Frequently Asked Questions
For a basic overview of SquirrelSave's function please watch the demo first.
When using SquirrelSave remember that normally you can do everything you need to by right-clicking on files in Windows Explorer then moving to the SquirrelSave sub-menu (like in the demo). Most users don't need to use the main control panel.
General
Q: What Operating Systems does SquirrelSave run on?
A: SquirrelSave has been tested under Windows XP and Windows Vista. It works on 32 bit and 64 bit versions of these Operating Systems.
Q: What are the requirements of SquirrelSave
A: A supported OS (see above). Approx 100MB of free disk space and 50MB of free RAM and most importantly an always on broadband Internet connection.
Q: Can I use one SquirrelSave on more than one machine
A: You can provided you backup different paths on each machine. So if you backup c:\Documents on one and c:\Work on the other that will be fine.
Q: SquirrelSave is taking a very long time to backup my data
A: It is quite likely to take a long time for the first backup. Most home Internet connections are much slower upstream than downstream. You may have to leave it for several days to complete.
Q: Viewing a backup said "Error changing to directory" but did open the /backup window, but didn't navigate to the subdirectory.
A: The server deletes older directories in order to keep a good selection of backups for you so you may see this every now and again. Refreshing the usage (on the Usage tab of the main window) should fix the problem.
Q: How do I restore my data onto a different machine?
A: Assuming you were backing up your computer and it has broken or been lost and you need to restore data onto your new computer, you need to :-
- Install SquirrelSave on your new computer and run it.
- Log into your account with your username and password and click the configure link.
- Click "Later" on the box that pops up - SquirrelSave will then not back anything up from that computer. You can then use "View Backups" to see the backed up data and copy it to your new computer.
Q: Is SquirrelSave compatible with my firewall?
A: SquirrelSave makes outgoing connections on port 22/tcp so you will need to make sure this is enabled in your firewall. No incoming connections are required.
Installing
Q: How do I install SquirrelSave under Windows.
A: Follow the instructions in the email we sent you exactly! Here is a quick reminder :-
- Download and run the installer from here. Follow the on-screen instructions and click "Close" when the installer has completed.
- Log into your account with us here. Click the "config" link next to the SquirrelSave line.
- Click "Run" on the window that pops up. This should start SquirrelSave and configure it for you.
Windows
Q: Can I backup an external drive?
A: Yes, SquirrelSave will backup external drives, but you must ensure that the drive is available to SquirrelSave whenever it is loaded otherwise it will conclude that the data is no longer there and delete it out of your backup.
Q: Can I backup an external server?
A: We recommend you run SquirrelSave on the server rather than try to back it up remotely.
Q: SquirrelSave never shows that files with Unicode characters in are backed up?
A: This is a known bug. The files really do get backed up but the ticks and crosses in explorer are just wrong.
Q: The ticks and crosses aren't updating properly in Explorer or on the Desktop.
A: This is a known problem - sometimes Explorer ignores SquirrelSave's request to update the ticks and crosses. If you refresh (F5) the Explorer window or the Desktop they should update.
Q: Does SquirrelSave run as a service
A: No - SquirrelSave is a personal backup product only - you need to be logged in for it to run.
Q: Why do I have to reboot sometimes when installing / uninstalling SquirrelSave?
A: SquirrelSave installs something called "shell extensions". These are extensions to Explorer and show the ticks and crosses. Sometimes (depending on your machine) these can't be installed or removed cleanly without a reboot.
Q: Why do I get two SquirrelSave menus in the Explorer on some files
A: This appears for links - you get one menu for the link and one for the destination.
Q: Ticks on directories don't seem to work
A: Do you have any other applications which put icons in explorer? Eg Tortoise CVS/SVN? Sometimes they can interfere with each other.
Linux
Q: Where is the Linux version?
A: SquirrelSave runs fine on Linux. We haven't finished packaging it up yet, nor the desktop integration - check back soon!
