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What is the path to the individual client tax files?


Cathy

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Well, it finally happened.  I paid my $129 to Carbonite and had a warm and fuzzy feeling everything would be o'kay if my computer died....NOT!!!!!!!  The power supply went out but rather than get a new power supply, I got a new computer....it was time. 

I had my hard drive put into an external drive and now need to get my 2017 clients' tax returns off of my hard drive and can't seem to locate them.  I've heard they are hidden somewhere.  Does anyone know the path?

 

Thanks!

Cathy

 

P.S.  IF ANY OF YOU USE CARBONITE AS A BACKUP FOR ATX, DON'T.....GET AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN ASAP!!!!!!!!

 

 

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What you found is not actually a carbonite specific issue.  Many "third party" backup providers fail to "in your face" teach you that their default backup settings are unlikely to backup all you were hoping to.  Why?  Unless the backup software defaulted to backup all folders on all drives (which would be completely wasteful), the backup defaults can only be set to known common folders, which are not likely to include all important data.

(This is an all too often issue I have to deal with with my own customers.)

1.  Rely FIRST on the application creator for instructions on backing up date from the software they wrote.  Application vendors have a vested interest in making backup and restore easy for you (and for them), and will reliably capture all data needed for that application.

2.  THEN, setup your third party backup solution to capture the backups made by your applications.

3.  For most, in addition to #2, let the third party backup solution use their defaults, with the items in #2 manually added to the list of items backed up.

4.  VERIFY your backup.  If you have never taken the time to restore, your backup, as sadly you experienced, can be worse than no backup at all, since you thought you had something you did not.  After a disaster is not the time to be doing your first restore..  Verify (by doing a full test restore) will also allow you to see what was actually backed up, if you can reinstall the applications, and allows for adjustments before the disaster.

5.  How to verify?  Have or obtain a clean computer to restore onto.  Not only will you then have at least something to use after a disaster (assuming you keep the spare in a separate location, so it is not subject to the same disaster), you have an easy way to verify your restore process.  If a space computer is not an option (and it should be considered part of doing business, not something you cannot afford), you can at least test restore your data, say into a separate folder you create (instead of overwriting your live data).

6.  I am completely jaded in this area of computing, since I hear daily from folks who had no backup, or thought they had a backup.  Like "safe hex" (protecting yourself from computer contamination by controlling your fingers), there is no software you can buy which will eliminate some manual interaction to ensure proper backups.

All is not lost.  While you may have suffered now, you can make some good, by making this the last time you do not have good, working, and tested backups.  You may be able to find a good local tech (not a wipe and reinstall tech) who can put in a power supply they have laying around, and get your data transferred.  A good tech could also take the drive out and get the data.  DO NOT use the drive any more, as deleted files can often be recovered by a good tech!

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I use TaxWise and Carbonite. I always check to be sure they are backing up all my business files. It took a dance, but they are getting it all. Still, I feel like I'm swinging without a net. That's mainly because I am not a computer tech myself. My nephew is my tech, and he lives in Chicago. I flew him here one year to help me. Now, he just accesses my computer online and works on it. I send him a love check. It's hard to know who you can trust with all these tax ID numbers, so I'm thankful to have him. 

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14 hours ago, cbslee said:

I can't speak to last year since I switched to Drake for 2017.  However ATX keeps backup copies of all your efiled returns.

Prior to last year they were offering access to their backup copies for $99.00 

Just switched to Drake as well.  At their seminar the instructor said that If it was filed and our system crashed our returns could be recovered form the price of 0.00 dollars.  I love the fact that Drake does not charge for every little thing!

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11 hours ago, Possi said:

It's hard to know who you can trust with all these tax ID numbers, so I'm thankful to have him. 

There are programs, pre processors if you will, you can use to make internal compressed and encrypted backups.  You can then have your external backup solution make backups of the compressed encrypted files.

I use a program called Cobian to make the actual file I backup.  Cobian encrypts and compresses.  It is not a program for the raw computer novice, as it does take some setup, but if patient, not any more complicated than something like Carbonite.  You could then have your backup solution make a backup of just the one file Cobian made, and not have to worry about the security of the backup solution or location.  You could hand your backup to all but the most determined and cost unlimited hacker (since I consider nothing unbreakable given time and resources) and be in good shape.

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UPDATE:

 

 A huge "THANK YOU" to John with ATX who just got my files restored!!!!!!!!  If I had time, I would write a book about him, however, I'm so far behind because of my foolishness!  

 

Again, thank you, John!  😻

 

Take care,

Cathy

 

 

 

 

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That is excellent news.  While I do not use ATX, I was hoping they, like many of us software makers, spend a large amount of time on protecting our customers from human and non human errors.  In our case (like it appears ATX does too) we have a very lightly documented (to try to keep people from manipulating or replying on it) a third set of local data, which, unless the drive is completely unusable, or human manipulated, provides a double secret (pun intended) set of data to try to recover.

My point is, when something happens, and you have no workable recovery plan of your own in place, contact the software vendor and ask what options they have (before trying any sort of self recovery).

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Former Carbonite user here. Carbonite is inappropriate for tax preparers and bookkeeper, or anyone who frequently updates files. (I won't bore you with the detail unless you ask.) I switched from Carbonite to CrashPlanPro when I switched to ATX because I called Carbonite when I saw I couldn't backup my ATX files. ATX made a poor decision to store the database AND the backup files in a hidden system folder.

This year I finally moved my ATX backup files location to another folder.

A tech at Spider Oak told me that it's a waste of time to backup a database using a remote backup program like these, because of the way these backups work. He said the database is often unusable when restored. So backing up the ATX backups is the most important thing to do.

I've considered doing disk imaging for backups because of the time it would save using an image in the event of complete drive failure. You wouldn't have to reinstall and configure all of your software, including windows.

Anyway, to answer the initial question, your files are stored here:

C:\ProgramData\CCH Small Firm Services\ATX 2017 Server

 

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I somewhat agree with Abby Normal.  If your backup solution only offers incremental backups, I would look elsewhere.  I prefer full backups each time, which stand alone.  Incremental backups take more care to restore, since you have to go back to the last full, restore, then restore each following incremental.  That is why I use a tool such as Cobian, so I make my own backup, compress and encrypt, then send that one file to multiple places to be my latest backup.

I do not use imaging, since I would not want whatever was on my former computer to be transferred to my new.  I want a new clean computer, reinstall my applications, then restore my data.  If a faster result is needed, in advance, obtain, setup, and maintain a second computer in a safe location (safe from the same disaster risk as your main, not on the same desk, in the same office, on the same network, etc.).

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2 hours ago, Cathy said:

 

UPDATE:

 

 A huge "THANK YOU" to John with ATX who just got my files restored!!!!!!!!  If I had time, I would write a book about him, however, I'm so far behind because of my foolishness!  

 

Again, thank you, John!  😻

 

Take care,

Cathy

 

 

 

 

 

20 hours ago, Jack from Ohio said:

Call Tech Support.  

I won't say it....

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