[jjjj]

Hi,

PROBLEM:

I am receiving an error message when I try to backup Winfax.

I receive a message saying “backup completed unsuccessfully” during the backup.

The arch.log file contains the following after backing up logs:

<> c:winfaxData8093001.FXD
<> ** Did not commit changes to the above store **

The arch.log file has around 6,000 lines after the backup job is finished. I have around 13,000 files in the DATA folder of winfax.

I am using Winfax v10.03 on Win XP SP2.

QUESTIONS:

1. What is the maximum number of faxes you can have before the backup is unsuccessful, maybe due to too many files?

2. Is there a workaround? For example,
2.1. Splitting the messages into different message stores and backing up one at a time, or
2.2. First just backing up message store and folders with Winfax (not backing up the message files), and then second backing up the message files by copying the message files with Windows Explorer into another folder. Then to restore Winfax in full first copying back the files with Windows Explorer, and then running Winfax restore of just the message store and folders. After this will the message files and message stores be fully linked and available in the restored program?

Any advice would be helpful,

Thanks, John

[Administrator]

yes, this is a probem with the size of your message store. Fax log entries in the Messages message store are uncompressed; the Messages message store is therefore more suitable for short-term message storage or for storing a smaller number of messages.

http://www.getfaxing.com/winfax/2009/08/18/organizing-your-faxes-with-the-winfax-pro-message-stores/

There is no magical number where WinFax backup fails, but you’ve reached it. WinFax file format will only support up to 10,000 fax files in a Windows folder, since the numbering system consists of 5 unique digits & a 3 digit page number, with a file extension of FXR or FXD. So, the actual limit is 10,000 received faxes and 10,000 sent faxes but WnFax usually slows down to a crawl before this limit is reached. (Windows Explorer also has a hard time dealing with folders with 10,000 or more files) Having this many faxes in your MAIN message store just slows down WinFax (and Windows), and introduces database problems. Message stores should be created in separate windows folders, and faxes should be moved to another Message store (outside of the Main message store) if you plan on keeping records of faxes.

You can then back up each message store individually .
WinFax PRO backup will still fail if you attempt to back up all of them at the same time, even if you splt them up into separate message stores. It is unknown why, it just can’t handle that volume.

[jjjj]

Thanks to Moderator for your advice.

Its very useful to know that there is a max capacity for send and receive files of of 10,000 each.

I have recounted my messages, and although have 6000 lines in the winfax backup report and 13000 files in the data directory, the actual log count of fax messages is about 2000 in each of send and receive.

It looks like I may have had another issue with the Winfax backup program, as following your advice, I transferred half the files to another message store but I found I still had problems with an unsuccessful back up, this time with error message in the backup log of a “file not found”, even after using the Winfax maintenance utility to rebuild the Phonebooks/Log.

The reason I wanted to do a backup was to fix the printer driver in Winfax and then to do a restore after, as only the first page of faxes are being printed with the Winfax driver and the rest of the pages on multi-page faxes seem to get stuck in the Windows Printer Spooler without being printed to Winfax.

I uninstalled Winfax from the control panel and it unfortunately it stopped during the uninstallation. And I tried reinstalling but get message to say cannot as there is a prior installation.

Fortunately I made a backup of the windows registry and the Winfax directory using regular third party backup software and was able to restore the Winfax program to its former position.

My new puzzle now is to try and figure out the best way to completely uninstall Winfax 10.03 so I can make a fresh re-install.

[jjjj]

Further to my last post an update that may help others.

1. I backed up the Winfax directory using a 3rd party backup program, “AIS Backup”.

2. I used “Advanced Uninstaller Pro” and removed Winfax 10.03. This time it uninstalled without stopping.

3. I rebooted and deleted the Winfax folder.

4. I restored the Winfax directory from the backed up archive made in 1. above.

5. I then reinstalled a fresh Winfax v10.03 program from the Winfax CD over the restored Winfax directory.

The result was Winfax working perfectly !!! And the Winfax print driver reinstalled and now multi-page Winfax driver printing is working again.

I still have a problem with the backup program inside Winfax being unsuccessful and not working with an error:

<> C:WinFaxData8093006.FXD
<> ** Did not commit changes to the above store **

but I don’t care as I realize I don’t need the internal winfax backup to work as I can simply backup the Winfax directory and default data sub-directory regularly and automatically and restore it if a problem using a standard 3rd party backup program.

I will experiment to see if I can fix the winfax error message in the internal winfax backup as I would prefer an additional insurance against failure of the winfax directory structure, but in meantime all is working perfectly.

[Administrator]

WinFax Tools can repair printer driver issues without having to uninstall WinFax. Its done automatically. In most cases, printer driver issues under Windows XP can easily be repaired with WinFax Tools but I have run into a few stubborn installations.

As for WinFax Backup, there is no reason to always backup the same archived message store, assuming this message store doesn’t contain anything new (for example, a message store that contains all 2009 faxes received that were received wouldn’t need to be backed up in 2010 or later) . Keeping backups using the WinFax Backup is convenient, because you can automatically set this to perform a backup every day, but it should only be used for the default send/receive folders that change every day and any additional message stores that may change. Having an entire backup of the WINFAX folder (and the sub-folders, and any other folders where all the data is stored) is more important.

Also, The 10,000 limit is fax pages, not log entries. I’ve seen Send or Receive logs with 2000-3000 entries that had reached (or were near) the limit. WinFax Tools can tell you how many remaining fax pages you have left in the default DATA folder.

[jjjj]

Moderator, thank you very much for the additional advice about the maximum limits of fax pages in Winfax, as well as advice about Winfax Tools.

[Author]

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