Frequently Asked Questions

Why IDrive online backup?

IDrive allows you to backup multiple PCs, Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Android devices into a single account. In addition, data from servers and external hard drives can also be backed up.

How do I get started with IDrive^® online backup?

To get started, download the IDrive online backup application on the Windows computer that you wish to backup. Install the desktop application and create an IDrive account. Sign in to your account using the credentials and start backing up your data. Explore the FAQs below to effectively use your IDrive account.

Can I access my IDrive account from the desktop tray icon?

Yes, you can right-click the tray icon on the computer and select ‘Access IDrive web’ to open the IDrive web console.

When I sign in to my IDrive account for the first time on a machine, I notice that some folders have already been scheduled for backup. Why?

IDrive is an automated online backup application. Hence, critical folders like Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos, and Music are pre-selected for backup. If the pre-defined settings are not altered, the application commences the backup of the default backup set once the scheduled backup time is reached.

To backup the files/folders to your IDrive account, select the ‘Online Backup’ radio button. Alternatively, select ‘Local Backup' to backup the file(s)/folder(s) to your computer and ‘IDrive Express™ Backup’ to backup files/folders to an IDrive Express device. To change the files/folders/drives in a backup set, click the 'Modify' button, on the respective screen.

Click the 'Backup Now' button to start an immediate backup.

To change the day, time, and frequency for the scheduled backup job, click the 'Schedule' button.

I see some files/folders are excluded from backup. How do I include those in the backup set?

The files/folders marked in red under 'Select files/folders for backup' dialog box are excluded from backup.

To include them in the backup set,

1. Go to 'Settings' and click 'Exclusions'.
2. Select the files/folders that you want to backup and click .
   
3. Click 'Save Changes'.

How do I take an immediate backup of my data?

Select the desired files/folders/drives that you want to backup immediately by using the ‘Modify’ button. Once you make the changes, click the 'Backup Now' button.

Can I immediately backup files and folders on my computer without launching the desktop application?

Yes, you can backup files/folders without launching the IDrive application. Select the files/folders you want to backup immediately using the File Explorer, right-click, choose IDrive, and select 'Backup Now'. IDrive performs an immediate backup for the selected files and folders.

How do I schedule an online backup?

To schedule a backup, sign in to your IDrive account and click 'Scheduler'.

You can set your backup start time. Select your desired day(s) of backup in a week or schedule it on a daily basis.

Also, you can modify the following scheduler parameters and click 'Save Changes'.

1. Backup set name: Select the backup set you need to schedule ('DefaultBackupSet'/'LocalBackupSet'/ExpressBackupSet)
2. Backup start time: Set the time at which your scheduled backup should start.
3. Backup start days:
   1. Daily: Select this option to run your backup jobs daily.
   2. Custom: Select the days of the week on which you wish to run your backup jobs.
4. Start the backup immediately: Select this option to run a backup job immediately.
5. Hourly schedule: Select this option to configure hourly backup operations.
6. Cut-off time: Set the time at which your scheduled backup should stop.
7. Email notification: Select this option to receive email notifications on the status of the scheduled backup job. Enter the email address on which you want to receive the notifications.
8. Notify always: Enable this toggle button to get all backup notifications.
9. Notify me on desktop: Receive notifications on the desktop regarding backup jobs.
10. Start the missed scheduled backup when the computer is turned on: Select this option to resume a missed scheduled backup job due to the computer being switched off.

Is it possible to schedule a backup to a local drive and continue to backup to my IDrive account?

You can schedule local backup to a drive and online backup to the cloud as two different jobs. However, it is not possible to schedule local and online backup in a single job.

Is there a way to receive an alert in case my backup fails?

Yes, to receive an alert in case of backup failure, select the required parameters for the following options from 'Settings' > 'General'.

• Select the number of days in the 'Alert me if the scheduled backup fails for 1 day' option to receive a desktop alert, in case your backup has not taken place.

• Select the percentage in the 'Notify as 'Failure' if the total files failed for backup is more than 5% of the total files backed up' option, to receive a desktop alert on backup failures.

What happens if my backup set contains files/folders that have insufficient access rights?

