Guide

Install from Package Center

The easiest way: add pvebackup.app as a package source once. Package Center then installs pvebackup and offers every update, like any other app.

1. In DSM open Package Center → Settings → General → Trust level and choose Any publisher (needed for packages from outside Synology's catalogue).
2. Package Center → Settings → Package Sources → Add: name pvebackup, location https://pvebackup.app, OK.
3. Open Community in Package Center, pick pvebackup, Install.
4. DSM warns that the package "is provided by third-party developers and not verified by Synology". That is shown for every app from outside Synology's catalogue: click Agree, then confirm the installation. DSM creates the shared folder pvebackup for the backups.
5. Open pvebackup from the main menu and create your account.

Or install the file

1. Download the package (.spk) for your NAS (Intel/AMD or ARM) and set the trust level as above.
2. Package Center → Manual Install, choose the file, Next (use Chrome or Firefox; Safari's upload to DSM often fails).
3. Answer DSM's third-party warning with Agree, as above, and confirm. Updates: install the newer file the same way.

First backup

1. Hosts → Scan LAN (or Add by IP) and sign in with the Proxmox login, e.g. root@pam. The same login is used over SSH; nothing is installed on the host.
2. Tick guests under the host → Create backup task from selection, choose how often and how many versions to keep.
3. Tasks → Run now, follow it under Activity.
4. Restore it once to a new VMID (Backups → Restore) before you rely on it.

Start a backup on your PC

A VM backup can be exported as an OVA file for VMware Workstation, VMware Fusion (Intel Macs) or VirtualBox: to test an update, look into an old version, or keep working while the Proxmox host is down.

1. Backups → open the VM → Export… next to the version you want. Choose VMware or VirtualBox and start it.
2. When it is done (see Activity), download it under Backups → Exported files, or copy it from the shared folder pvebackup, folder exports.
3. VMware Workstation: File → Open and choose the .ova. VirtualBox: File → Import Appliance.

Good to know before you start the copy:

• It is a copy. It gets its own network card on NAT, so it cannot clash with the original on your network.
• Windows uses VirtIO drivers on Proxmox. If it stops at start with INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE, export again with the IDE disk controller. Better: run sc config storahci start= boot once as administrator in the original VM, then the next backups start from SATA too. Windows may also ask to be activated again, and BitLocker asks for its recovery key.
• UEFI VMs: in VirtualBox, if the screen stays black, turn on Settings → System → Enable EFI. Secure Boot and a TPM are not carried over.
• Linux gives the network card a new name (e.g. ens18 becomes ens33), so a fixed network setup may need adjusting.
• Install VMware Tools or the VirtualBox Guest Additions for a better display and mouse.
• Your PC needs an Intel or AMD CPU: Macs with Apple Silicon cannot run it. Containers (LXC) cannot be exported.

License

In the app: Settings → License → Buy license. After paying, click Activate in pvebackup - done. You also get the license by e-mail. On another NAS: Settings → License → Upload license file and choose the file from that e-mail. Lost it? Have it sent again.

Help

Write to support@pvebackup.app.