Urbackup file exclusion question, Windows ProgramData directory

general discussion
1

hi,

I cannot seem to exclude C:\Users\All Users from backup.

I have, under Default directories to backup: C:\Users
Under Excluded files i have: C:\Users\Default:User*;C:\Users\All:Users*

All Users in Windows 10 is a symbolic (or whatever its called in win*) link to C:\ProgramData.

For some reason All Users is still backed up as a symbolic link on the (linux) server side, and its contents in ./.symlink_ProgramData

Shouldn’t it be excluded by “C:\Users\All:Users*”? Or does the colon wildcard apply only for includes?

2

After removal, make sure that no other symlink is pointing into ProgramData. The log will tell you (file x confirms symlink y) which causes it to be backed up. Or run a full file backup, I guess.

3

What removal? I don’t want to remove anything. I want C:ProgramData to be excluded from backup.

Log says: Following symbolic link at “C:\Users\All Users” to “C:\ProgramData” confirms symlink backup target “.symlink_ProgramData” to “C:\ProgramData”

But “C:\Users\All Users” should be excluded (see original post) and the symlink should not be followed.

edit: it seems that the colon wildcard just does not work in excludes. If i put “C:\Users\All Users*” it is excluded, but not with “C:\Users\All:Users*”

edit2: no, i give up. Some clients in the same group are still backing up All Users…

4

Also, urbackup seems to have created a broken link on server for several clients:
All Users -> …/.symlink_ProgramData

And hundreds of errors on the next backup for missing files in that folder:
|Error getting complete file “js68wsUIXnd4e6nL2ykl|.symlink_ProgramData/Battle.net/Agent/Agent.6610/Logs/Agent-20190331T125850.log” from 5GDSPF2. Errorcode: CANNOT_OPEN_FILE (3)|
| — | — |
||

5

@xfz: I’m excluding “Public” folder and it works for me this way:
Default directories to backup: C:\Users
Excluded files (with wildcards): *.ost;Users\Public

The “Public” folder isnt created at all

6

@pateka my issues seem to be specifically related to “All Users” which is a symlink to C:\ProgramData in Windows 10.
I do not know if it is the name with space or the fact that it is not a “normal” folder, but a symlink that causes the problems.

Public is excluded somewhat successfully - it is present in the backup, but empty.

7

That’s the thing - with my expression the Public is not created at all. Maybe give it a shot?

(the “present in the backup, but empty” is causing me some issues too, but with included files… I’m trying to solve it in a different topic)

8

I have had a lot of trouble excluding a directory on a specific client, turns out it only works when I don’t specify the drive letter. i.e. D:\FolderName\* or D:\FolderName* don’t work, but *\FolderName\* works.