In October 2010, Archiware released PresSTORE 4.1 (P4). This version allows customers already running version 3.x (P3) to upgrade 'in-place' by following the installation instructions. On Mac and Windows installations, this just involves running the installer package. The notes below provide some details on the upgrade process based on our experiences.

Please also read the Archiware FAQ document for more information.

Obtaining new license key

New keys are required to activate P4 if you're currently running P3. If you do upgrade without obtaining new keys, PresSTORE will automatically switch into a 30-day transitional period during which you are required to obtain and enter the activation keys for your new version. In this period, your product will remain active with your old license keys for this limited time.

To obtain new keys you'll need to visit the Archiware Portal and create an account. You can then use this website to manage your license and obtain your P4 keys.

This webpage explains how to do this.

Update: This video provided by Archiware also shows how to use the portal to generate new keys.

Which versions can be upgraded

The 4.1 installers can upgrade any P3 installation. So it you're running 3.0.5, for example, you can upgrade in one step. If you're running version 2.x you'll first need to upgrade to version 4 in two steps. First download and install version 3.2.6 via the Archiware download page.  

Once 3.2.6 is installed, take a full backup in any of the active backup plans you're using. This was a requirement when upgrading to version 3 since the database schema changes a little.

Now you're ready to upgrade to 4.1. Once upgraded you can continue with incremental backups.

Support for Windows 2000

Windows 2000 support is discontinued in P4. You'll need to upgrade your W2K server or stick with your existing PresSTORE version.

Upgrading server from v3 to 4.1

Simply download 4.1 from the Archiware download page for the platform of your server. There are OS X, Windows and Linux/Solaris installers on that page.

Make sure you have no running jobs, and run the package installer (OS X/Windows) or expand the TGZ file on your server. This will update and restart the product. Afterwards check you can access the web-admin interface on your server. This might be a good time to familiarise yourself with the changes to the user interface - see the link to documentation below.

Updating Clients via the web interface

If your installation includes server client machines, visible in the client list, it's possible to update them directly from the client list without running the installer package on the machines. This only works when going from version 3 to 4.1 however. To do this you should highlight in turn each v3 client in the list, right-click and select 'Update Client...'. Alternatively use the 'cog' menu at the bottom of the window to access the same menu item.

You will be guided through the update process for the client, resulting in being able to 'ping' the client to establish the new version is now running on that client.

Documentation

Archiware have a full PDF manual available here to download which has been rewritten to cover the new product. We highly recommend you at least scan through it!

Free iPhone app

For the iPhone owners amongst you, don't forget to download the free 'PresSTORE Mobile' app from the App Store. It allows you to monitor running/completed jobs and check everything is in order with your data.

New Sync plan scheduler

This feature is now much more flexible, providing scheduling much like backups plans. As a result, your existing Sync schedules will be converted in an unoptimised form to make the upgrade process completely reliable. While they will continue to work as before, you might like to reconfigure them and you'll find that you can reduce the number of schedule items as illustrated below.

Support

Of course, if you need to discuss your installation and upgrade with someone, we're here to help. Use the contact page for details of how to get in touch.