Even if your backup set contains files/folders that have insufficient access rights, IDrive will backup those files/folders.

However, in case of files/folders in mapped drives that have insufficient access rights, IDrive will not back them up by default. In such a case, your backup summary will read 'Failure'.

To ignore file/folder level access rights/permission errors for mapped drives,

1. Go to 'Settings' > 'General'.
2. Select 'Ignore file / folder level access rights / permission errors' option.

This will ignore any access rights/permission errors on any mapped drive files or folders that are part of your backup set.

How do I manage my scheduled backup jobs?

You can manage your scheduled backup jobs by clicking 'Scheduler' > 'Manage all scheduled jobs' option from the IDrive tray menu.

You can click 'Scheduler' > 'Pause the scheduled job'/'Stop the scheduled job' option from the IDrive tray menu to pause or stop a scheduled backup.

You can change the frequency and options pertaining to a specific backup set for an account.

Alternatively, you can also click on 'View and manage all scheduled jobs' under 'Scheduler' on your IDrive application to edit, delete, or stop a scheduled job.

To edit the backup jobs,

1. Click on the required entry to highlight it.
2. Edit the time, day, and other options and click on the 'Save Changes' button.

To delete a scheduled backup entry,

1. Click on the required entry to highlight it and click .
2. Click 'Yes' in the confirmation window.
   

Does IDrive perform scheduled backups in 'Standby' mode?

No. This is because the remote access connections are disconnected without any prompting to disconnect manually before the computer goes into the 'Standby' mode. This applies to any remote access connection including connections to Internet service providers (ISPs) and private networks. This behavior is by design of Windows, by default.

Can I view the status of my scheduled backups?

Yes, you can view the status of your scheduled backups by clicking the 'Status' option from the IDrive menu that is active in your system tray once you install IDrive.

You can also view the status of the scheduled jobs. Click the 'View logs' button to see the recent session-wise log files.

Is it possible to view all the scheduled backup jobs of all my IDrive accounts on my computer using IDrive?

Yes. For this, right-click the IDrive tray icon and select 'Scheduler' > 'Manage all scheduled jobs'. In the window that is displayed, you can view the list of scheduled backup jobs of all IDrive accounts on the local computer.

How does IDrive optimize data transfers?

IDrive transfers only the modified portions of your files after full initial transfer, by transferring only modified blocks of the file, which optimizes your bandwidth usage and ensures that transfers are quick.

This optimization is applied to backups and restores, Sync-up and Sync-down (if you are using the Sync part of the IDrive service). This makes IDrive the most advanced backup and sync application.

How can I exclude certain files/folders from being backed up?

To exclude files/folders from being backed up,

1. Go to 'Settings' > 'Exclusions'.
2. Click . under 'Exclude files/folders from backup'.
3. Click to browse the files/folders from the list.
4. Select the desired files/folders to add and click 'OK’. The files/folders will be added to the exclusion list.
5. Click 'Save Changes'.
   
   
   The selected files/folders will be excluded from being backed up.

What is Bandwidth Throttle?

The Bandwidth throttle lets you set the Internet bandwidth to be used by the IDrive application for backups. By default, the bandwidth throttle value is set at 100%.

You can enable the 'Auto-pause' option under 'Settings' > 'Throttle' > 'Bandwidth throttle', which makes intelligent guesses on bandwidth throttle during backup operation to ensure an optimal desktop experience during user activities by setting the following options:

PC in use: This option lets you set the bandwidth to be used by IDrive for backups, when it is in use. By default, it is set to 25%. This allows other applications to run without hindrance.

PC not in use: This option lets you set the bandwidth to be used by IDrive for backups when it is not in use. By default, it is set to 100%.

What is CPU throttle?

CPU throttle lets you set the CPU usage for backups. You can change the CPU utilization to suit the workload of your computer. By default, the CPU throttle value is set at 100%.

To change the CPU throttle settings,

1. Go to 'Settings' > 'Throttle' > 'CPU throttle'.
2. Use the slider to set the CPU to be used, and click 'Save Changes'.
   

