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Second Copy

A second copy protects against losing the drive that holds your primary backup. After a successful backup, the background service copies it to another drive, a network share, S3-compatible storage, or a WebDAV server.

Set Up A Second Copy​

  1. Open the backup plan and find the second-copy option under Where.
  2. Enable the option and choose a destination.
  3. For a network or cloud destination, enter the connection settings and use Test connection.
  4. Enable checking the copy after writing it if needed.
  5. Save the plan or start the backup.

Choose a different physical disk or a remote destination. A second folder on the same disk does not protect against that disk failing. The primary backup folder cannot also be its second-copy folder.

The background service must be available. Update it if the application says its version cannot upload to S3 or WebDAV.

Cloud Copies​

The primary backup is created in a local or network folder first. The copy then uploads in the background. Progress appears on the backup card and in the Windows notification area. S3 uploads can resume after an interrupted connection, sleep, or a restart.

For S3, supply the endpoint, bucket, region, access keys, and any path prefix. For WebDAV, supply the server address, folder, and credentials. The connection test checks access and write permissions. Uploads use the computer's proxy settings through the service; a successful interactive test may not cover a different service proxy configuration.

Use HTTPS for transfers over the internet. Encrypt the backup before its first run if the remote copy must also be password-protected. Transport encryption alone does not encrypt the stored backup.

History And Dependencies​

The copy includes earlier versions required to restore the selected backup. When the plan's history removes expired versions, the corresponding versions are removed from the second destination too. Deletions can be caught up when a disconnected destination returns.

The second copy therefore follows the plan's history. Use separate archival storage if you need versions preserved independently of those deletion rules.

If The Copy Fails​

Second copy missing means the primary backup completed but its copy failed or was cancelled. The primary backup can still be restored. Review the reason, reconnect the destination or correct its credentials, and select Retry copy.

Do not disconnect a destination while its copy is still in progress.

Restore From A Second Copy​

Open the saved backup and select the required version. If the primary file cannot be reached, O&O DiskImage can use the second copy. You can also choose Restore from the second copy instead.

Cloud-only versions are downloaded locally before restore, together with any required backup-chain files. Allow time and sufficient local space for the download, and keep the original password available for encrypted backups.