Gentlemen:
On all my computers I have an automatic backup program running in the background keeping track of any changes to the disc on a a separate external flash drive such that if the system drive fails, or a file is lost or revised mistakenly, recovery is simple and quick. On my Macintosh computers its built in: its called "Time Machine" At my age, remembering to run a backup is out of the question! I am much less familiar with the Windows ecosystem. I have installed AOMEI backup pro on my Dell laptop. Seems to emulate the Time Machine well. I would like to have the same functionality on the Centroid factory NUC. I have a Masters in Computer science and have written real time software, so I understand since Windows isn't a real time operating system, why you want background process like antivirus, etc turned off. I think you would be reluctant to tell me to run AOMEI backup software in constant mode. It would be wonderful if you would. Could you check to see if there would be any objection to it being run once daily on a clock, and run once at boot time? I could probably give the process clock a low priority. All backups are incremental, so there is normally only a tiny load. Is CNC 12 running in a process that excludes windows process or allows the OS small time slices?
What are other users doing? Running naked without being able to recover? I feel Naked until I have a solution.
Warm Regards, Mike
All good points and hopefully someone with more brains than I can answer your question. I assume your software overwrites the last backup with the current backup? If not that's a lot of wasted space on a PC backing up everyday.
It's been drilled into my head that after any CNC12 wizard adjustments I make a new backup and take new screen shots of the page I just changed. That's the easy part. But if all is running smoothly day after day how do you remind yourself? I set my "clean filter reminder" in the wizard to every two weeks and when I'm blowing out the filter I create a backup on a separate thumb drive at the same time. Just my 2¢.
I guess I go at this differently having been in and around computers since the 80's!
If you set up a CNC controller PC as suggested by Centroid, you would only have your windows install and CNC 12 on the computer.
CNC 12 does weekly reports which has all the data of your CNC 12 install.
Windows and CNC 12 are both downloadable from the web so if you make a file transfer once in a while of the weekly report to a USB drive, then you have all you need if your computer crashed beyond recovery. Even if you miss a week or two, you will only lose any tool changes you made since the last weekly backup. All of the machine setup data will still be the same.
Yes, there could be more files like your G-Code files but I make my G-Code on another computer and transfer it over to the mill or lathe by USB drive, therefore I already have a backup.
Once a CNC 12 computer is setup, if you don't plan on taking it out on the network you don't even need to keep widows updates running. It will run as is until it dies! I think this is where people are getting into trouble, they make their CNC PC do other chores and therefore they risk Viruses or interference from other programs.
Most PC's will run CNC 12 really well if you follow Centroids recommendations and make it a CNC ONLY PC!
Yes, you can do it another way and many do and they have to work with and accept the risk that go with doing so.
I run both my lather and my mill as CNC only computers and I've never had any issues with anything. Upgrades for CNC 12 go off without a hitch every time.
Ok, my 2 cents worth.
Dave C.
Grizzly G0678 Mill ,CNC conversion with Acorn. G4004G Lathe, Mach 3 conversion to Acorn.
You can schedule the backup when you boot up Windows, just wait until it is done before you proceed to do anything in the Centroid Software. However I think it would make more sense to have the backup set run as part of your shutdown procedure, so that it backs up everything after your changes of the day. If you leave your computer on all the time then just set it to run at a time you are not using it, 1am or whatever.
The Centroid software has the ability to create a Report. This will save all your settings and parameters. Make sure to save it on a thumb-drive or email it to yourself.
(We pride ourselves on providing timely solid technical support but, without good information we may not be able to help and/or reply until such information is posted.)
I forgot about the automatic weekly backups as I launch the software and walk away sometimes. That is a backup to the HD in the PC and then I do my own every two weeks to a thumb drive that I keep in my desk. I have one for each machine.
I agree with Dave, my CNC PC is just that, a PC that runs my machine only. Nothing else. Never any issues with the PC, it just works. Those that keep their machines connected to the internet and run other software on the same machine will have more problems that if they just used it as a CNC PC but this is another topic.
If there's a way to schedule a backup to the cloud on a regular schedule that would be good also. A weekly backup to the same machine does not make any sense to me.
As cheap as SSDs are these days, set up a RAID 10 array and be done with it. In reality, you could completely set up CNC12 in the time it takes to restore a disk backup, so I personally I wouldn't bother with anything.
Once you set your machine up and generate a report, the report and the CNC12 installer is all you ever need. Change the configuration - generate a new report. No need to back up what isn't changing on a daily basis.
Your mileage may vary.
Cheers,
Tom
Confidence is the feeling you have before you fully understand the situation.
I have CDO. It's like OCD, but the letters are where they should be.
tblough wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 11:34 am
As cheap as SSDs are these days, set up a RAID 10 array and be done with it. In reality, you could completely set up CNC12 in the time it takes to restore a disk backup, so I personally I wouldn't bother with anything.
Once you set your machine up and generate a report, the report and the CNC12 installer is all you ever need. Change the configuration - generate a new report. No need to back up what isn't changing on a daily basis.
Your mileage may vary.
That's exactly what I do and have been doing for years works great.
I feel Naked until I have a solution.