   Note: CPU throttle feature will be available only for 'Windows 8 / Windows Server 2012' and above Operating Systems.

Will IDrive backup my data even if the computer is logged off?

Yes, IDrive will perform scheduled backup of your data even if your computer is logged off.

Can I backup Mapped/USB/External drives?

Yes, you can backup Mapped/USB/External Drives. The contents to be backed up must be a part of the ‘Backup set’ and available at the time of backup.

To perform a mapped drive backup,

1. Go to 'Mapped drive' under 'Settings'.
2. Provide the authentication details of the mapped drive.
3. Click 'Verify Connection'. The authentication details for the mapped drive will be validated to allow access to the IDrive application.
4. Click 'Save Changes'.
   

Can I backup my open / locked files?

The IDrive application is capable of backing up open files for supported platforms, by default. The supported platforms include: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows 2019 Server, Windows 2016 Server, Windows 2012 Server, Windows 2008 Server, Windows Home Server, Windows 2003 Server (Service Pack 2).

Thus, even if your Microsoft Outlook application is open, the IDrive application does a reliable backup of associated data. Similarly, your Quickbooks / Quicken and other possible open files are backed up as well.

Note: The Open file Backup feature does not support backup of open files in the mapped/network drives.

I am unable to open my Outlook email client during the backup of my Outlook pst files. I get an error that indicates that the file may be in use. Why?

For Windows 2003 server, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 machines, the above issue should not arise.

However, for other Windows OS, the IDrive agent might lock your Outlook email client to perform a successful backup. To resolve the issue, close your MS Outlook email client before initiating the operation.

Will a missed scheduled backup take place when the computer is restarted after the scheduled time?

Yes. The scheduled backup will commence as soon as you restart the computer even if it is after the scheduled time. However, this is applicable only if you have selected the 'Start the missed scheduled backup when the computer is turned on' option from the 'Scheduler'.

In case you have not selected the option, then the scheduled backup will commence only if you restart the computer within 30 minutes of the scheduled time.

If you restart the computer after 30 minutes of the scheduled time, the scheduled backup will commence at the next frequency (as per the date and time that was set earlier).

How do I add items to the IDrive Backup set from Windows Explorer?

To add a file/folder to your backup set using Windows Explorer, select the desired file/folder, right-click and choose 'IDrive' > 'Add to Backup Set' from the menu.

Does IDrive support the backup of BitLocker-enabled drives?

Yes, IDrive supports the backup of BitLocker-enabled drives. To backup a BitLocker-enabled drive, first, we need to unlock the drive using the password. Once unlocked, the drive will be available for access to the operating system by authorized Windows users.

The gold-colored lock on the drive icon indicates the locked state of the drive. To unlock the BitLocker drive,

1. Right-click on the BitLocker drive and select 'Unlock Drive'.
   
2. Enter the password.

3. Click 'Unlock'.
   

   The drive will be unlocked. A silver-colored open lock on the drive icon indicates the drive is ready for Windows operating system access.

Once the drive is unlocked and available for access, either perform an interactive backup or schedule backup as per the requirements.

Do I need to restart my computer after installing IDrive?

There is no need to restart your computer after IDrive has been installed.

Can IDrive work with virtual machines?

Yes, IDrive works with virtual machines. For this, install the application on virtual machines and perform the backup as usual.

When I am signing in to my IDrive account it is asking me to replace existing or add a new device for backup. Why?

When you sign in to your IDrive account, you can either choose to add the computer as a new device or transfer the backup set, scheduled jobs, and IDrive application settings etc from an already backed up computer to the new computer.

By transferring the backup set, you can avoid time-consuming initial backup in case you are:

• Replacing an old computer
• Replacing computer's hard drive
• Recovering after an OS reinstall

Note: Online / local backup set and scheduled jobs for online and local data will be transferred.

To replace an existing computer,

1. Download and install IDrive on your computer.
2. Sign in to IDrive using your credentials.
3. When the 'Set up your new device for backup' screen appears, click 'Replace Existing'.
   
4. Select the desired computer from the 'Select one of the computers from the list to replace' screen and click 'Continue'.
   
