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Overview
CrashPlan is ASC's backup client. This article will cover getting the CrashPlan client, installing the client, checking its status, and performing a restore.
Once CrashPlan is configured it will send weekly emails reporting its status on your machines.
If you have any questions, please reach out to ASCTech to ensure your client is configured and working correctly.
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A tech will help you install and configure CrashPlan with every newly deployed Windows PC or Macintosh. If you are adding or reinstalling the client, there are two ways to obtain the CrashPlan client:
From Software Center (Windows) or Self Service (Macintosh):
- Installing from Software Center or Self Service has the advantage of not needing administrative access.
- Windows:
- In the "Type here to search" box, type: Software Center and launch it.
- Under "Applications" find CrashPlan, click it and select "Install".
- Macintosh:
- In Applications, launch "Self Service".
- Select the "Software" category, and install "CrashPlan".
- If you do not have the Windows or Mac ASC software distribution contact ASCTech.
For Linux, please contact ASCTech.
- Important: configure the client from your lastname.#@osu.edu account, not an administrative or service account.
- If not installed from the lasntname.#@osu.edu account, by default CrashPlan will not back up the main user's files.
- If you are logged into an administrative account go ahead and exit, and log into the lastname.#@osu.edu account.
Initial Log In
- If not already open, launch CrashPlan to configure it by left clicking on the
icon in the task bar, click "Sign in to CrashPlan".
- Windows: this will be in the lower right, left of the clock, you may have to click on to see it.
- Macintosh: this will be in the upper right, left of the clock.
- Enter your lastname.#@osu.edu for the usename and clients.us2.crashplan.com for the server address if it doesn't auto-fill.
- CrashPlan will prompt for a password (it may take several seconds), and then after entering the password it will send a Duo push.
- CrashPlan will ask if you want to "Add New Device" or "Replace Existing":
- "Add New Device" if your computer isn't replacing a previous computer.
- "Replace Existing" will give you the opportunity to restore files from the previous device, and then "inherit previous backup". This has the advantages:
- You will have access to all the old versions of file on that device.
- If the files are the same, they won't need to need to be backed up again, saving a lot of time.
- There won't be a duplicate archive saving space on the server.
- The status email for the old device will stop.
- Important: do not replace an existing device and keep using the old device, as CrashPlan won't know which machine is the primary.
- If you need assistance in restoring files or choosing selections contact ASCTech.
At this point backups should begin with the default file set of most files in the home directory.
Checking Backup Selections
By default CrashPlan backs up most files in the user's home directory. It is good practice to verify that what you want backed up is being backed up.
- Click the blue folder icon on the Windows taskbar (you may need to click the ^ to see it) or the top menu bar of a Macintosh.
- Click the gear icon and "Open CrashPlan..."
- From the main screen click "Manage Files..."
- Double check that all files you wanted backed up have a check mark next to them.
If you need help with this contact ASCTech. Note: by default CrashPlan will not back up cloud storage directories or certain system files.
Advanced Configuration / Launching the Full Client
Generally, we strongly recommend using the default settings, if you need assistance please contact ASCTech.
CrashPlan has many options when the full client is launched. To launch the full client, left click the 
icon, click the gear icon, and select "Open CrashPlan..."
On Windows, in the CrashPlan menu bar, click on "Tools", and select "Options".
On the Macintosh, next to the Apple menu, click on "CrashPlan", and select "Preferences".
Some options in tools/preferences that may be of interest include:
- General tab: Device Name: Please keep the ASCTech name, but you can put a friendly identifier after it.
- Network tab: Bandwidth usage can be limited, and backup can be disabled on certain wireless networks.
- Security tab: A password can be required when the full client is launched.
Other options are in the "Details" pane. If you are at the "Home" screen, click on the "Details" button, next to the current machine, then click on gear icon.the "Manage Files" button. Here you can change the frequency that CrashPlan backs up and the number of versions it keeps and exclude certain types of files.
Checking that Backups are Working
Please contact ASCTech if you suspect your backup is not working.
Weekly CrashPlan Email
Glancing at CrashPlan's weekly email is the best way to verify that backups are working. The email comes from CrashPlan <noreply@crashplan.com>. Things to look for:
- Check that all the computers you expect to see are in the report.
- Check that Selected and Files show reasonable numbers.
- For example, a laptop 50% full on a 512GB drive, that is backing up only 3GB is a red flag.
- Check the Backup Up % is at 100% or very close.
- Check the Last Completed and Last Activity are recent.
Example of a CrashPlan email for two computers, both with smaller amounts of data, but backing up well:
CrashPlan will also send a "Backup Alert!" email when a device has not backed up in 14 days: (checking the weekly email is still best)
Checking from the CrashPlan website
When you login to the CrashPlan website at https://go.osu.edu/crashplan, the first screen has the same information as in the CrashPlan email, updated on login.
