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HP Connected BackupOnline Help

Version 8.7.104 October 2012

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10/4/2012

HP Connected Backup Online Help 3

Contents

Contents 3

Overview 5

Back Up Files 7

Retrieve Files 9

Settings 15

Update Account Settings 16Change Notifications Settings 17Change Backup Schedule Settings 18Update Payment Settings 19View Application Settings 20

Frequently Asked Questions 21

Frequently Asked Questions About HP Connected Backup 23Frequently Asked Questions About Backing Up Files 29Frequently Asked Questions About Retrieving Files 35Frequently Asked Questions About Subscription Plans 39

Contact Support 41

4 HP Connected Backup Online Help

Contents


OverviewHP Connected Backup is an online backup service for consumers. This service automatically stores an encrypted copy of your important files (such as documents, photos, and music) on HP's servers to protect them from accidental loss or damage to your computer, until you need them.

After the initial registration process, HP Connected Backup typically requires no ongoing maintenance. It automatically detects changes to files on your computer and copies them to HP's servers on a set schedule. To backup or retrieve files, your computer must be turned on, connected to the Internet, and not in standby or hibernation mode.

As long as you have an active subscription, your files remain on HP's servers regardless of what happens to your computer. Therefore, if your computer is lost, stolen, or experiences a hard disk failure while you have an active subscription, you can recover your files. You can also migrate your files to a new HP computer.

Specifically, HP Connected Backup lets you:

l Back up filesBy default, HP Connected Backup selects for backup all but exceptionally large files (over 500 MB) from the following locations of each user account on your computer: o Windows® desktop

o Documents, Music, and Pictures libraries

Although these locations typically contain your most important files, you can select additional files for backup from other locations on your computer, too.

For more backup-related information, such as how to select additional files to back up, or to view details about the previous backup, see Back Up Files, on page 7.

l Retrieve filesYou can retrieve copies of your files from HP's servers, including previous revisions.

For more information about how to retrieve files, see Retrieve Files, on page 9.

Overview



Back Up FilesWhen HP Connected Backup performs a backup, it copies your files to HP's servers to protect them from accidental loss or damage.

Backups typically occur in the background at regular intervals and you might not even notice them. However, there might be times when you want to select new files to back up, start a backup manually, or view the results of the previous backup. The Back Up panel lets you perform these tasks. To open the panel, click .

Use the Back Up panel to perform the following:

l View your current backup set. The set of files and folders currently selected for backup is called your backup set. The Back Up panel lets you browse the contents of your computer to see which items your backup set contains. How does HP Connected Backup identify items in my backup set?

HP Connected Backup uses the following symbols to indicate the content and backup status of items in your backup set:

The item is not part of your backup set.

The item is part of your backup set. For a file, this also indicates that HP's servers contain a current copy of it.

The file is part of your backup set, but HP's servers do not contain a current copy of it for one of the following reasons: o The file has been selected for backup for the first time.

o The file has changed since the last time it was backed up.

During the next backup, the program copies the file to HP's servers.

The file is no longer part of your backup set. During the next backup, the program marks the file for removal from HP's servers.

You cannot add the item to your backup set because it is an operating system file or folder that could prevent your computer from working properly if you were to retrieve it.

You cannot add the file to your backup set because it is larger than 500 MB.

Back Up Files


The folder is not part of your backup set.

The folder and all of its contents are part of your backup set.

The folder and some of its contents are part of your backup set.

If the Back Up panel does not reflect recent file additions or deletions you have made to the current folder, refresh the panel. To do so, click the Refresh button .

l Change your backup set. You can change the items that your backup set contains. However, you cannot back up extremely large files (over 500 MB) or certain operating system files.

To change your backup set, open the Back Up panel, and then either select the items to add or deselect the items to remove. If the panel does not display items that you recently added and want

to select, click the Refresh button . How do I select and deselect items?

o To select an item, select the check box to the left of the item's name.

o To deselect an item, click to clear the check box to the left of the item's name.

Selecting or deselecting a folder applies the action to all items in the folder.

l Start a backup. You can manually start a backup without waiting for the next scheduled one.

To manually start a backup, click Back Up Now.

l View information about the previous backup. The date link to the right of the Last Backup label identifies when the last backup occurred.To view a detailed summary about the last backup, click the date link. Any files that HP Connected Backup fails to back up appear at the beginning of the list with a reason for the failure. If the backup contains more files than the program can display, save the summary to a file to view the complete list. To do so, click Export, and then specify a name and location for the file.

l Change the backup schedule. The date link to the right of the Next Backup label identifies when the next automatic backup will occur. To change the backup schedule, click the date link to display the schedule settings, and then set the new schedule. For more information about setting specific schedule options, see Settings, on page 15.

