Nov 14 2008
How to backup & restore SourceSafe / VSS database
SourceSafe provides an Archive utility, with which we can periodically backup our VSS Database or projects and transport files/projects between SourceSafe databases. SourceSafe also provides a Restore tool which allows us to restore the data from an archive.
- How to archive SourceSafe database
- How to restore SourceSafe database
To archive a SourceSafe database:
1. First, make sure no one is using the database we are going to archive or the Analyze utility will not run during the process of archive.
2. Open the database in SourceSafe Administrator and start the Archive Wizard through menu Archive -> Archive Projects.
3. Choose the project to archive from the project list.
(Choose project to archive)
4. Click Add to add more projects we would like to archive and then click Next.
(Add projects you would like to archive)
5. Specify a name for the archive file.
(Specify name for the archive file)
6. Specify the version range of the project to archive. We may choose to archive all of the data or archive the data older than a specific version.
(Specify the version range to archive)
7. Click Finish and SourceSafe will archive the projects to an .ssa file.
To restore the projects from an archive file:
1. Start the Restore Wizard through SourceSafe Administrator menu Archive -> Restore Projects.
2. Select the archive file that contains the projects we would like to restore.
(Select archive file)
3. Select the projects we want to restore to the database. We can check the Display subproject option to see all the subprojects.
(Select projects to restore)
4. Specify the destination to restore the project. We may restore the project to where it was archived from or to a different location.
(Select restore destination)
5. After the restore operation is finish, we may log in SourceSafe to check if the projects we want have been properly restored.
Note: If we want to restore a complete backup of a VSS DB, it is recommended that we restore the backup to a new VSS database rather than an existing database.
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9 Responses to “How to backup & restore SourceSafe / VSS database”
Hello!
I have problem with vss. Can you tell my how can I check-in another user modyfication, problem is that user now not work on this project and i can check his modyfication from his account? what can I do?
Hi Donu,
If you do not know the password of that user, you cannot check in the file for him/her.
You can do the following things:
1. Copy the file which is modified by the user (if you want to keep the modifications).
2. Undo the check out through the VSS Admin tool.
3. Check out the file.
4. Replace the local file with the one you copied in step #1.
5. Check in.
Hello,
I have an issue, after restoring vss Archive, projects under the sources safe are empty, but the Archive size 100 MB, Please suggest me what i am doing wrong
thanks
Can you delete files that exist in a version that has been archived and perform perform a successful restore?
Bonnie G.
As a admin, how can I get a list of all checked out files by users? Thanks
How to automate vss back?
Deepak,
I’m using vss version 8.0 and I’m thinking try this:
0. any user will do…admin would be nice.
1. open sourcesafe and navigate to the root.
2. select menu>tools>files report…should present a dialog box titled ‘Files Report’.
3. Specify ‘file’, ‘all displayed files’, ‘filenames only’
4. click preview.
unless you’re admin you might receive some warnings about not having permission to view the files/folders. that’s ok…click to continue. eventually it’ll stop and show your report.
the checked-out files are listed as the ones with a user and a working folder.
Good luck.
IF we are able to recover the disk and perform a backup will that replace FOLDERS that have been deleted which are going to be necessary for proper file replacement?
Thanks much, so very much!
Nice Work but Its a manual and hard work, why not go for smart work. Above task can also be done with a batch script by scheduling using the windows scheduler. Check the under given post on itoperationz.com.
http://www.itoperationz.com/2009/08/automatic-backup-of-microsoft-visual-source-safe-vss/