Checking from Computer Client
You can get general health from the CrashPlan client. Left clicking on the 
icon in the task bar, then the gear icon and "Open CrashPlan...".
It will show a green check mark if it's connected, how much data is selected, whether the backup is complete, and the last backup time:
The weekly email is still the best indicator of health.
To restore files launch the client by left clicking on the icon in the task bar, then the gear icon and "Open CrashPlan...". (Windows: this will be in the lower left, left of the clock, you may have to click on 
to see it. Macintosh: this will be in the upper left, left of the clock.)
When you click "Restore Files", machines attached to your account will be listed like so:
Click on the machine you wish to restore get files for that machine - they will be restored to the machine you are using.
You will see a list of directories that are on the server:
- Browse to where the directory or file is that you want to restore.
- The magnifying glass searches for file names.
- "As Of Today" can select a different snapshot in time, if you need an older version.
- "..." has the option to show deleted files, and to show hidden files.
Once the directory or file is selected, click "Restore Files...", and the options screen will pop up:
The defaults are generally fine, but the options are:
- Save selected files - files can be saved to the Desktop, Downloads or their Orignal Location.
- If the files exists, conflicts can be Renamed or Overwritten.
- Permissions can be set to Current or Original.
Click "Go", and CrashPlan will process your restore. Depending on the network, size, and number of files, this may take some time.
Using the CrashPlan Web Console
The CrashPlan web console lets you check on your devices and do restores from the web console.
How to Restore a File from the Web Console
Restoring a file from the web console is a good option when you need a file and do not have your computer with you. You can pick files and have them download to a . Note: the web console does have a smaller restore limit than restoring to a device. Currently this is 250MB, so consider splitting up any larger web restores.
- Log into the Web Console with your name.#@osu.edu at https://go.osu.edu/crashplan.
- Click on the name of the computer your wish to restore:
- Click on the curved arrow:
- You will have a window where you can select files:
- Note the Restore Target where you can select a Zip file or push the restore to one of your devices.
- Otherwise the options are similar to doing a restore from a computer.
- CrashPlan will pop up a status box in the lower left of the web browser, and when finished will have a link for download:
- The file will appear in the Downloads folder.
FAQ and Troubleshooting
Please reach out to ASCTech with any questions.
Can I select / see what is backed up?
Yes, launch the full client:
- Left click the
icon, click the gear icon, anbd select "Open CrashPlan..."
- Click on the "Manage Files" button. (Note the "...", if you need to see hidden files.)
- Important: If you uncheck a directory or file you will get a serious warning popup "Delete Files from Backup". It isn't kidding: unchecking a directory or file will not only stop backing it up but will remove all copies from CrashPlan irrecoverably!
- At this point you can select/deselect which directories or files you want backed up.
- If you have any questions please contact ASCTech.
I cannot Select Certain Files:
- Some files may be excluded by CrashPlan by the vendor.
- Commonly this includes cloud data directories, like OneDrive and Box.
- If there are directories you need backed up contact ASCTech.
Can I pause backups for a little while?
Yes, left click the icon, click the gear icon, select "Pause all backups", and choose a duration.
I am not seeing the Duo prompt!
Sometimes, if after entering your name.#osu.edu, the OSU login / Shibboleth page is not opening, try changing the default browser to Chrome.
CrashPlan is not connected:
- Note: with a new computer login is not automatic, so you must log in the first time.
- Login again to CrashPlan.
- You can force a reauthorization / login by:
- Double click the CrashPlan logo in the upper left of the full client.
- Type deauthorize.
- The full client should ask you to re-login.
- Note, CrashPlan sometimes signs out after a client / server update or being offline for a long time.
- Launching the full client should prompt for login.
Reassigned System - old username shows up:
This will likely require ASCTech assistance. Ideally, we re-image machines before reassignment. If this is not appropriate for this case you may need to clear the previous users information from the CrashPlan data.
- Follow the steps for uninstalling CrashPlan from the CrashPlan vendor site (requires admin).
- This needs a complete uninstall.
- This requires a new full backup and ASCTech to deactivate the old computer under the old username.
- Then reinstall from Software Center or Self Service, and login using the correct email address.
Windows: Initial login crash:
- Sometimes, after signing into CrashPlan and receiving a Duo push, the CrashPlan application may force itself to quit.
- If this happens, wait a few minutes and then reopen the CrashPlan application from the Windows menu.
Macintosh: CrashPlan hangs on initial install.
- Contact ASCTech.
- Reboot and reinstall until it works.
- May work on first reboot, or after 10-20 minutes without interaction, but may also require several reboots/reinstalls.
Macintosh: CrashPlan won’t allow backing up the ~/Library folder.
- A complete uninstall without replacement is needed.
- This requires a new full backup and ASCTech to deactivate the old computer.
- When a computer is deactivated its archive will be purged so it's important the new computer entry is backed up.