   
5. Click 'Continue' in the confirmation screen.
   
   
6. A message appears when the existing computer is replaced successfully. Backups will stop for the existing computer.
   
   

In case you do not wish to restore the existing backups on the new machine, you can click 'Add New Device' in the 'Set up your new device for backup' screen.

How do I restore my backed up data in case my system crashes (or to a new computer)?

To restore data backed up to your IDrive account to the local machine, follow the steps below:

1. Download and install the IDrive application.
2. Sign in with your Username and Password. If you had set a private encryption key while signing in to the application for the first time, then provide the same.
3. Go to 'Restore'.
4. Select the 'Online Restore', 'Local Restore' or 'IDrive Express™ Restore' radio button.
5. Select the files/folders to restore and click to choose the desired 'Restore location'.
   
6. Click 'Restore Now'.
   

How is 'Restore to original location' different from usual file restore?

The usual file restore lets you download files to a location, selected by you; whereas restoring files to original location downloads the selected files, keeping their folder structure intact. This means each file is restored to a similar location on your computer, as it appears in your cloud backup or local backup.

For example: if you choose to restore the file '/John-PC/D/Examples/ABC.txt' to its original location, the 'ABC.txt' file will be downloaded to a folder called 'Examples' in the 'D' drive of your computer.

Note: Data backed up from mapped drives and external drives cannot be restored using the 'Restore to original location' option.

To restore files to their original location, go to 'Restore' and select the 'Online Restore', or 'Local Restore', or 'IDrive Express™ Restore' radio button. Select the 'Restore to the original location' checkbox and on the pop-up that appears, click 'Restore'. Subsequently, to revert to file restore to a location selected by you, clear the checkbox, set your preferred 'Restore location', and click 'Restore Now'.

Note:

• Restoring to original location overwrites the existing files with the latest file version available in your cloud backup or local backup.
• Before continuing with the restore operation, you will need to enter the one-time verification code sent to your registered email address to authorize your device as a trusted device.

Why am I asked to trust my device while trying to restore data?

When using a new device to restore data you must authorize the device as a trusted device by entering a verification code sent to your registered email address. This is a one-time process to ensure your identity.

1. While running the restore operation from the Restore page, 'Trust this device' screen will appear.
2. You will be prompted to enter a one-time verification code sent to your registered email address. The code can be used only once and will expire after 5 minutes.
3. Enter the code.
4. Click Trust Device.

Note: In case the code expires or you have not received the email, click 'Resend code' to get a new verification code.

Once a device is added as a trusted device, users will not be asked to enter one-time verification code during any subsequent restore operations.

1. Users can get this one-time verification code via registered email address only.
2. If you are unable to receive email with one-time verification code, contact support.
3. This one-time device verification is only applicable for restore and versioning operations.

Can I restore files backed up from external drives or mapped drives using the 'Restore to original location' option?

No, you cannot restore the files that have been backed up from mapped drives or external drives using the 'Restore to the original location' option. To restore such files, under 'Restore' select 'Local Restore', choose the desired 'Restore location' and click the 'Restore Now' button.

Can I use drag-and-drop to restore files from the IDrive application?

Yes.
To drag-and-drop files, select the ‘Online Restore’ radio button under 'Restore'. Then drag the file or folder you wish to restore and drop it to the desired location on your computer.

What is Versioning? Does it impact the available quota (storage space in my account)?

IDrive retains previous versions of all files backed up to your account. Currently, you can restore 30 previous file versions, and for accounts created prior to 11-07-2018 you can restore up to 10 versions, to any location on your local computer.

The additional storage for the previous versions has no impact on your account's quota, as your storage is calculated only for the most current version.

How do I view the versions of a file stored in my account?

To view the versions of a file stored in your account, go to 'Restore' and right-click the required file and select the 'Show Previous Versions' option from the list. You can also search for your desired file version.
To restore a particular version, select the version from the list displayed on the screen and the desired location to restore. Click 'Restore Now'.

How do I restore the latest version of a file in my account?

Under 'Restore' select the 'Online Restore' radio button. The latest files that are backed up are listed there.

