Backing up your Access database

While SQL servers back up your PCRecruiter database automatically, Access databases must be handled manually. Making a backup of your Access format PCRecruiter database is simply a matter of copying the database file to your backup destination.

An Access database can be up to 1 GB (1000 MB) in size (although it may start to get sluggish as it gets to about 3/4 full). Any backup medium can be used, as long as it has enough room for your file. For example, a CD-R and some high-end Zip drives will hold 700 MB while a DVD+R will hold 4.7 GB. You may also perform backups by simply copying your data to a separate hard drive over a network.

Backups should be performed every time you update PCRecruiter, as well as on a regular schedule. The recommended method is to do a daily backup, and save the last backup of each week for a month before overwriting it. In the event of a data corruption or a virus that has existed for a few days before becoming apparent, you will still have a month's worth of weekly backups to restore to if needed.

To copy your database to a backup location:

1. Log into the database to be copied. You may wish to have all other users log out.
2. Select "Copy Current Database" from the "Utilities" menu
3. When the "Save To" window appears, browse to your backup location and save the file.

If you are using a CD burning or other backup application, follow the instructions provided with your software to store the file copied above on your media.

If you need to locate the original database file:

1. Log into your PCRecruiter database
2. Open the "About PCRecruiter" area of the "Help" menu.
3. Scroll down in the white area until you see "Database File:" to locate the path to your database (e.g. C:\Program Files\PCRecruiter\Execbob.mdb).