Data base lost?

[rmedlinnc]

So, the inevitable (for me) has happened!  My hard drive crashed and I've had to install a new drive.  I have been using Carbonite for several years and was under the impression that my ACT database files were being backed up.  I now understand that ACT stores database files on a "sequel server?"  Whatever that is!  

Is there no way to retrieve my database files?  The company who installed my new hard drive is looking to see if there is any possibility of getting them off the old drive, but it looks pretty grim. 

Any and all help is appreciated.  I don't need to say what a DA I am for not backing up regularly, but I honestly thought Carbonite had me covered. 

Thanks in advance, 

A soon to be backing up at least weekly user. 

(I don't even want to think about the loss of the databases!) 

[Roy_Laudenslager]

The ACT! database is an SQL database and the SQL server loads a boot time and and opens the database at that time even though the ACT! program isn't loaded. Carbonite doesn't backup open files or executable files. Unless they can retrieve the database from the old hard drive it's lost. For the future you should use the ACT! backup to create a zip file on the local hard drive which Carbonite can backup.

[rmedlinnc]

Thanks much, Roy.  Not what I wanted to hear, but suspected was fact. 

[FILLSTAFF]

This may help ?

There are places that can recover a crashed hard drive but I have never needed that service. Google it.

ACT! can automaticaly backup your database and personal files by using your act scheduler.

I do not use that method as it is too limiting to only one backup at any given time?

I do manual backups using ACT! / File / Backup / Database  etc...  also backup up your personal files. DAILY and before making any major changes.  I do not use any cloud backup service.

I use Backup Folders Pro to store my ACT! & QB Backups - FREE   http://fillstaff.com/backupfolderspro.html

Place that folder inside your my docs / ACT! / ACT! Data / Backup folder

Good luck - cheers - FSBill

[Roy_Laudenslager]

For what it's worth, I've had hard disk crashes in the past that I was able to recover data from. what I did was to install the crashed drive as a secondary hard drive and then let Windows so a disk analysis and map out any bad sectors. Surprisingly enough, most of my data was recoverable. Most of the damage was to the program files. Wish you luck.

[Kugel]

In the furture,

1) RAID is standard on servers it allows your server to continue to work even after a HDD is lost

2) Imaging your HDD isnt too common on servers but taking a image of your HDD will allow you to complely restore you computer from this backup.

3) ACT! has cloud services and Dedicated servers which makes crashes someone elses problem. 

4) a SQL/ACT backup. All databases should be backuped daily, which is standard especialy for highlu active databases

Any one of these thing would have saved you.