Troubleshooting the Backup Client

Data Backup and Personal Firewalls

Error: not able to validate username or password

Using the data backup client with AOL
 

Some clients running Zone Alarm as a personal firewall with the data backup client software have had a few false alarms and concerns of "unknown software" running on the client machine. Trouble is, when Zone Alarm alerts users to a new port being accessed, the software is identified as "Information Backup System Client".

There are a number of these personal firewall applications including BlackIce, Zone Alarm and Norton that will give the same notification. Most of them give you the option to register "safe" applications.

To correct this, you will need to add "Information Backup System Client" as a permitted, "safe" application within your personal firewall software.

Error: not able to validate username or password

Some backup service users are getting an error such as "Error: not able to validate username or password" when trying to authenticate their accounts. If you are receiving this error, it is most likely due to a changed default setting in the data backup client software.

To correct this error, run the data backup client and click "View" - "Options" - "General". On the lower half of the screen (shown at right) that you opened is a section called "Backup Server Authentication". Select the radio button that reads "Specify credentials for authentication" and add your UserID and Password. The option to "Use current credentials" will not authenticate the account.

Using the data backup client with AOL

There are special considerations when using the data backup client with American Online (AOL). The following information addresses two problems identified when using AOL as your dial-up connection:

The first problem most people experience is the inability to dial an AOL connection directly from the data backup client. The second is problem that results in the AOL connection being dropped because of the inactivity timeout function built into AOL.

Since AOL uses a proprietary dialing scheme, you will NOT be able to utilize the standard dial-up "Connection" options in the data backup software. For that matter, many applications that would typically dial directly to an ISP will experience the same problem, so the following workaround may also be appropriate for those applications as well.

First, you must configure a default dial-up connection that launches AOL anytime an Internet connection is required. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open Control Panel (Start->Settings->Control Panel), and launch the "Internet Options" dialog.
2. Select the "Connection" tab.
3. Highlight the AOL connection in the "Dial-up settings" list
4. Click the bullet next to "Always dial my default connection" to select it
5. Click the "Set Default" button
6. Click "OK" to save the changes and close the dialog.

You must next configure the data backup client to NOT dial AOL directly. Steps follow:

1. Launch the data backup client
2. From the menu, select "View->Options->General"
3. Click on the "Connection" tab to select
4. Uncheck "Connect to the server using Dial-up Networking"
5. Click "OK" to save the changes and close the dialog

This should now run either manually (Backup Now), or from the scheduler, and use AOL as the connection to the Internet.

The "inactivity timeout" problem occurs because AOL does not recognize any Internet "activity" that occurs outside of the normal AOL application. Again, many applications share this same problem, so this workaround would be appropriate for them as well.

In order to "trick" AOL into "thinking" that there is activity occurring, you must download and install a 3rd party utility. There are a number of such utilities available over the Internet. However, be aware that NOT all work with every version of AOL. Many, for example, will work with version 4 and 5, but NOT version 6. Further, while some of these utilities are free (freeware) other vendors charge for enhanced functionality that may be desirable.

That said, for the basic requirement of maintaining an AOL connection, you may want to use the freeware utility called "Momo's AOL Anti-idle". The latest version can be downloaded at: http://www.cosmicat.com/software/antiidle/

Note: We make no claims or guarantees as to the appropriateness, usability or functionality of this utility, and presents it here solely for the benefit of its customers.