Note: The name of the "data file" created by doing a backup is:
hsrdat.mdb (version 1 of HER)
hsr2dat.mdb (version 2 of HER)
If you keep very detailed lesson plans, and have many students, and/or keep records for many years, eventually the data file for HomeSchool Easy Records (HER) will grow too large for a 1.44 MB floppy disk. The backup process in HER does not "span" multiple floppies. There are some solutions available however...
1) Microsoft Backup (utility) will backup your data across multiple floppy disks. You should have Microsoft Backup on your PC (it comes with Windows). If you don't find it, see the text below regarding installation of Backup.
First, get two or three formatted floppies that have no files on them and label them "HER Backup 1" (and 2 and 3). Put floppy 1 into your PC.
Go to Start->Programs->Accessories->System Tools then click on Backup. If Backup is not in the list you need to install it from your Windows CD.
When Microsoft Backup starts, select "Create a New Backup Job" then select "Backup Selected Files". Click on the + mark next to your C drive in the window that appears then click on the DPSHER folder (not on the box next to the folder or too many files will be selected). Now in the right-hand window check the box next to "hsr2dat.mdb" (this is your data file). Now click on the Next button. Now select "All Selected Files" and click on the Next button. In the next window, "Where to back up" should say "file" and in the white box below enter "a:\her" then click on the Next button.
In this window, it's OK to check the box that says "Compare original and backup" if you want to be sure that your backup works OK. Check the box that says "Compress the backup". Click on the Next button. In the next window that appears, name your backup "HER-Backup" (or whatever you want). Now click on the Start button. Your backup will be run now.
If needed, you will be prompted to put in another floppy or two. When all is done, you can close out the Microsoft Backup window. The backup files on the floppy disk(s) will have name(s) ending in ".qic"
2) If you have a CD writer, just copy the data file to the CD-R or CD-RW. You typically have to format the CD first so that it behaves as a "drive letter" to your PC. Most CD-writer software will allow you to "overwrite" the previous backup file with the latest one each time you do a backup. When it comes time to restore the data, copy the data file back to your HomeSchool Easy Records installation directory.
For some reason, HER does not allow you to specify your CD-R/CD-RW as a target for your backup. If you try it, you get the message that the "database is read-only". So the method just described is the way to get around this.
To automate the process, you can make a desktop shortcut that copies the data file to your CD-R so you can do backups with just a mouse click.
3) If you have version 2 of HER, you can direct the data from for your backup to go to a drive letter other than a: or b: For example if you have an Iomega Zip drive it may be drive letter d: and you can direct your backup to go there. If you don't have a Zip drive, they can be purchased for under $100 and are fairly easy to install in your PC.
4) If you have version 2 of HER, don't have a Zip drive, but do have a second hard drive, you can direct your backup data to any place on the 2nd hard drive.
5) If you have version 2 of HER, and know how to use WinZip (a software compression program), you can direct your backup to anywhere on your c: drive, then use WinZip to compress the data file to one or more floppies.
6) If you have another PC on a home network, you can "mount" the hard drive of the other PC as drive "\\other_pc_name\c\herbackup\" and do your backup there.
7) Any way you can get the data file copied to another location that is not on your hard drive (c:) will accomplish a "backup" of your data.
Note: WinZip shareware can be ordered for about $29 from http://www.winzip.com
Note: Version 1 of HER will not allow you to do backups to any drive letter besides a: or b: