How to change the location of the FPI data folder, which is the folder that is utilized by both 'Local Backup' or a 'Cloud Backup' device types to store backup index files to, in NovaBACKUP 21.x (and 19.8, 20.x). You can read this paragraph for more context about why you may want or need to change the location of the FPI data folder, or if you don't need to know that you can skip to the second paragraph, that starts with "A new ‘FPIDataDir' variable ..". The "FPI" backup index data folder, that is located by default in your "ProgramData" folder, which normally will always be on the C: OS drive, has the potential to get large (north of 30 GB is certainly a possibility) depending on some factors, but in normal use cases for customers that have for instance 100 GB free or more on their C: drive this is not normally going to be an issue for you to need to change the FPI data folder to use a different local drive FPI data folder location, but you may still prefer to change it though so that there is no chance of much data storing to your C: drive by the NovaBACKUP client in that case, as this folder that you can custom define to be located on a different local drive is one of the only folders that has the potential to get large in that case, and otherwise it will by default always utilize the %programdata% folder typically on your OS C: drive in that case, if not changed. No matter if you have or have not completed any backups to the two stated device types, the FPI data folder move operation will move any existing backup index files for you automatically after implementing this change, to add one variable and value to a client config file. You can utilize this method to change the location and move the existing "FPI" data folder, which stores backup index data which are necessary to be able to perform restores of backups. The backups (in that case that use the .dat file extension) files are not stored in this folder, it is just the backup index entry data files that are stored there (but if you have completed a thousand backups to a 'Local Backup' or a 'Cloud Backup' device then that could equate to 10 GB of backup index data possibly, which would all be dependent on how many "files" were in the backup job selection, if there were 1 million files then the index records can be large, each time the backup job runs to produce the backup index record files at this folder location), which maybe you can't afford to have that backup index data stored on a typical C: OS disk that the ProgramData folder lives on, which is where the FPI folder exists (by default, unless you change it), and the 'FPIDataDir' variable that this how to guide pertains to allows you to change the location of that FPI data folder, to tell the client to utilize that different local, non-network, path to store that backup index data in, such as a local D: drive), where the first time you do backup to the two stated device types that original existing backup index data will be moved to the new location, and future backup runs will also use that new FPI data folder location going forward. Just to be clear, the actual backups (.dat files) are not stored in this folder, it is just the backup index entry data files that exist in the folder we are talking about here (but that folder does have the chance of growing over time, because there is no limit to the number of backup index records that could be kept stored in this folder, and there is a chance that they can be kept forever in fact, for instance if you do not enable Retention in the backup jobs that use those two stated device types that would be true).
A new ‘FPIDataDir' variable and value can be added to nsconfig.ini, which can be anwhere inside the [configuration] section which is at the top of the file, which could be just under the existing ‘baseDataDir’ variable (which has to do with the ‘Default Settings > Advanced Options > Temporary Files directory’ setting where the default there would be '%programdata%\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\' folder (normally that would equate to this path, unless your OS disk is on a different drive letter than C: drive: 'C:\ProgramData\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\'), and in this example client we have changed it via the GUI to be 'C:\NBKTemp’, once a new folder location is specified, usually to change the hard drive from the C: drive to another drive, in this example we used 'D:\FPIData' as the new folder location, and after the OK button is pressed in the above dialog, only if the folder differs from how it was set prior, then certain folders are moved from the old specified location to the new specified location). Note: If you do utilize 'C:\NBKTemp' as the FPIDataDir variable value, then a sub-folder named "FPI" will be created inside that folder, and likewise if you use 'D:\FPIData'as the FPIDataDir variable value, then a sub-folder named "FPI" will be created inside that folder. This folder stores restore index records only, so basically dictionary files which is an index of what is inside the backup. And again, as stated in the first paragraph of this article, the actual backups (.dat files) are not stored in this folder, it is just the backup index entry data files that exist in the folder we are talking about here (but that folder does have the chance of growing over time, because there is no limit to the number of backup index records that could be kept stored in this folder, and there is a chance that they can be kept forever in fact, for instance if you do not enable Retention in the backup jobs that use those two stated device types that would be true).
After saving that setting in that file, you will exit out of the backup client application (which has the process name "NovaBackX.exe") and then you will restart the nsService.exe process / service in Windows Services, which is the service labeled as "NovaStor NovaBACKUP Backup/Copy Engine service".
