Restoring a Backup when You Cannot Open AbacusLaw by CARET

Follow the below steps if you need to restore a previous backup of your AbacusLaw by CARET database, but you cannot open AbacusLaw by CARET to access the restore function within the software.

Index

• Clear All Database Connections and Backup Current Data
• Restoring a Backup Made within AbacusLaw by CARET
• Restoring a Backup Made Elsewhere

Clear All Database Connections and Backup Current Data

1. Log into the desktop of the server where AbacusLaw by CARET is installed locally.
2. Have all users log out of all Abacus software: AbacusLaw by CARET, Abacus Accounting, Abacus MessageSlips, and Outlook (if they use the Abacus Outlook Add-in).
3. Open the Advantage Configuration Utility and click Stop Service.
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Open Computer Management. Computer Management can be found within Administrative Tools if you are unable to find it by searching for it on the Start Menu.
   
   
   
   
5. Navigate to System Tools > Shared Folders > Open Files. Select all entries that start with your Abacus directory path (e.g., C:\Abacus…), right-click, and click Close file.
6. Navigate to the AbacusLaw by CARET version folder (by default, this is Abacus\vXX).
7. Right-click on the data folder (data01 by default), and navigate to Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder. This will create a backup of your current data folder.

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Restoring a Backup Made within AbacusLaw by CARET

Backups made within AbacusLaw by CARET start with the prefix LAW and are ZIP files.

1. Extract the contents of your AbacusLaw by CARET backup ZIP file into your current data folder, overwriting all files.
2. Move the contents of the Masters folder inside your data folder (if it exists) to your vXX\Mastersfolder. This will ensure that any custom Abacus Accounting reports that you were using are restored as well.

If you need to do a complete restore of the AbacusLaw by CARET data (data that is not stored in a standard AbacusLaw by CARET backup file), and have access to the previous Abacus directory, also restore the folders in steps 2-5 in the section below.

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Restoring a Backup Made Elsewhere

If you need assistance backing up AbacusLaw by CARET when you cannot open the previous install, see this article: How to Manually Backup your Database

If you have a backup of the entire Abacus directory, restore the following:

1. The Abacus data directory
   •  Abacus\vXX\data01 by default.
2. Abacus\vXX\Masters\Accounting\reports\custom
   • This contains your custom Abacus Accounting reports. Skip this if you do not use any custom reports or bill formats, or do not use Abacus Accounting.

If you need to do a complete restore of the AbacusLaw by CARET data (data that is not stored in a standard Abacus backup file), also restore the following:

1. Abacus\Docs
   • The default location where any AbacusLaw by CARET saved documents are stored. Skip this if you do not save documents here.
2. Abacus\Bills
   • This is where PDF copies of posted bills in Abacus Accounting are stored. Skip this if you do not use Abacus Accounting.
3. Abacus\Email
   • This contains the saved MSG files for any emails that you have linked to AbacusLaw by CARET. Skip this if you do not link emails to names/matters using the Abacus Outlook Add-in.
4. Abacus\data01\Forms (replace data01 with the name of your data folder, if different).
   • This contains the form files used in your Forms Library.