FAQ Account Information
How can I tell what version I have
You can identify your version by opening the Backup Direct™
software (Start | Programs | BackupDirect | Online Backup) and then clicking on
Help | About.
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Where to find your account information
- Your Account Number appears on the Home screen of the Backup Direct™
Agent and under Help | About.
- Your Encryption Key: From the menu bar, select Options | Security
| View.
- Your Password: You can only see your password by printing your
account information. From the menu bar, select Options | Security | View |
Print.
Note: If you have a password, you will need it in order to print.
If you do not have the Backup Direct™ software on your PC, you can
submit a Support Request.
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Account number - unique to each computer
Each computer using Backup Direct™ has a unique account
number. The account number is assigned when you connect to the data centres
for the first time after signing up for a plan. It is associated with the
computer where the software is installed and the backups will take place.
If you have multiple computers, you will have multiple accounts. If you
have several accounts, they may all be charged to the same credit card.
By having a unique account number for your computer, data that you back up
from that computer will be recoverable even if the account is moved to a
new computer. If you want to share backups between computers, distinct
account numbers enable you to do that as well.
If you have an account but do not have the Backup Direct™ software on the
PC for which the account was opened, you can submit a
Support Request for this information.
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Changing computer or re-installing the agent
In order to move the backup account to a new computer, you should follow
the procedure below:
- Obtain the setup software from [Re-install download]
or by contacting Backup Direct™ via our Support form
- Install the software on the new machine, choosing the option to
'Retrieve an existing account'
- Enter the security details when asked, which you can obtain from your
current installation (Options | Security | View encryption key | Print)
This will then ensure that the new computer is the one backing up data
for your account. You can choose to download data from our servers to
the new machine if required.
A set of instructions for performing an account retrieval can be downloaded from
here.
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Encryption key - a security lock on your backups
An encryption key is used to encrypt your data for safe transmission
between your computer and our data centres. You will be asked for your
encryption key whenever you retrieve files or perform an account recovery.
The encryption key is a word or a phrase that you create when you first
set up an account. It contains a minimum of 8 characters. Once an
encryption key is set it cannot be changed.
If you have an account but do not have the Backup Direct™ software on the
PC for which the account was opened, you can submit a
Support Request for this information.
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Account Password - a safeguard for data retrieval
Once you have established an account, you can create a password for it.
A password must contain a minimum of 6 characters. It can be changed
whenever you wish.
It is not necessary to have a password. However, you might want to
password-protect your account if your computer is shared with other
people. While a password won't prevent backups, it will prevent anyone
else using your account from retrieving anything you have backed up.
While it is not necessary to have a password, once you have established an
account, you can create a password for it. A password must contain a
minimum of 6 characters. It can be changed whenever you wish.
Note: Most people do not use an account password, and some companies do
not even enable this feature for their users.
To create a password or to change one: From the menu bar, select Options |
Security | Change Account Password. After your password has been
transmitted to the data centres, you should print your account information
as described in the next paragraph.
In order to see an existing password, it is necessary to print the account
information. However, you need to know the account password in order to
print, so print the information while the password is fresh in your mind
and store the printout in a safe place. From the menu bar, select Options
| Security | View Encryption Key | Print.
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Request Account Information
If you have forgotten your Account Number and/or Data Encryption Key
and do not have access to your account, please submit a
Support Request.
