Should I exit Everything before backing up

[searcher1]

Hi

Should I exit Everything before backing up the AppData folder (bookmarks, filters, .ini)?
The reason I am asking is that some applications store changes to preferences only after exiting the application.

Thank You

[void]

You can backup while Everything is running.

However, Everything will only save changes to disk on exit. (and daily in Everything 1.5)

Any changes you make in Everything before exiting Everything will not be stored in your backup.

I recommend exiting Everything before making a backup.

[ChrisGreaves]

Any changes you make in Everything before exiting Everything will not be stored in your backup. I recommend exiting Everything before making a backup.

This I understand.
But too, I understand that for someone (like me) who makes a nightly backup around 6pm, I will back up Everything's files & settings, but will be a day behind the current files.
That is, a disaster on Friday means I can backup to Thursday's backup, which will be "at close of business" on Wednesday.
Have I got that right?
Thanks, Chris

[void]

Correct, if you do not exit Everything your backups will be a day behind.

[searcher1]

Hi

Thanks to all for your comments.

FYI:
I appears that the changes made to Filters and Bookmarks get saved immediately.
I made changes my to Filters and Bookmarks and then checked Filters.csv and Bookmarks.csv and the changes were there immediately.

And don't know if other preferences get saved immediately or not.

Everything is amazing. A powerfull secret weapon.

Regards

[therube]

(In Everything 1.5) you can interactive force the .db to write to disk using the

-save-db

command-line switch (or similar).

[ChrisGreaves]

Should I exit Everything before backing up the AppData folder (bookmarks, filters, .ini)? The reason I am asking is that some applications store changes to preferences only after exiting the application.

As a general principle in data processing, I would recommend exiting (closing, shutting down) all applications before starting a backup. Mainframes, Minis, Micros, ...
You already know/believe that "some applications store changes to preferences only after exiting the application"

This leads us to the question "WHY are you backing up your data?" to which the answer usually is "Because I want to recover if my hard drive fails."
Fair enough.

But what is on your hard drive that is so valuable? Presumably your application data and application settings/preferences.

After a hard drive fail you are faced with spending time restoring your data system to a (new) hard drive. You will minimize that time spent if your application settings are available to you, and can be restored from, the backup drive.
yes?

Hence a general theory that at close-of-business each day we set our machine in a quiescent state and THEN make a backup copy.
Cheer's, Chris

[horst.epp]

...
Hence a general theory that at close-of-business each day we set our machine in a quiescent state and THEN make a backup copy.
Cheer's, Chris

That was the way before Shadow copies existed.
Also, if we're talking about Everything 1.5 there are functions to get an actual backup without shut-down anything.