For answers to common questions about the backup process, see Frequently Asked Questions About Backing Up Files, on page 29.


Retrieve FilesThe Retrieve panel lets you retrieve a copy of your files from HP's servers. You can also retrieve previous file revisions from those available. So, if you edit a file and later decide you no longer want the changes, you can retrieve a previous revision if one is available.

HP Connected Backup keeps up to 10 revisions of each file in your backup set that were created within the last 30 days. The most recent revision remains available for retrieval from HP’s servers until either you remove it from your backup set or delete it from your computer. By default, the Retrieve panel dis-plays only the most recent revision for each file. A revision box to the left of each file name indicates the total number of revisions available. To display all available revisions of a file, click the revision box. See example.

For example, the revision box indicates HP's servers contain three revisions of a file. When you click the revision box, it expands to display all three revisions .

To retrieve items

1. Open the Retrieve panel. To do so, click .

2. Locate the items on HP's servers that you want to retrieve. To do so, use one of the following methods: l Find files by name. In the search text box, type either the full or partial name of the file you

want to locate, and then press the ENTER key.

Retrieve Files


HP Connected Backup searches for files with a name that includes the text you type. For example, the text sail matches the files sail.txt and MySailboat.jpg. See advanced search techniques.

You can use the following wildcard characters in the text you type:

* An asterisk matches zero or more characters.For example, Budget*.txt matches all text files with a name that starts with Budget, such as Budget2011.txt and budget-household.txt.

You can also use this wildcard character to perform special searches: o To locate a specific type of file, type *.extension. For example, *.jpg

locates all of your JPEG photos.

o To find all files you have stored on HP's servers, type *.

? A question mark matches a single character.

For example, Budget201?.doc matches the files Budget2011.doc and budget2012.doc.

l Browse for files or folders. Browse for the file or folder you want to locate in the same way you browse for it on your computer. How do I locate items from a deleted Library?To determine whether the item is available for retrieval, on the Retrieve panel, browse to one of the following locations, depending on which Library contained the item: o Documents. C:\Users\<user account>\My Documents

o Music. C:\Users\<user account>\My Music

o Photos. C:\Users\<user account>\My Photos

Where <user account> is the name of the user account that owned the Library. For example, if your user account name is Smith and you deleted your Documents library, browse to C:\Users\smith\My Documents to view all documents still available on HP's servers for retrieval. If the file you want to retrieve is listed, you can retrieve it.

The following techniques can help you locate a specific file within search results or folders:

l View all files in a search results category.

By default, HP Connected Backup displays only a few files for each category. To display all files in a category, click View All.

Retrieve Files

l Filter files in a search results category by date or size.

You can limit the results to files with certain values in their Date Modified or Size columns. To do so, click the Filter button in the column you want filter, and then select the check boxes that match your filter criteria. To clear the filter and redisplay all files in the category, clear all check boxes. You can filter the list on multiple columns.For example, to display the files you modified yesterday, select the Yesterday check box from the set of Date Modified filter values. To further filter the list to display only files over 1 MB, select the Large [1MB - 16MB] and Huge [> 16MB] check boxes from the set of Size filter values.

l View the original location of a file.

If multiple files with the same name exist, you can view their original locations to identify the one you want to retrieve. o While viewing search results, move the pointer over the partial folder name in the Path

column to display the full path to the original file.

o While browsing folders, items display in their original locations. Therefore, the folder in which HP Connected Backup displays the item is its original location.

l Sort files.

To sort files based on the values of a specific column, click the column header. To sort the list in the reverse order, click the column header again. HP Connected Backup displays either an up arrow or down arrow in the column header to identify whether the column values are sorted in ascending or descending order, respectively.The program sorts all revisions of the same file as a group. If you sort by size or modification date, the program also sorts the revisions within each file’s revision list.


Retrieve Files


l View all file revisions.

HP Connected Backup keeps up to 10 revisions of each file in your backup set that were created within the last 30 days. The most recent revision remains available for retrieval from HP’s servers until either you remove it from your backup set or delete it from your computer. By default, the Retrieve panel displays only the most recent revision for each file. A revision box to the left of each file name indicates the total number of revisions available. To display all available revisions of a file, click the revision box. To hide the list, click the revision box again.For example, the revision box indicates HP's servers contain three revisions of a file. When you click the revision box, it expands to display all three revisions .

