This is a follow up to my post on the Smartware version 1.6.5 thread that detailed my three major problems with the 1.6.X versions of software. I’ve installed (no problems) Smartware version 2.0.0, performed an initial backup, and these are my findings compared to those three issues.
1.6.X Issue 1 – Starting with the 1.6.X versions of Smartware Windows 7’s Power Management was disrupted or disabled; specifically, the computer would never go into Sleep Mode according to the Power Management Plan. It didn’t matter whether Smartware backup was stopped or started.
Finding: I’m happy to say that this issue has been corrected in Smartware version 2.0.0!!! With Smartware installed, but with backup disabled after the initial backup (the only mode I’ve tested so far), the computer will now go to sleep according to the Windows 7 settings.
1.6.X Issue 2 – In the 1.6.X versions of Smartware it took an inordinate amount of time to perform the initial backup. Specifically, with version 1.6.5 it took me, on an idle computer (nothing else going on), 7 hours and 26 minutes to perform a dedicated initial Category Backup (11,350 Files – 11.1GB) over a Wireless N connection to one of my 1TB MyBookLives. Using Windows 7 Pro’s network backup to the same 1TB MyBookLive; it took about half that time to back up the same Data Files that Smartware did, plus a System Image of both the Recovery Partition of my local drive and the OS (C) for a total of 71.3GB. 11.1GB compared to 71.3GB!
Finding: I’m happy to say there’s been a dramatic improvement in version 2.0.0!!! I honestly can’t accurately quantify the improvement because I’ve improved my network since that measurement, but on the same idle computer (nothing else going on); it took 1 hour and 5 minutes to perform a dedicated Category Backup using the Continuous Backup setting (11,444 Files – 10.7GB) over a Wireless N connection to the same 1TB MyBookLive.
1.6.5 Issue 3 – I prefer to use Backup as “on demand”, not continually performing in the background. So, with versions prior to 1.6.x I would launch Smartware, turn on Backup, it would quickly categorize and back up all of my Category Files (new or changed files), and when backup was complete I would turn Backup off. With 1.6.x, after the initial lengthy Backup, when I launch Smartware it categorizes my files and if you mouse over the categories in your primary drive’s (C) panel, you can see the file count and note the increase from the same categories that are shown in the MyBookLive Backup panel (current backup). When you select that drive for Backup, for some reason the number of files in the categories of your primary drive are reset (decremented) to match the target MyBookLive; basically showing no files for Backup. At that point nothing happens, it doesn’t perform a Backup. Perhaps if I left Backup turned on it would eventually perform the necessary backup, but that’s not how Smartware versions prior to 1.6.x worked and not how I want to use it. With 1.6.x I’ve never seen a successful backup of files awaiting backup after that initial lengthy backup.
Comment: After the initial complete backup tonight using version 2.0.0; I disabled backup. I haven’t tested this “On Demand” so-to-speak method/issue yet; I’ll wait for a few new files to be added and then I’ll Enable Backup and see how it performs. Once I test it, I’ll update this post.
Update, Finding: I added 22 pictures and several documents since the initial backup this evening. So, I launched Smartware and Enabled Backup. Although I didn’t see a display saying it was categorizing my files, it quickly found the new files (pictures and documents) and backed them up. So, it appears that what I’d call an “On Demand” style of backup, that I prefer, works in this version, so far, good deal, thanks again!!!
Thanks WD; you’ve restored some of my confidence!!!
Bill
