The test run feature enables you to easily test complex backup tasks while no files are actually copied and no backup archives are created.

Hard Link Analysis
Junction Points and Hard Links are a special NTFS feature to link to a directory from another location in the file system. In contrast to a simple .LNK shortcut, a junction point behaves just like any other directory in the Windows Explorer. During a backup, however, these practical hard links and junction points can severely slow down the backup process and increase the total amount of data unpredictably and exorbitantly.
 

Z-DBackup can exclude hard links and junction points from the backup (this is the default setting). If this option is deactivated in the filter settings , a junction point analysis is done during the test run and the results are saved in the log file .

Filter Analysis
Z-DBackup can exclude files and directories from the backup with appropriate filter settings . These filters are evaluated during the test run and the results are saved in the log file .

FileLock Analysis
If some files cannot be accessed during the test run because they are locked by other applications or the Windows system, their names are saved in the log file  and are also shown in the test run preview window:
 

There are numerous files that are generally locked by the operating system or Internet Explorer which do not have to be included in a normal backup. These files and directories can be excluded from a backup by automatical or manual filters.

  The add-on module Z-VSScopy  enables Z-DBackup to access files that are open or locked by another application.

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