3. Select the items you want to retrieve.If multiple revisions of a file exist, HP Connected Backup displays the most recent revision, by default. To select a previous revision, click the revision box to the left of the file name to display all revisions, and then select the revision you want to retrieve. How do I select items?

l To select an item, select the check box to the left of the item's name.

l To deselect an item, click to clear the check box to the left of the item's name.

Selecting or deselecting a folder applies the action to all items in the folder. However, for files with multiple revisions, the action applies only to the most recent revision.

For example, to retrieve the second revision of a file when three revisions are available, click the revision box , and then select the check box for the second revision .

4. Click Retrieve Now.

5. Specify how the program handles retrieved files, depending on which of the following scenarios it detects: l Original disk drive available for all selected items. Click one of the following options to

specify what happens if you retrieve a different revision of a file that already exists on your computer: o Rename the retrieved file. The program renames the retrieved file to include the word

Restored. See example.

Retrieve Files

You retrieve two previous revisions of the MyStory.txt file, which already exists on your computer. The program renames the retrieved files to MyStory Restored 1.txt and MyStory Restored 2.txt. The number in the new file name helps identify retrieved files of the same name—it does not indicate the file revision.

o Overwrite the existing file. The program replaces your current file with the one it retrieves. If you select multiple revisions of a file, the most recent revision of those you select replaces your current file.

To improve performance, HP Connected Backup does not retrieve a file if the same revision of it already exists on your computer.

l Original disk drive not available for all selected items. Specify a new location to store all retrieved items. The program retains each file's original folder or folder hierarchy when it stores retrieved files in the specified location.

l Original name or location of the selected file contains too many characters. Specify a new location to store the file.This option displays when you select one file to retrieve and its name or folder location contains too many characters (typically over 248). The program stores the file directly in the location you specify, regardless of its original location.

6. Click OK.

After a retrieval completes, you can view a detailed retrieval summary. Any files that HP Connected Backup fails to retrieve appear at the beginning of the list with a reason for the failure. If the retrieval contains more files than the program can display, save the summary to a file to view the complete list. To do so, click Export, and then specify a name and location for the file.

For answers to common questions about the retrieval process, see Frequently Asked Questions About Retrieving Files, on page 35.


Retrieve Files



SettingsThe Settings page contains the following tabs, which let you configure personal preferences for several HP Connected Backup features and functions:

Account Change account preferences, such as your password and security questions.

Notifications Choose which backup-related notifications you receive.

Backup Schedule

Schedule when automatic backups occur or stop them from occurring.

Payment Purchase or renew a subscription plan or update your billing information.

Application View information about the HP Connected Backup software installed on your computer.

To access the Settings page, click the Settings button .

Update Account Settings


Update Account SettingsYou can change the following account preferences on the Account tab of the Settings page:

l Password. A secure password ensures that no one can easily guess your password and use it to access your HP Connected Backup account. Your password must contain the following: o a minimum of six alphanumeric characters

o a maximum of 100 alphanumeric characters

o at least one character that is different from the other characters

l Security questions and answers. If you forget your password, you must correctly answer two personal security questions before you can reset your password. Answers to security questions are case-insensitive. This means when you forget your password and answer your security questions, you do not need to use the same combination of uppercase and lowercase letters as in your original answers. For example, you can type answer or ANSWER to match Answer.

To access account settings, click the Settings button , and then click the Account tab.

Change Notifications Settings

Change Notifications SettingsHP Connected Backup keeps you informed of its activities through notifications that provide the following types of information:

l feedback about the status of long processes, such as backup or retrieval activity

l important information, such as reminders or warnings

Notifications provide useful information that typically you should not ignore. However, because backups occur on a regular basis, you might not want to receive a notification for each step of every backup. For example, you might want notifications only when backups fail, not each time one starts or completes successfully.

The Notifications tab on the Settings page lets you choose which of the following backup notifications you receive:

l a backup is in progress

l a backup completes successfully

l a backup fails

l seven days pass without a backup

By default, HP Connected Backup notifies you of all events.

To access notification settings, click the Settings button , and then click the Notifications tab.


Change Backup Schedule Settings


Change Backup Schedule SettingsHP Connected Backup automatically copies your files to HP's servers during a preset time period each day as long as your computer is turned on, connected to the Internet, and not in standby or hibernation mode. The Backup Schedule tab of the Settings page lets you make the following schedule-related changes:

l Change when automatic backups occur. You can select which days automatic backups occur and the timeframe in which they start.

l Prevent automatic backups from occurring. You can turn off automatic backups if you do not want them to occur. For example, if while on vacation you pay to connect to a hotel's Internet connection, you might turn off automatic backups to prevent charges for transferring large amounts of data over the hotel's network.