To restore the latest version, select the desired file(s) / folder (s), select the location to which you want to restore your data, and click 'Restore Now'. You can also search your desired file(s)/folder(s) and restore them back to your local system.

Does IDrive support folder-wise restore of files with earlier versions? *

Yes, to restore a folder with earlier versions of files, you can right-click on the required folder and choose 'Show previous versions' menu, under which you have the following menu options:

• Most Recent - Use this option to restore all the latest versions of files in the folder.
  Example: If a folder has 5 files, all the 5 files will be restored in its latest versions available.
• 2nd Most Recent - Use this option to restore files prior to the last backed up version.
  Example: If a file in the folder has 3 different versions, this feature will restore only the version prior to the last backed up, i.e., file version 2.
• 3rd Most Recent - Use this option to restore the third last version of a file in a folder.
  Example: If a file in the folder has 3 different versions, this feature will only restore file version 1.
• More - Provides an option to restore from fourth to tenth most recent version of files in a folder.

Note: For some accounts, folder-wise versioning may not be available.

How do I delete backed-up data?

To delete files/folders from 'Restore', select the 'Online Restore', or 'Local Restore', or 'IDrive Express™ Restore' radio button. The latest files that are backed up are listed there. Select the desired file(s)/folder(s) to delete and click . Click 'Yes' in the confirmation popup to proceed.

The files/folders that are deleted from your IDrive account are moved to 'Trash'.

I have backed up data from multiple computers. How do I restore it?

To restore data backed up from multiple computers:

1. Sign in to your IDrive account with your Username and Password.
2. Go to 'Restore' and select the 'Online Restore' or 'Local Restore' radio button.
3. Select the computer(s) name that you wish to restore. A list of file(s)/folder(s) backed up from the computer is displayed.
4. Select the file(s)/folder(s) which you wish to restore.
5. Choose your desired location on the local computer and click 'Restore Now'.

Can I search and restore a particular file from my IDrive account?

Yes, you can search and restore specific files from your IDrive account.

To search and restore files,

1. Go to 'Restore' and select the 'Online Restore' radio button.
2. Type the filename or a related string in the ‘Search your account’ field and press 'Enter'.
3. From the search results, select the desired file, and click 'Restore Now'.

You can search and restore files from your local, Wi-Fi, and Express device by selecting 'Local Restore' or 'IDrive Express™ Restore' radio button.

You can also share and delete the files/folders that appear in the search results by clicking and .

To search and restore files from a specific folder, right-click on the desired folder and select the 'Search' option. Type the filename or a related string in the search field and press 'Enter'. From the search results, select the desired file, and click 'Restore Now'.

I can see a 'Snapshots' button on the Restore menu. What is it?

Certain accounts may see the feature 'Snapshots' in the application. A snapshot is a point-in-time capture of a file or folder which allows you to perform point-in-time recovery in future. With the IDrive® snapshot feature, you can take a real-time image of a file/folder with all its contents and store it in your IDrive account. They are useful in case your files are corrupted by malware and you want to restore a previous version of the files.

To perform a snapshot based restore,

1. Go to 'Restore' and select the 'Online Restore' radio button.
2. Click 'Snapshots'.
3. Select the date and time and click 'Submit'. A list of all the data backed up on or before the selected date appears.
   
4. Select the required files/folders and choose your desired restore location on the local computer.
5. Click 'Restore Now'

What is Archive Cleanup?

The Archive cleanup feature permanently deletes data from your account, by matching them one to one to the data in your current backup set. It is useful to free up space in your account as it deletes data from your account that no longer exists on your computer.

To run Archive cleanup,

1. Go to 'Settings' > 'Archive cleanup'.
2. Click on the 'Cleanup Now' button. IDrive will generate a list of the items to be deleted from your account.
   
3. Click 'Delete' to permanently remove data from your account.

• Archive cleanup permanently deletes data that no longer exists on your computer to free up space in your account.
• You can regulate the percentage according to your preference. The percentage mentioned here refers to files considered for deletion in your account as a percentage of the total number of files. The purpose of this percentage-based control is to avoid the large-scale deletion of files in your account due to some unforeseen event on your computer. For most aggressive cleanup, set the percentage to 100%.
• Archive cleanup is not supported for mapped and USB drives.
• Users will need to delete empty folders manually in order to remove them from the account.
• Archive cleanup is not supported for entire machine backup data sets.

