Uh-oh, Where Did My Scripts Go?
Not long ago, I went to edit one of my AutoHotkey scripts, only to find it missing – along with 7,733 other .ahk files on our shared drive! ☹️ What would you do if all your precious AutoHotkey scripts mysteriously vanished, never to be recovered?
Luckily, everything I do is backed up on Dropbox, so we were able to restore the deleted files. But the incident got me wondering – why did Windows Defender delete them in the first place? [1]
Typically, antivirus software flags and deletes executable files like AutoHotkey.exe, but I’ve never heard of it nuking the associated script files too. It’s like Windows Defender decided to delete all your Excel spreadsheets or Word documents just because the respective programs were flagged.
Apparently, the latest version of AutoHotkey (2.0.13) is getting detected more than previous builds. Is there something wrong with this version? Not a chance! [1] As I’ve demonstrated, antivirus tools are terrible at actually detecting viruses – they’re just overzealously flagging anything that looks “powerful.” And AutoHotkey is about as powerful as it gets.
So while I was able to restore my scripts this time, I realized I need a more bulletproof backup solution. Enter the script I found that lets you easily backup AutoHotkey files to a new location, changing their extension in case the antivirus comes sniffing around. [1]
Automating the Backup Process
As a longtime AutoHotkey user and automation enthusiast, I’ve seen firsthand how it can dramatically improve productivity and save tons of time. In fact, I have over 31,000 AutoHotkey files on my computer – each one automating some tedious task or streamlining a workflow.
One of the first scripts I wrote was for a colleague at Texas Instruments named Shane, who worked in logistics. He constantly needed to quickly know the date some number of days or weeks out in the future. [1] With a bit of AutoHotkey magic, I whipped up a simple GUI that let him instantly see the date for any timeframe he needed. Shane was “blown away” at how easy it was to use and how much time it saved him.
Over the years, I’ve created countless other scripts to automate all sorts of tasks – from remapping keyboard shortcuts to streamlining complex multi-step processes. And I’m not the only one – the AutoHotkey community is full of power users who have automated their lives in creative and life-changing ways. [1]
But as powerful as AutoHotkey is, it also has a dark side. As I discovered, antivirus software can be overzealous in its attempts to protect us, sometimes deleting critical files in the process. And with so many important scripts and workflows relying on AutoHotkey, the prospect of losing everything is a scary one.
That’s why I’m a firm believer in having a robust backup system in place. Sure, Dropbox saved the day for me, but what if I hadn’t been using it? Or what if the files had been deleted from Dropbox too? No, when it comes to protecting your digital assets, you can never be too careful.
Backup That’s Bulletproof
Enter the world of automated Windows backup. While the built-in Windows backup tools are a good start, they can be clunky and inflexible. That’s where AutoHotkey comes in handy – with a little scripting magic, you can create a backup solution that’s tailored to your specific needs and ironclad against any potential threats.
One of the key advantages of automating your Windows backup is the ability to schedule it and forget it. No more remembering to manually backup your important files – the script can take care of it all, running on a regular schedule that you set and forget. [2,3]
But the real beauty of an AutoHotkey backup solution is the level of customization and control you have. Want to backup specific folders or file types? No problem. Need to encrypt your backups for added security? Easy. [3] Prefer to store your backups on an external hard drive or cloud storage service? AutoHotkey’s got your back.
And let’s not forget the power of scripting. With AutoHotkey, you can build in all sorts of advanced features and safeguards. For example, you could have the script automatically check for and delete old backup files, ensuring you always have the most recent version. [7,8] Or you could integrate it with other tools like OneDrive or Synology to create a truly bulletproof backup system. [5,6]
The possibilities are endless, limited only by your imagination (and, of course, your AutoHotkey skills). But don’t worry if you’re new to the language – there are plenty of resources out there to help you get started. [1] And who knows, you might just end up automating your way to a more efficient, stress-free life, just like I did.
Backup Bliss
Look, I get it – backup isn’t the most exciting topic in the world. But trust me, when disaster strikes and you’ve got a rock-solid backup system in place, the relief is palpable. No more frantic searching, no more dreaded data loss, just the sweet, sweet satisfaction of knowing your precious files are safe and sound.
And the best part? Once you’ve set up your automated backup script, you can just sit back and let it do its thing. No more tedious manual backups, no more agonizing over which files to include – it’s all taken care of, leaving you free to focus on the things that really matter.
So why settle for a clunky, one-size-fits-all backup solution when you can have the power of AutoHotkey at your fingertips? With a little bit of time and effort, you can create a custom backup system that’s tailored to your needs, scalable to your growing data demands, and practically impervious to any threats that come your way.
Trust me, once you experience the joys of automated backup, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. So why not give it a try? Who knows, you might just end up as obsessed with backup as I am. [1] And hey, at least you’ll never have to worry about losing all your precious AutoHotkey scripts again.
References:
[1] Knowledge from https://www.the-automator.com/: AutoHotkey Myths Busted: Fun & Easy!
[2] Knowledge from https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-11-wont-work-with-my-wd-external-hard/64207bcf-4efe-46d5-9c5b-70f681c81af1
[3] Knowledge from https://www.reddit.com/r/VeraCrypt/comments/mr004x/long_post_it_seems_the_only_benefit_of_veracrypt/
[4] Knowledge from https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/ssd-working-properly-not-showing-up-in-boot-order/c2901f31-372f-4a96-a96a-9d003515bd06
[5] Knowledge from https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-365-apps-for/how-to-use-onedrive-for-backup-on-mac/td-p/29589
[6] Knowledge from https://community.commvault.com/share-best-practices-3/deconfigure-clients-with-no-backup-history-5579
[7] Knowledge from https://superuser.com/questions/753329/windows-7-backup-automatically-remove-old-backup-ranges
[8] Knowledge from https://community.synology.com/enu/forum/1/post/145454