If you turn off automatic backups, you can still back up files manually by clicking Back Up Now on the Back Up panel.

l Specify what happens if a scheduled backup cannot start. If a backup cannot start on schedule, such as when your computer is not connected to the Internet, HP Connected Backup periodically attempts to restart it. You can turn off this default behavior so that if a backup fails to start, the program waits until the next scheduled backup to try again.

To access the schedule settings, click the Settings button , and then click the Backup Schedule tab.

Update Payment Settings

Update Payment SettingsThe Payment tab of the Settings page lets you update subscription and billing information:

l Change subscription information. You can make several types of changes to your subscription: o Subscribe or renew. You can either subscribe to a plan or renew your current plan. To

purchase an HP Connected Backup subscription, this version of the program requires payment by a credit card with a U.S. billing address.

o Automatically renew a subscription. You can set your subscription plan to automatically renew when your expiration date approaches. With automatic renewal, your subscription automatically renews using the credit card you have on file. You are charged the retail price of your plan at the time the renewal occurs. You can turn off automatic renewal at any time.If you do not use automatic renewal, you must manually renew your subscription before it expires. You will receive an e-mail reminder when the expiration date approaches.

o Cancel your subscription. You can cancel your subscription at any time. If you cancel, HP Connected Backup no longer backs up your files or lets you retrieve them. In addition, all copies of your files on HP's servers are permanently deleted after a short grace period. However, if you re-subscribe before the grace period ends, your files are retained and your access to them through HP Connected Backup is restored.If you cancel your subscription, you will receive an e-mail that confirms your cancellation.

l Update credit card information. You can update your credit card information on file.

l Update billing address. You can update the billing address for your credit card on file.

To access payment settings, click the Settings button , and then click the Payment tab.


View Application Settings


View Application SettingsPeriodically, updates to HP Connected Backup become available and are automatically installed on your computer.

The Application tab of the Settings page displays the version number and installation date of the HP Connected Backup software on your computer. To access this tab, click the Settings button , and then click the Application tab.


Frequently Asked QuestionsThe following topics provide answers to common questions about HP Connected Backup functions:

l Frequently Asked Questions About HP Connected Backup

l Frequently Asked Questions About Backing Up Files

l Frequently Asked Questions About Retrieving Files

l Frequently Asked Questions About Subscription Plans

Frequently Asked Questions


Frequently Asked Questions About HP Connected Backup

Frequently Asked Questions About HP Connected BackupHere are answers to common questions about HP Connected Backup terminology and features.

What is HP Connected Backup?HP Connected Backup is an online backup service for consumers. This service automatically stores an encrypted copy of your important files (such as documents, photos, and music) on HP's servers to protect them from accidental loss or damage to your computer, until you need them.

After the initial registration process, HP Connected Backup typically requires no ongoing maintenance. It automatically detects changes to files on your computer and copies them to HP's servers on a set schedule. To backup or retrieve files, your computer must be turned on, connected to the Internet, and not in standby or hibernation mode.

As long as you have an active subscription, your files remain on HP's servers regardless of what happens to your computer. Therefore, if your computer is lost, stolen, or experiences a hard disk failure while you have an active subscription, you can recover your files. You can also migrate your files to a new HP computer.

What do I need to run HP Connected Backup on my computer?HP Connected Backup is designed to work on computers with the following:

l Windows 7 or Windows 8 operating system

l 1 gigahertz (GHz) 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor (minimum)

l 2 gigabyte (GB) of system memory (minimum)

l 1 GB of available hard disk space (minimum)

l broadband Internet access

To purchase an HP Connected Backup subscription, this version of the program requires payment by a credit card with a U.S. billing address.




Will HP Connected Backup work with my firewall?Yes. However, you might need to configure your firewall to work with HP Connected Backup, which initiates TCP/IP connections to HP's servers.

To configure your firewall, do one of the following:

l Software firewalls only. Allow AgentService.exe full access to the Internet.

This service resides in the following locations: o On 32-bit versions of Windows:

C:\Program Files\Autonomy\Connected BackupPC\AgentService.exe

o On 64-bit versions of Windows:C:\Program Files (x86)\Autonomy\Connected

BackupPC\AgentService.exe

l Software or hardware firewalls. Allow outbound TCP/IP access on the following ports: o port 443 (HTTPS)

o port 16384 (HP Connected Backup agent service)

HP Connected Backup components also communicate on the localhost through ports 16386 and 16388. Typically, you do not need to explicitly allow access to the localhost. However, if these ports are blocked, HP Connected Backup will not start.