The next backup job operation that is executed, that uses either a 'Local Backup' device type or a 'Cloud Backup' device type, that is started either manually or on a schedule, will perform the move operation to the new folder location that you specified in the FPIDataDir value. Note: If after the move is completed (and the backup job shows that it is in the first initial "Backing up objects" state at the very start of the backup job run, but it can never progress from that first state, and no files are listed as actively backing up either, when viewing the "Status" tab) you notice that there is a folder named "FPI" in the default original '%programdata%\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\' folder (normally that would equate to this path, unless your OS disk is on a different drive letter than C: drive: 'C:\ProgramData\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\'), meaning under that stated folder there is a folder named "FPI" that exists there, that still exists at that exact path name that is stated, which should have been removed as a folder after the move operation completed, then most likely the backup to those two stated device types will run forever, in the first initial "Backing up objects" job run state only, and will never complete, and all backup jobs to those devices will run forever in that one job run state, and if that is true then you will need to follow the special instructions in the paragraph below for how to work around that backup job run problem.
Note (Special Instructions for if the default FPI data folder remains as a folder name in the default original ProgramData folder after the move operation has completed): If after implementing the "Change FPI data folder" instructions above, your backup jobs stop working to the 'Local Backup' or 'Cloud Backup' device types after the above described change, in that they just run forever in the "Backing up objects" state, then you will need to follow this special instruction text then:
Note: If you do perform these special instructions, that should solve the problem of backups to the two stated device types running forever and not able to complete, then there is a minor chance that the backup job(s) that run next to the two stated device types will not run as incremental backups for the first time, they may instead run as full seed backups for the first time, and then as incrementals forever after that, and that is all dependent on if the prior FPI data folder move operation was completely successful or not, to move the existing "FPI" data folder, that stores the backup index data, to the new FPI data folder location. This is stated just so that you are aware that can happen, if the data folder move operation had a problem, as a heads-up.
- Use Windows Task Manager app to right-click and end the 'nsService.exe' task that is running, via Windows Task Manager > Details tab. This should stop the running backup job. If it does not then also look for a 'engine.exe' task that also may be running and end that task, and if 'nsService.exe' task is still running end that task as well.
- Navigate to the original default Program Data folder (on your OS drive): '%programdata%\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\. Normally that would equate to this path, unless your OS disk is on a different drive letter than C: drive: 'C:\ProgramData\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\'. If you have custom defined your own ProgramData folder to go to a different drive letter than that, then you may need to replace the drive letter manually at the start of the path statement then, but the %programdata% variable should take you to the folder in question to look for if an "FPI" folder does or does not exist there currently, as that folder may be the cause as to why the backup jobs that use those device types run forever after you changed the FPI data folder variable and value (or just after implementing it in the nsconfig.ini file that is).
- Look for a folder named "FPI" in the above folder. This is the default original "FPI" folder that we will need to rename or delete, as it is likely causing the backup jobs that use those devices to run forever just due to that remnant (most likely empty) folder existing at that original default path.
- Rename or delete the "FPI" folder in the folder stated in Step 2. If using rename then rename it to "FPI_old" or something like that. If the folder cannot be renamed or deleted then exit out of all of your Windows Explorer sessions that are running. If you still cannot rename or delete the "FPI" folder then do this: Use Windows Task Manager app to right-click and end the 'nsService.exe' task if it is running, via Windows Task Manager > Details tab, then try to rename or delete the "FPI" folder right away. If you still have problems you will need to perform the extra special Step 5 below to get that folder rename or delete done first.
- If the "FPI" folder still has not been able to be either renamed or deleted by this point, then perform this extra special 5th step to exit out of all of your Windows Explorer sessions (tasks). One way to do that would be to do this: Use Windows Task Manager app to right-click and end ANY 'explorer.exe' task(s) that are running (there can be multiple of those tasks), via Windows Task Manager > Details tab. Then retry Step 4 again, to make sure it can either be renamed or deleted before continuing. If it still cannot be renamed or deleted as a folder you will have to reboot the machine and perform Steps 1, 2, 3, and 4 again (without trying to run a backup job yet after the reboot for that matter).
- Once you have confirmed that the default original "FPI" folder Then run a backup job that utilizes either the 'Local Backup' or 'Cloud Backup' device types again and it should be able to run and actually backup files this time around, and complete with some form of status, and not just get stuck in the "Backing up objects" state as to run forever without ending, as it was prior to this special instruction set being done.