What is Periodic Cleanup?

You can set up automated cleanup periodically by enabling 'Periodic cleanup'.
Periodic cleanup lets you set the frequency as well as the percentage of files to be considered. The frequency can be set to anything between 10 and 30 days; percentage to anything between 5% and 25%. Periodic cleanup helps in sustained control of the amount of data stored in your account over a period of time.

To enable periodic cleanup,

1. Go to 'Settings' > 'Archive cleanup'.
2. Select 'Periodic cleanup' by turning on the toggle switch.
3. Set the number of days and percentage of data to be considered for cleanup.
   

• Periodic cleanup may result in the automatic deletion of data from your IDrive account; use/set this option carefully.
• The percentage mention refers to files considered for deletion in your account as a percentage of the total number of files. The purpose of this percentage-based control is to avoid the large deletion of files in your account due to some unforeseen event on your computer.
• Periodic cleanup is not supported for mapped and USB drives.

I received an email warning about exceeding the quota limit. How do I adjust my account storage usage to be below the limit?

IDrive allows for usage beyond the allocated quota to ensure that the backups continue to operate successfully.

For usage beyond the limit, IDrive sends you periodic email warnings about the excess usage beyond the quota. You can upgrade your account to a plan with more storage or do the following to bring the storage usage within the quota limits.

1. Archive Cleanup
   Run an archive cleanup operation under 'Settings' in your IDrive desktop application.
   This may help in immediately bringing down the usage, especially if you have removed a substantial amount of data from your computer and you want that reflected in your account. Set the cleanup percentage to 100% for maximum impact.
2. Periodic Cleanup
   Schedule a periodic cleanup under 'Settings' in the desktop application. However, note that the changes may not be effective immediately as the removal of data takes place at a later date based on the selected options, and there are limits imposed to avoid excessive deletion.
3. Delete Files
   Remove file(s)/folder(s) from your account via the desktop application. Go to 'Restore' and select the 'Online Restore' radio button. Select the file(s)/folder(s) and click . You need to update the backup set after deleting the files so that no fresh backup takes place for those deleted files.

How do I restore the data backed up on a local drive or Express device?

To restore data from a local drive or Express device,

1. Sign in to the IDrive application.
2. Go to 'Restore' and select the 'Local Restore'/'IDrive Express^TM Restore' radio button.
3. Select the required local drive or Express device. You will be able to see all the backed up files/folders.
   If 'Local Restore' is selected, you can choose the required version from the 'Version' list.
   
   
4. Select the file(s)/folder(s) to restore. Choose the required version from the ‘Version’ list under ‘Local Restore’.
5. Choose the desired 'Restore Location'.
   
   
   
   
6. Click 'Restore Now'.

After upgrading my OS to Windows 10, I am getting an error message that says IDrive backup engine has stopped. What should I do?

If the IDrive backup engine on your computer stops, you must restart it to be able to proceed with your backups and restores.

To restart the backup engine,

1. Type 'services.msc' in the Run dialog box.
2. Locate 'IDriveService'.
3. Right-click it and select 'Start'.

I received a Windows SmartScreen message when attempting to install the IDrive application.

The SmartScreen filter on Microsoft Edge does not recognize downloaded applications and prompts users to verify the same during installations.

To disable SmartScreen Filter prompt on the browser,

1. Launch Microsoft Edge.
2. Go to 'Settings' > 'Privacy, search, and services' > 'Security' > 'Microsoft Defender SmartScreen'.
3. Move the slider to disable mode. You can now download and install the IDrive application.

Does IDrive remove my account files when they are deleted from my computer?

No, your files will remain in your IDrive account forever, once they are backed up.

This means even if you accidentally delete files from your computer, they are not removed from IDrive servers; unless you delete them manually, or through the automated Archive cleanup process.