For specific information about how to configure your firewall with these settings, refer to the documentation for your firewall.

Can HP Connected Backup perform a backup through my proxy server?Yes, but you must configure the proxy server to allow outbound TCP/IP access on ports 443 (HTTPS) and 16384 (HP Connected Backup agent service). HP Connected Backup uses these ports to initiate TCP/IP connections to HP's servers.

For specific information about how to configure your proxy server with these settings, refer to the documentation for your proxy server.


What are Quick Tips? How do I turn them on?Quick Tips provide a brief tour of the HP Connected Backup user interface so that you can quickly familiarize yourself with the program. These tips identify the main elements on the user interface and provide a short description of how they work. For more detailed information about how to use HP Connected Backup to back up or retrieve files, see the appropriate Help topic.

HP Connected Backup automatically displays Quick Tips the first time you run the program. To view them again at a later time, click the Help button , and then click Quick Tips.

Which files does HP Connected Backup select for backup by default?By default, HP Connected Backup selects for backup all but exceptionally large files (over 500 MB) from the following locations of each user account on your computer:

l Windows® desktop

l Documents, Music, and Pictures libraries


What is the meaning of the symbols that HP Connected Backup displays next to my files?HP Connected Backup uses the following symbols to indicate the content and backup status of items in your backup set:



The file is part of your backup set, but HP's servers do not contain a current copy of it for one of the following reasons: l The file has been selected for backup for the first time.

l The file has changed since the last time it was backed up.


The file is no longer part of your backup set.

During the next backup, the program marks the file for removal from HP's servers.









Where does HP Connected Backup store backup copies of my files?HP Connected Backup stores encrypted copies of your files on a secure set of HP's servers.

Are my files safe on HP's servers?The security of your files is very important so we store them in an encrypted format on our servers.

How do I change my password or security questions?You can change your password or security questions on the Account tab of the Settings page. To access this tab, click the Settings button , and then click the Account tab.

How do I log off HP Connected Backup?If you share your Windows account with someone else, you can log off HP Connected Backup so they cannot use it to change your backup set or to retrieve files. After you log off, HP Connected Backup continues to perform automatic backups to protect your data, as scheduled.

To log off, click your email address at the top of the main HP Connected Backup page, and then click Log Out.

After you log off, HP Connected Backup still protects your data by continuing to perform automatic backups, as scheduled.

Which version of HP Connected Backup software do I have?The Application tab of the Settings page displays the version number and installation date of the HP Connected Backup software on your computer. To access this tab, click the Settings button , and then click the Application tab.


How do I get updates to HP Connected Backup software?If your computer is connected to the Internet, HP Connected Backup automatically downloads and installs the latest updates. This automatic update process ensures you always have the most recent version.

How do I know that HP Connected Backup is working properly?To verify that the program works properly:

l Check the date of the last backup, which is displayed to the right of the Last Backup label.If the last backup is older than you expected, verify the following: o You have not turned off automatic backups and they are scheduled for the time you expect.

Review your schedule settings on the Back Up Schedule tab of the settings page.

o Your computer is connected to the Internet.

l Verify that you can retrieve files.Select a few files for retrieval and verify that HP Connected Backup retrieves them successfully.

If you determine that HP Connected Backup is not working properly and you cannot resolve the issue, contact Support for further assistance.

What should I do if HP Connected Backup displays an error?Many times you can use the information provided with the message to resolve the issue. If not, contact Support for further assistance.

Where can I find additional FAQs, troubleshooting tips, and information about known issues?For this type of information, visit HP Customer Care.

What happens to my files if I no longer have my computer?As long as you have an active subscription, your files remain on HP's servers regardless of what happens to your computer. Therefore, if your computer is lost, stolen, or experiences a hard disk failure, you can recover your files if you still have an active subscription. For detailed information about how to recover your files, go to HP Customer Care.


http://www.hp.com/customercare












How do I migrate files from one HP computer to another?If you buy a new HP computer to upgrade your old one or to replace it due to loss, theft, or hard disk failure, you can migrate your files stored on HP's servers to it. The migration process also moves your account to your new computer. Therefore, after the migration process starts, you cannot use HP Connected Backup on your old computer.

Before you begin

If your old computer is available:

l Ensure you have backed up all files that you want to migrate to your new computer.

l Log off HP Connected Backup.

You cannot use HP Connected Backup on your old computer after you start the migration process.

To migrate files

1. On the new computer, start HP Connected Backup, and then log in to the registration program with the credentials associated with your old computer.

