GUARD v0.3.0

GUARD 0.3.0 makes the backup schedule flexible and opt-in, and cleans up several rough edges reported since 0.2.0.

Scheduling

• Choose which days of the week the scheduled backup runs: tick any mix of weekdays - all seven for daily, one for weekly, or a custom set.
• Scheduling is now opt-in: a fresh install no longer registers a scheduled task until you tick "Run a scheduled backup". The separate Create/Update Task and Remove Task buttons are gone; Save Settings is the single place that applies (or removes) the schedule.
• The Windows scheduled task is now named "GUARD Backup" (previously "Daily GUARD Backup", which no longer fit). The old task is removed automatically the next time you save, so upgraders are not left with two backups.
• The day and time controls grey out while the schedule is off.

Other improvements

• The App Inventory filter now also searches publisher, app type (winget / store / manual), and package ID, not just the app name.
• The Remove Folder button now explains the difference between removing a folder (forget it entirely) and unticking it (skip it temporarily but keep it in the list), and its prompts read the same whether you use a keyboard or a mouse.
• The About dialog version is now derived from the release tag at build time, so it always matches the release you downloaded.

Fixes

• Exclude lists with more than one entry were silently truncated to the first line after a save and reload; all entries now survive.
• Screen readers announced the folder list's second column as "subfolder" while the visible header read "Destination subfolder"; the spoken name now matches.
• Pressing an access key that opens a dialog while another dialog was already open crashed the app.
• The saved-status line no longer re-announces itself to screen readers on every checkbox or field change when its text has not changed.
• The About dialog reported version 0.1 instead of the actual release version.

Download

Grab GUARD.zip below, extract it, and run GUARD.exe from inside the extracted GUARD folder. No installation needed; settings and logs stay next to the exe. Requires Windows 10 version 1809 (build 17763) or later.

GUARD v0.2.0

Packaging and storage corrections found while testing v0.1.0 on a clean system,
plus the UI refinements accumulated since the first release.

Pre-release: expect rough edges and many future improvements.

Important: GUARD now ships as a zip, not a bare .exe

Download GUARD.zip, extract it, and run GUARD.exe from inside the extracted
GUARD folder. GUARD writes its settings, backup script, and logs next to the
exe in that folder, so keeping it in its own folder keeps everything tidy.

Fixed

• The single-file build saved its working files (backup-settings.ini,
  guard-backup.cmd, Logs\) into a temporary cache instead of next to the exe.
  They now land next to the exe as intended.
• Build scripts and several repo/source files were being bundled inside the exe
  and unpacked at runtime; they no longer ship inside the app.

Changed

• Ships as GUARD.zip (a GUARD folder with the exe + README) instead of a bare exe.
• Schedule time is now set with a native TimePicker that follows your system
  12-/24-hour clock.
• Keyboard: Help is now F1; Alt+A adds a folder; the App Inventory filter is Alt+F.
• Clearer "Destination subfolder" column label; accessibility refinements.

Added

• Tooltips noting wildcard support (*, ?) on the exclude fields.

See CHANGELOG.md for the full list.

Install

Download GUARD.zip below, extract it, and run GUARD.exe from the GUARD
folder. No installer, no dependencies: the .NET 10 runtime and Windows App SDK
are bundled inside. Requires Windows 10 version 1809 (build 17763) or later, x64.

GUARD v0.1.0

Update: A newer release is available: v0.2.0. It corrects where GUARD stores its settings, backup script, and logs (next to the exe, not a temporary cache) and ships as GUARD.zip - extract it and run GUARD.exe from the folder. New users should grab v0.2.0 instead; this v0.1.0 build is kept for reference.

First public pre-release. WinUI 3 edition (.NET 10 + Windows App SDK 1.8), shipping as a single self-contained GUARD.exe.

Pre-release: expect rough edges and many future improvements.

Added

• File backup to any local, external, or network destination, built on Robocopy.
• Additive and Mirror copy modes.
• Folder- and file-name exclusions, one per line.
• Preview (dry-run) mode, per-folder progress, and a saved log of the last run.
• Optional daily scheduled task (Daily GUARD Backup) via a standalone, self-contained guard-backup.cmd.
• App Inventory: registry scan with winget enrichment, exportable to JSON.
• Dark / light Mica theming that follows the Windows setting.
• Screen-reader-first design: real check-box rows, single-tab-stop lists, arrow-key navigation, and re-entry focus memory.

Install

Download GUARD.exe below and run it. No installer, no dependencies: the .NET 10 runtime and Windows App SDK are bundled inside. Requires Windows 10 or 11 (x64).