How to Move the Backup Client software from one computer to another

The instruction on this page assume you have Backup for Workgroups Client software installed on a computer.  You no longer want to backup that original computer but instead you want to backup a different computer.  As a result you need to move the client software from an old computer to a new computer.  These instructions also assume that the old computer and the new computer are client only computers, in that they are NOT running the Backup for Workgroups Backup Server software.  If you need to move the Backup Server software then please go to the main Support page and look in the Backup Server section for those instructions.

The instruction on this page cover two common cases.  Both cases involve backing up a new computer and both will reuse your existing license keys.  The difference in these cases is whether you want to keep the old computer's backup data or do you want to purge the old computer's backup data.

I want to backup the new computer, delete the old computer's data, and reuse the license from the old computer on the new. (recommended)

I want to backup the new computer, retain the old computer's backup data, and reuse the license from the old computer

I want to backup the new computer and delete the old computer's data

Step 1 - Go to the computer running the Backup for Workgroups Backup Server software

  1. Run Backup for Workgroups
  2. Go to the Backup Server > Clients panel.
  3. Highlight the name of the Client account you had been using to backup the old computer.
  4. Use the "Delete" button to remove that Client.
  5. All of of the old computer's backup data will be deleted from the Backup Server.
  6. Use the "Add" button to add the new computer's account. 
  7. At the New Client dialog enter the name of the account you would like to use to backup the new computer.  Enter the password for this account. 
  8. Check / tick any add-on options that you intend to use with this new account. 
  9. Note - the new client account will use the backup client license that was used for the old computer.
  10. Press OK to close the New Client dialog, you should now see the new backup client account name in the list on the Clients panel.

Step 2 - Go to the old computer

  1. Go to Control Panels
  2. Select Add and Remove software
  3. Select Backup for Workgroups and press the Uninstall button.
  4. The Backup for Workgroups software and its data will be removed from the old computer.

Step 3 - Go to the new computer

  1. Download the Backup for Workgroups setup program.
  2. Run the setup program, the first screen is the license screen.  Press the large button to accept the license agreement and install Backup for Workgroups.
  3. The second screen of the Setup program shows three options.  Choose the MIDDLE option to backup this computer and other computers on your network.  Press Next.
  4. At the Create Client or Server, choose Backup Client Only.  You want to install the Backup Client software on this computer and send the backup data to the Backup Server for storage.  Press Next.
  5. At the Backup Server Name panel, enter the name of the computer on which you installed the Backup Server software.  You can enter the name of the computer running the Backup Server software or its IP address.  Then press Test Server Access to make sure that the Backup Client can connect to the Backup Server.  When you get a successful access to the Backup Server press Next.  If the Backup Client cannot connect, then check the name of the backup server or firewall settings.  Most firewalls at the client computers will allow all TCP communication outbound without needing to change the settings.  If the firewall on this computer blocks outbound TCP, then configure the firewall to allow any port to communicate outbound TCP to port 2125.
  6. At the Backup Client Login panel, the drop down list will display the account names that you created at the Backup Server.  Select the account name that you want to use to backup this computer.  Enter the password that you had created for this account.  If you do not know the name of the account or password, then go to the Backup Server and look at the Clients panel.  Press the Verify Name and Password button.  If the verify states that the account name or password is incorrect, change the password until you get a clean results from the verify.  Then press Next to continue.
  7. The setup wizard will display a panel indicating that your account is being synchronized with the Backup Server.  When this process completes, the Backup for Workgroups main window appears.

Now you are ready to press the "Backup Now" button and start the backup of the new computer.

 

I want to backup the new computer and retain the old computer's backup data

Step 1 - Go to the computer running the Backup for Workgroups Backup Server software

  1. Run Backup for Workgroups
  2. Go to the Backup Server > Clients panel.
  3. Highlight the name of the Client account you had been using to backup the old computer.
  4. Use the "Modify" button to rename the Backup Client.
  5. At the Modify Client dialog change the name of the account from the name had used to backup the old computer to a name that you would like to use to backup the new computer.  Change the password for this account to the password you want to use for the new computer's backup account. 
  6. Check / tick any add-on options that you intend to use with this new account. 
  7. Note - the new client account will use the old backup client account and all of the old computer's backup data will be retained at the Backup Server.
  8. Press OK to close the Modify Client dialog, you should now see the new backup client account name in the list on the Clients panel.

Step 2 - Go to the old computer

  1. Go to Control Panels
  2. Select Add and Remove software
  3. Select Backup for Workgroups and press the Uninstall button.
  4. The Backup for Workgroups software and its data will be removed from the old computer.

Step 3 - Go to the new computer

  1. Download the Backup for Workgroups setup program.
  2. Run the setup program, the first screen is the license screen.  Press the large button to accept the license agreement and install Backup for Workgroups.
  3. The second screen of the Setup program shows three options.  Choose the MIDDLE option to backup this computer and other computers on your network.  Press Next.
  4. At the Create Client or Server, choose Backup Client Only.  You want to install the Backup Client software on this computer and send the backup data to the Backup Server for storage.  Press Next.
  5. At the Backup Server Name panel, enter the name of the computer on which you installed the Backup Server software.  You can enter the name of the computer running the Backup Server software or its IP address.  Then press Test Server Access to make sure that the Backup Client can connect to the Backup Server.  When you get a successful access to the Backup Server press Next.  If the Backup Client cannot connect, then check the name of the backup server or firewall settings.  Most firewalls at the client computers will allow all TCP communication outbound without needing to change the settings.  If the firewall on this computer blocks outbound TCP, then configure the firewall to allow any port to communicate outbound TCP to port 2125.
  6. At the Backup Client Login panel, the drop down list will display the account names that you created at the Backup Server.  Select the account name that you want to use to backup this computer.  Enter the password that you had created for this account.  If you do not know the name of the account or password, then go to the Backup Server and look at the Clients panel.  Press the Verify Name and Password button.  If the verify states that the account name or password is incorrect, change the password until you get a clean results from the verify.  Then press Next to continue.
  7. The setup wizard will display a panel indicating that your account is being synchronized with the Backup Server.  When this process completes, the Backup for Workgroups main window appears.

All of the past backup history from the old computer will be available to the computer.  You can restore any file that the old computer had backed up on the new computer.

When you run the first backup of the new computer, most of the files that had been backed up by the old computer will be marked as deleted.  All the files on the new computer that are different than the old computer will be viewed as new files.  The first backup will take a long time to run and the first Backup Report will indicate that there are a significant number of new files (files on the new computer) and a significant number of deleted files (file that were on the old computer that are not on the new computer).

After the new computer performs its backup, you will still be able to restore files from the old computer, but they will be displayed as deleted with a red X.  This can make the restore panel very messy to look at, since you will be seeing the combination of the old computer and the new computer.  This is handy when you want the new computer to have the ability to restore files that were backed up by the old computer, but be aware it is a lot of data to look at.

 

Everyday, thousands of corporations, non-profits, and Government agencies use Backup for Workgroups Backup Software to backup their Windows Servers!  You can too!

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