2. On the What would you like to do? page, click Move your subscription from another PC to this PC.

3. To identify the computers for your migration, do the following: a. In the Select PC to move subscription from list, click the name of your old computer.

b. In the Provide a name for this PC box, type a name to identify your new computer.

4. Click Continue.The migration process starts.

5. Open HP Connected Backup to continue the migration process. To do so, click Open the application.The migration process copies your preferences and backup set to your new computer.

6. To complete the migration process, on the Retrieve panel, select all files you want to retrieve, and then click Retrieve Now.For more detailed information about how to retrieve files, see Retrieve Files, on page 9.Note: If you forget to retrieve some files during this initial retrieval, you can retrieve them at a later time.

Frequently Asked Questions About Backing Up Files

Frequently Asked Questions About Backing Up FilesHere are answers to common questions about using HP Connected Backup to back up items to HP's servers. For additional information, see Back Up Files, on page 7.

Which files does HP Connected Backup automatically back up by default?By default, HP Connected Backup selects for backup all but exceptionally large files (over 500 MB) from the following locations of each user account on your computer:

l Windows® desktop

l Documents, Music, and Pictures libraries


To change the set of files that HP Connected Backup protects, use the Back Up panel to add or remove files from the backup set. Note that there are some files and folders your operating system uses that HP Connected Backup does not let you back up.

What is a backup set?A backup set contains the files and folders currently selected for backup. The Back Up panel lets you add and remove items from your backup set.

What size files can I back up?You can back up all but exceptionally large files (over 500 MB). Examples of files this size are TV shows or theatrical movies that you download from the Internet.

Can I back up files from removable storage media, such as a USB flash drive or a removable hard drive?No. HP Connected Backup protects files stored on your computer's hard drive, only. To back up files on removable storage media, you must move the files to your computer, and then select them for backup. HP Connected Backup protects these files as long as they remain selected and stored on your computer.




How can I see the items in my backup set?The Back Up panel lets you browse the contents of your computer to see which items your backup set contains.

HP Connected Backup uses the following symbols to indicate the content and backup status of items in your backup set:



The file is part of your backup set, but HP's servers do not contain a current copy of it for one of the following reasons: l The file has been selected for backup for the first time.

l The file has changed since the last time it was backed up.


The file is no longer part of your backup set.

During the next backup, the program marks the file for removal from HP's servers.






If the Back Up panel does not reflect recent file additions or deletions you have made to the current folder, refresh the panel. To do so, click the Refresh button .

Why does the Back Up panel not display my new files? Why does it still display files I have deleted?HP Connected Backup scans your computer to determine the current set of items in your backup set and their backup status. However, to prevent impacting the performance of other programs, it does not perform frequent scans. Therefore, if you add, remove, or modify an item, the Back Up panel might not reflect the change until after the next scan.


To manually start a new scan, which refreshes the panel's display of the current folder, click the Refresh button .

How do I add or remove items from my backup set?The Back Up panel lets you select the items you want to back up.

l To select an item, select the check box to the left of the item's name.

l To deselect an item, click to clear the check box to the left of the item's name.

Selecting or deselecting a folder applies the action to all items in the folder.

Why can't I add a certain file to my backup set?HP Connected Backup lets you back up all but the following types of files:

l Extremely large files (over 500 MB), which could slow the performance of your computer during backups.

l Operating system files that could prevent your computer from working properly if you were to retrieve them.

When do backups occur?HP Connected Backup performs backups at the following times:

l On a set schedule. By default, your files are automatically backed up each day. You can set a custom schedule on the Back Up Schedule tab of the Settings page. To access this tab, click the Settings button , and then click the Back Up Schedule tab.

l When you click Back Up Now.

To back up files, your computer must be turned on, connected to the Internet, and not in standby or hibernation mode.

Can I prevent automatic back ups from occurring (such as while I am on vacation)?Yes, you can turn off automatic back ups on the Back Up Schedule tab of the Settings page. To access this tab, click the Settings button , and then click the Back Up Schedule tab.




How much time does it take to back up my files?The first back up can take a long time (sometimes hours) to complete, depending on the total amount of data to back up and the speed of your network connection. Subsequent back ups are smaller and faster because only new files and changes to existing files are backed up.

How do I view information about the last backup?The date link to the right of the Last Backup label identifies when the last backup occurred. To view a detailed summary about the last backup, click the date link. You can save the summary to a file for future reference.

How much data do I have stored on HP's servers?To view a summary of the data that you have stored on HP's servers, click the date link to the right of the Last Backup label.

