MB STUDIO automatically performs an accurate backup of all the databases necessary for its operation. In this article we will see how to back up and what files to recover in case of need.

Inside the MBStudio folder you will find a subfolder called Backup inside which you will find a list of folders with date. Every night MB STUDIO copies all the databases and configurations into a folder with date and the last 90 days are kept. So at any time you can recover a file from the past 3 months.

In each folder with date we find:

• Playlist: playlist and minilist
• Sequences: the MB SPOT program schedule (Sequences.dat) and the customer database (Customers.dat)
• MBAgenda.dat:the list of events on the MB STUDIO Agenda
• MBCacheURL.dat: list of MB STUDIO external streams
• MBDownload.dat: the list of MB STUDIO downloads
• MBEncoders.cfg: this is the list of the 4 Webcast encoders and all the recordings scheduled in the MB STUDIO time recorder
• MBFolders.cfg: this is the list of folders where MB STUDIO looks for the files to play (Configuration \ Folders)
• MBFonts.dat: this is the configuration of the font of MB STUDIO (Configuration \ Options \ Fonts)
• MBkeyboard.dat: this is the configuration of keyboard shortcuts (Configuration \ Options \ Keyboard)
• MBLiners.cfg: this is the configuration of the liners used as an opener and closer to the time slots, pre-listening or MB LIVE (configuration \ Options \ Liners)
• MBRandom.dat: this is the list of random MB STUDIO files.
• MBSongs.dat: the MB STUDIO song archive
• MBSpot.cfg: MB SPOT configuration
• MBSpotDevices.cfg: sound card configuration in MB SPOT
• MBStudioDevices.cfg: sound card configuration in MB STUDIO
• MBStudio.cfg: main configuration of MB STUDIO

Now that we know the meaning and function of each file, we can recover one or a few databases from the past.

To recover a database, you must exit MB STUDIO and copy the file from the backup folder to the MBStudio folder, overwriting any existing file. An exception is a playlist or minilist which must be copied to MBStudio\Playlist and the Customers.dat or Sequences.dat files which must be copied into the MBstudio\Sequences folder

Pay attention to the following limitations:

• Only databases belonging to the current version of MB STUDIO can be restored: for example if we are using MB STUDIO 8.74 we can only recover databases version 8.74, while databases 8.73 and lower will not work. The MB STUDIO message "xx version is required" indicates that the file is damaged or is of an incorrect version.
• This backup does not, however, protect you from hardware failure of the hard disk so it is always necessary to periodically make a copy of the entire MBSTUDIO folder and keep it elsewhere.