I deleted files from my IDrive account. Is it possible to restore the files/folder that are deleted accidentally?

The files/folders that are deleted from your IDrive account are moved to 'Trash'. These files/folders will be automatically deleted after a 30-day period. You can either move your files/folders to the original location in your IDrive account or restore them to your local computer. In case of legacy IDrive accounts, the files/folders are removed from the trash after a 10-day period.

To move/restore your files from trash,

1. Under 'Restore' select the 'Online Restore' radio button.
2. Click the 'View trash' button. The files/folders available in 'Trash' are listed with the latest version.
3. Choose the files you want to move and click 'Put Back' to move the files/folders to the original location in your IDrive account.
4. Click 'Restore Now' to restore your files/folders to the desired location in your local computer.
5. Click 'Empty Trash' to permanently remove the deleted files.
   

I want to restore the previous version of a file from Trash. Is it possible?*

Yes. To restore a previous version of a file, right-click on the desired file and select the 'Show previous versions' option. Select the required file version and click 'Restore Now'.

Read Note

If I keep on performing backups, will I use up my quota quickly?

IDrive does incremental backup (only the modified portion of your files/folder are sent to the IDrive servers). Your quota depends on the most recent file/folder copy backed up to your online account. The previous versions of files are stored for free.

Can I halt my backups at a particular time?

Yes. To enable this option go to 'Scheduler' > select 'Backup set name' (DefaultBackupset / LocalBackupset/ ExpressBackupset ) > select the 'Cut-off time' check box and set your desired 'Cut-off time'. Click 'Save Changes'. The backup will resume at the next scheduled time from the point it was stopped.

Does IDrive support backup and restore of large files?

The IDrive desktop and web interfaces support uploads and restores to/from cloud storage and sync storage without any file size limits. However, for optimal performance, we recommend using the desktop application.

How do I view my backup/restore activities via the application?

Clicking on on the IDrive main window, allows you to view all the backup/restore activities in your account.

Can I share file(s) / folder(s) directly from my IDrive account?

Yes, you can share file(s) / folder(s) stored on your IDrive account with friends and associates.

To share file(s) / folder(s),

1. Under 'Restore' select the ‘Online Restore’ radio button.
2. Select the file(s) / folder(s) and click . Alternatively, right-click on the files / folders you wish to share and select 'Share' from the drop-down menu.

3. You will be redirected to your web account and the 'Share' popup will appear.

4. Click 'Advanced settings' to define the following parameters:
   
   
   • Set a password - You can set a password for accessing the link.
   • No. of Downloads - You can specify a limit for the number of downloads. The maximum limit is 25.
   • No. of Days - You can specify the duration for which the link remains active. The maximum duration is 30 days.
5. Click 'Create share link'.

6. Click 'Copy link' to copy the link to clipboard. Share the link with the intended recipients.

A share link will be created and you can access it under 'Shared'.

Note: Share feature is limited to IDrive accounts with default encryption key.

I need a walkthrough of the IDrive desktop application interface.

The IDrive desktop application interface can be split into three sections - application header, navigation pane, and main window.

Application header

The application header comprises the search, account quota information, Upgrade button, Activity logs, and your username with access to the web console.

The navigation pane comprises six functional sections:

• Backup - View and select file(s) and folder(s) to back up to your IDrive account.
• Restore - Displays all backed up file(s) and folder(s), allowing you to restore, share, search file(s)/folder(s).
• Scheduler – Schedule your backups
• Cloud Drive - Sync your files and folders in real-time across all the linked devices.
• Server Backup - Backup all your databases and servers.
• Settings - Configure your IDrive account settings.

Main Window

The main window displays contents related to the functional sections, selected on the navigation pane.

Does IDrive support localization?

Yes. Currently, the IDrive application and website support four languages - English, Spanish, French, and German.

I have backed up certain folders (containing multimedia, etc.) which are not going to change. Can I remove them from my backup set, presuming that the backed up data wouldn't be affected?

After you have backed up files that you will not update, you can remove them from your Backup set. All files, once backed up, remain unaffected in your IDrive account even if you remove their reference from your backup set.