Why were my files not backed up?There are a few reasons why HP Connected Backup might not be able to back up your files:

l You have turned off automatic backups. Review your settings on the Back Up Schedule tab of the Settings page.

l You do not have an active Internet connection.You computer must be connected to the Internet for backups to occur.

l You use a dial-up connection to the Internet.HP Connected Backup does not support backups over a dial-up connection.

l You have selected exceptionally large files (over 500 MB).HP Connected Backup does not back up extremely large files to prevent affecting the overall performance of your Internet connection and other programs that use it. Examples of exceptionally large files are TV shows or theatrical movies that you download from the Internet.

l You turned off your computer or it went into standby or hibernation mode.Your computer must be turned on and not in standby or hibernation mode for backups to occur. If your computer turns off or enters standby or hibernation mode during a backup, the backup stops. Files copied to HP's servers stay there and the remaining files are copied during the next backup. To learn which files were backed up and which were not, view the backup summary the


next time you turn on your computer or wake it from standby or hibernation mode. To view the summary, click the date link to the right of the Last Backup label.

Why does my backup take a long time to complete?There are several factors that determine how long it takes to back up your files:

l The number and total size of files selected.The first backup can take several hours to complete, depending on the number and size of files selected for backup. Subsequent backups are smaller and faster because only new files and changes to previously selected files are backed up.

l The number of other applications currently running on your computer.If your computer performs many tasks at the same time, HP Connected Backup does not receive your computer's full processing power. Try to limit the number of applications you use during backups to see whether performance improves.

l The speed of your Internet connection.Ensure that your network connection to the Internet is working correctly. If you experience slow performance over a wireless connection, try a wired connection, if possible. You cannot back up files over a dial-up connection.

l The number of applications actively using your Internet connection.The more applications that use your Internet connection during a backup, the less bandwidth HP Connected Backup can use to back up files. Try to limit your Internet activity during backups to see whether performance improves.


Frequently Asked Questions About Retrieving Files

Frequently Asked Questions About Retrieving FilesHere are answers to common questions about using HP Connected Backup to retrieve copies of your files from HP's servers. For step-by-step retrieval instructions, see Retrieve Files, on page 9.

How do I find the files I want to retrieve?The Retrieve panel lets you search for and browse through the items you have backed up to HP's servers. For more detailed information, see Retrieve Files.

Can I retrieve a previous revision of a file?HP Connected Backup keeps up to 10 revisions of each file in your backup set that were created within the last 30 days. The most recent revision remains available for retrieval from HP’s servers until either you remove it from your backup set or delete it from your computer. By default, the Retrieve panel displays only the most recent revision for each file. A revision box to the left of each file name indicates the total number of revisions available. To display all available revisions of a file, click the revision box. To hide the list, click the revision box again.

For example, the revision box indicates HP's servers contain three revisions of a file. When you click the revision box, it expands to display all three revisions .

Can I retrieve a file that I've accidentally deleted?Yes, but for a limited amount of time because HP Connected Backup provides data protection and not long-term archival storage. Protected files that you delete from your computer are marked for deletion from HP's servers and eventually deleted permanently. The maintenance event that deletes these files runs periodically; therefore, the amount of time that they remain available for retrieval varies.

Can I retrieve an item from a Library if I've deleted the Library?You can retrieve the item if the periodic maintenance event that permanently deletes files from HP's servers has not deleted it.

To determine whether the item is available for retrieval, on the Retrieve panel, browse to one of the following locations, depending on which Library contained the item:




l Documents. C:\Users\<user account>\My Documents

l Music. C:\Users\<user account>\My Music

l Photos. C:\Users\<user account>\My Photos

Where <user account> is the name of the user account that owned the Library. For example, if your user account name is Smith and you deleted your Documents library, browse to C:\Users\smith\My Documents to view all documents still available on HP's servers for retrieval. If the file you want to retrieve is listed, you can retrieve it.

For detailed information about how to retrieve files, see Retrieve Files, on page 9.

Why is a file I removed from my backup set still available for retrieval?Files that you remove from your backup set remain on HP's servers until the next scheduled server maintenance event permanently deletes them.

How do I retrieve files?The Retrieve panel lets you retrieve your items from HP's servers. For more detailed information, see Retrieve Files.

Where does HP Connected Backup put files it retrieves?Connected Backup retrieves files to their original location on your computer. At the start of each retrieval, you choose one of the following options to specify what happens if you retrieve a different revision of a file that already exists on your computer:

l Rename the retrieved file. The program renames the retrieved file to include the word Restored. See example.

