Backing Up the TimeForce Database

Use the following instructions to make a backup of your TimeForce database.  It is strongly recommended that you backup your database on a regular basis.  That way, if anything happens to the program database the backup can be restored and no data will be lost.

  1. Before you can make a backup of the TimeForce database, you must first stop the TimeForce SQL service from running on your machine.  Double-click on the MSSQL Server icon in the System Tray (located in the lower right-hand corner of the screen, next to the time of day).  The "SQL Server Service Manager" screen opens.

  2. Ensure that the Server: field contains the network name of your computer followed by "\TIMEFORCE."

  3. Click on the [STOP] icon to stop the MSSQL Server.
    Note:      Leave this screen open on your desktop.  You will be returning to it to re-start the server once the database backup has been completed.

  4. Using My Computer or Windows Explorer, browse to the following location: "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL$TIMEFORCE\Data."

  5. The entire TimeForce database is contained within two of the files located in this directory.  Those files are "Qqest_Log.LDF" and "Qqest_Data.MDF."  Select both database files (you can select multiple files by holding down the <CTRL> key on your keyboard while
    clicking).

  6. Right-click on either of the selected files, and from the menu that opens left-click on "Copy."  This copies the selected files to the Windows Clipboard.

  7. You can now paste the copied database files to whichever directory you would like to use as your database backup directory.

  8. Once you have successfully copied and pasted the "Qqest_Log.LDF" and "Qqest_Data.MDF" files to a backup location, you can exit out of My Computer or Windows Explorer.

  9. Return to the MSSQL Server screen and click on the [START\CONTINUE] icon to re-start the TimeForce SQL Server.

  10. You can now log into the TimeForce software as usual.

If you ever need to restore a database backup, simply replace the existing .LDF and .MDF files with the files from your backup.  See the document titled "Restoring a TimeForce Database Backup" for detailed instructions on restoring a database.