Quick Start

Quick start

This guide gets you from installation to a proven restore point. For a tour of every page, see Guided tour.

1) Set the projects root

• Open Settings.
• Set Projects root to the folder that contains your project folders.
• This enables discovery; it does not automatically protect every child.

2) Choose a destination

• Simple mode: set Fallback backup location.
• Advanced mode: enable Advanced destinations, add one or more targets, and use Test for each one.
• Never put a destination inside the project being protected.

3) Add a project

• Go to Projects.
• Register a discovered folder or add it directly.
• Choose the closest preset so caches and generated files can be ignored.
• Give the project a clear name; it appears in Backups, History, Recovery, and the tray menu.

4) Run a manual backup

• Open Backups.
• Select Backup for the project to create its first restore point.
• Keep VaultSync open until the run reaches a completed or actionable error state.

5) Prove the result

• Confirm the new point appears in Backups and History.
• Open Recovery and run a drill to check that the stored payload is reachable and readable.
• Review the 3-2-1 advisor. Mark a destination as offsite only when it is physically offsite.
• Create a second point after a small change and use Compare.

Tips

• Use a local SSD for fastest backups.
• For NAS or SMB, see Network shares.
• If you change paths, credentials, encryption, or mount options, test the destination again and rerun affected Recovery drills.
• See Settings reference before enabling performance shortcuts such as aggressive scan cache or parallel archive uploads.