup.

So - selected a few -- try a recover, blows chucks -- change selection folders.


Brad
 
Hello,

I had the same problem last week when I had to change my computer totally. I do a full backup of my mailboxes every week, I save it on different media, I thought I had it all covered.
But when I tried to restore my last backup, I got an error, the file was corrupted. I tried different sources from the same backup, same error. I tried a backup that was a week old, got the same error. I had to restore folder by folder before I got something that was working...
I'm disapointed, I thought my emails were safe, that I was doing everything to get them back in case of a crash, and... It seems that it wasn't enough.
I'm going to start to compress the Bat folder too, just in case...
Hope that problem will be fixed soon.
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