In my backed up files, I see a number of files called 'desktop.ini'. Do I actually need these?

The 'desktop.ini' file is a hidden file used to customize the settings of the Windows folders that contain the file.

If you wish to avoid backing up these files,

1. Go to 'Settings' > 'Exclude files/folders from backup'.
2. Click 'Add Item'.
3. Enter the full/partial name of the files/folders you want to exclude from backup and click 'Save Changes'. These files/folders will be excluded from backup.

I have included files from a CD and DVD in my backup set. After I back them up, can I run subsequent backups without inserting the CD and DVD while my backup set still refers it?

Yes. The absence of the CD/DVD, referenced in your backup set, will not hinder your regular backup activity. However, files from CD/DVD shall not be backed up.

What are the options available in IDrive Tray?

On installation IDrive creates an IDrive Tray icon on your system tray.

Right-clicking the IDrive Tray icon provides access to the following options:

Menu Options

• Upgrade storage: You can upgrade your account to a higher plan.
• Start application: Start the IDrive desktop application.
• Access IDrive web: Sign in to your IDrive web account.
• Check for latest version: This option gives you updates of the latest version of the IDrive application.
• Proxy settings: Configure the proxy settings to use the IDrive application.
• Settings: Configure your IDrive account settings.
• Status: Displays the status of the last scheduled backup operation.
• Show progress: You can view the progress of the scheduled backup job.
• Scheduler: Manage your backup operations from the IDrive Tray.
  • Manage all scheduled jobs: Manage your scheduled backup jobs and view the scheduled backup job details.
  • Pause the scheduled job: You can pause your scheduled backup.
  • Stop the scheduled job: You can stop your scheduled backup.
  • Disable all the scheduled jobs: You can disable/enable all scheduled backup jobs.
• Cloud Drive: Access the Sync options.
  • My Cloud Drive folder: Access files in the Sync folder.
  • Pause:Pause a sync operation.
  • Recently modified files: View files that have been recently modified.
  • Stop sync: You can disable data synchronization.
• View logs: Check the activity log reports of your operations.
• Send error report: Contact IDrive support team for queries, suggestions or feedback.
• Online help: Provides all information on the IDrive application.
• Quit IDrive tray: Closes IDrive tray.

I am receiving a backup notification stating as 'Success' even though the log details contain 'permission denied' error on files and folders. Why?

If the backup set includes any permission denied files/folders, IDrive assumes that it has been added by you, and will backup all the files/folders except for the denied files/folders. However, IDrive considers the backup operation as success and lists 'Permission denied' information in the logs, for the denied files/folders.

If I overwrite the IDrive application with the latest version, will the application retain the on-going backups and restores?

When you overwrite the IDrive application with a newer version, the on-going backup and restore operations will get canceled. Ensure there are no on-going operations before installing the latest version of the application.

How do I uninstall the IDrive app from my computer?

To uninstall the app using Windows:

1. Go to 'Start' > 'Apps' > 'Installed Apps'.
2. From the list of apps, click next to 'IDrive', and select 'Uninstall'.
3. A warning message will be prompted. Click 'Uninstall'.
4. A message will prompt asking you to start the uninstallation process.
5. Click 'Yes' to continue.

The backup stops when my external USB drive goes off to sleep. How do I resolve this?

If the external hard disk goes off to sleep, it may interrupt or stop your backup process. To ensure smooth backup, turn off the power-saving option for USB hubs.

To turn off power saving,

1. Go to Control Panel > 'Power Options'.
2. Click 'Change Plan Settings' on your current 'Preferred plan'.
3. Click 'Change advanced power settings'.
4. Expand the 'USB Settings' option and choose 'Disable' for 'USB selective suspend setting'.
   
   
   
   
5. Click OK.

Alternatively,

1. Go to 'Control Panel' > 'Device Manager'.
2. Expand the 'Universal Serial Bus controllers' option.
3. Right-click USB Root Hub, and choose 'Properties'.



4. Click 'Power Management', and clear the 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power' checkbox.
   
   
   
   
5. Click OK.

Note: Repeat steps 3, 4 and 5 for all USB Root Hubs listed.