You retrieve two previous revisions of the MyStory.txt file, which already exists on your computer. The program renames the retrieved files to MyStory Restored 1.txt and MyStory Restored 2.txt. The number in the new file name helps identify retrieved files of the same name—it does not indicate the file revision.

l Overwrite the existing file. The program replaces your current file with the one it retrieves. If you select multiple revisions of a file, the most recent revision of those you select replaces your current file.


To improve performance, HP Connected Backup does not retrieve a file if the same revision of it already exists on your computer.

What happens to my current file when I retrieve a previous revision?Each time you retrieve files, you specify whether HP Connected Backup should overwrite the original files or rename the retrieved files.

For example, to compare your current HouseholdBudget.txt file to a previous revision, select the option to rename retrieved files. After the retrieval, you have both file revisions on your computer: HouseholdBudget.txt (your current version) and HouseholdBudget Restored 1.txt (the previous revision).

Why was HP Connected Backup unable to retrieve my file?There are a few reasons why HP Connected Backup might fail to retrieve files:

l You do not have an active Internet connection. Your computer must be connected to the Internet for retrievals to occur.

l You use a dial-up connection to the Internet.HP Connected Backup does not support retrieval over a dial-up connection.

l You turned off your computer or it went into standby or hibernation mode.Your computer must be turned on and not in standby or hibernation mode for retrievals to occur. If your computer turns off or enters standby or hibernation mode during the retrieval process, file retrieval stops. However, files already retrieved remain on your computer. To retrieve the remaining files, you must reselect them, and then start the retrieval process again.

Why does my retrieval take a long time?There are several factors that determine how long it takes to retrieve your files:

l The number and total size of files selected for retrieval.Typically, the time to retrieve a file or set of files is fairly quick. However, if you retrieve a very large number of files or a set of extremely big files, it takes a little longer to retrieve them. For example, you can retrieve a few small documents much faster than many high-resolution photos.




l The number of other applications currently running on your computer.If your computer performs many tasks at the same time, HP Connected Backup does not receive your computer's full processing power. Try to limit the number of applications you use during retrievals to see whether performance improves.

l The speed of your Internet connection.Ensure that your network connection to the Internet is operating correctly. If you experience slow performance over a wireless connection, try a wired connection, if possible. You cannot retrieve files over a dial-up connection.

l The number of applications actively using your Internet connection.The more applications that use your Internet connection during a retrieval, the less bandwidth HP Connected Backup can use to retrieve files. Try to limit your Internet activity during a retrieval to see whether performance improves.

Frequently Asked Questions About Subscription Plans

Frequently Asked Questions About Subscription PlansHere are answers to common questions about HP Connected Backup subscription plans and payment information.

How do I upgrade my free trial to a paid subscription?The offer section, located at the top of the main page, provides information about the available subscription plans. To view this information if the offer section is closed, click See More. To purchase a subscription, in the offer section, click Subscribe.

How do I set my subscription plan to automatically renew? How do I stop automatic renewal? You can set your subscription plan to automatically renew when your expiration date approaches. With automatic renewal, your subscription automatically renews using the credit card you have on file. You are charged the retail price of your plan at the time the renewal occurs. You can turn off automatic renewal at any time.

You can turn on (or turn off) automatic renewal of your subscription plan on the Payment tab of the Settings page. To access this tab, click the Settings button , and then click the Payment tab.

How do I cancel my subscription?You can cancel your subscription on the Payment tab of the Settings page. To access this tab, click the Settings button , and then click the Payment tab.

If you cancel your subscription, you will receive an e-mail that confirms your cancellation.

What happens to the copy of my files on HP's servers when I cancel my subscription or my trial expires?In both cases, HP Connected Backup no longer backs up your files or lets you retrieve them. In addition, all copies of your files on HP's servers are permanently deleted after a short grace period. However, if you re-subscribe before the grace period ends, your files are retained and your access to them through HP Connected Backup is restored.


Frequently Asked Questions About Subscription Plans


How do I update my credit card information or billing address?You can update your credit card information or billing address on the Payment tab of the Settings page. To access this tab, click the Settings button , and then click the Payment tab.


Contact SupportThe set of Frequently Asked Questions provides answers to many common questions about HP Connected Backup. If you have additional questions or need further assistance, contact us:

l Online. Visit HP Customer Care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

l Phone. Call toll-free (855) 785-2777 during the following hours: o Monday through Friday 6:00 A.M to 9:00 P.M. (Mountain Time)

o Saturday 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. (Mountain Time)






Contact Support
