Troubleshooting Your Upgrade to SyncBack V12

Upgrading to SyncBack V12 is normally as simple as installing the new version over the top of your existing one. If something does not go as expected, the cause is almost always one of a small number of things, and each has a straightforward fix. This article covers the questions we are asked most often after a major version upgrade.

If you have not upgraded yet, please read our SyncBack major version upgrade guide first, as it explains the correct upgrade process and how your profiles and settings are preserved.

Problem 1: SyncBack Still Shows V11 After Installing V12

You ran the V12 installer, it completed without any error, but when you open the program it still reports that you are running V11. This is one of the most common things we hear after a new major version is released. There are two usual causes.

Cause A: The serial number you entered is a V11 serial

A serial number is tied to a specific major version. A SyncBackPro V11 serial unlocks V11, and a V12 serial unlocks V12. If you install V12 and enter a V11 serial, the program is not licensed for V12, so it continues to run as the version your serial is for. To run V12, you need either a V12 upgrade license or an active Upgrade Assurance subscription. See Problem 3 and the Upgrade Assurance section below.

Cause B: V12 was not installed over the existing version

V12 must be installed on top of your current installation, in the same folder. If it was installed to a different folder, you can end up with two copies of SyncBack on the computer and you may be opening the old one. To fix this:

1. Close SyncBack completely. Check the system tray (the notification area near the clock) and make sure it is not still running there.
2. Download the correct V12 installer for your product: SyncBackPro or SyncBackSE.
3. Run the installer and accept the default installation folder so that it installs over your existing version. Do not uninstall first, and do not change the folder.
4. Open SyncBack and check the version shown in the Help > About window.

Problem 2: SyncBack Keeps Asking Me to Upgrade to V12

You are happy using V11, but SyncBack keeps offering to upgrade you to V12. This happens because a new major version is available and you do not yet own a V12 license. You have two choices, and both are perfectly fine.

Option A: Move to V12

If you would like to use V12, follow the steps in the How to upgrade to V12 section below to purchase an upgrade license. Once you are running a licensed copy of V12, the prompts stop.

Option B: Stay on V11

You are never obliged to upgrade. Your V11 license is perpetual, so you can keep using it for as long as you like. However, take note that V11 is no longer supported and will not be receiving any updates or fixes. If you have already installed V12 and want to return to V11, you can roll back:

1. Make a copy of your profiles using 'Export Profile', as described above.
2. Uninstall V12. During the uninstall, it detects that you may be downgrading and offers to download the older version for you. Accept this.
3. Install V11 and, if asked, restore or re-import your profiles.

The full process, including some important notes about Fast Backup and Intelligent Synchronization profiles after a downgrade, is described in our upgrade guide.

Problem 3: My V12 Serial Number Will Not Unlock the Software

You purchased a V12 upgrade, installed the program, but the serial number is not accepted. Work through the following checks, which resolve almost every case.

• Check the serial matches the product. A SyncBackPro serial only unlocks SyncBackPro, and a SyncBackSE serial only unlocks SyncBackSE. You can tell them apart by their prefix: SyncBackPro serials begin with SBPR and SyncBackSE serials begin with SBSE. Make sure you have installed the product your serial is for.
• Check you installed V12. A V12 serial will not unlock V11, and a V11 serial will not unlock V12. Confirm the installed version in Help > About.
• Check you downloaded the correct installer. Download links for the current versions are on the SyncBackPro and SyncBackSE pages. Installing the wrong product is a common reason a serial appears to be rejected.
• Enter the serial exactly as supplied. Copy and paste it directly from your order email rather than typing it, so that no characters are mistyped and no extra spaces are added.

If the serial is still not accepted after these checks, contact support and include a screenshot of the registration window showing the message you receive, along with your order reference. That lets us identify the licence quickly.

Upgrade Assurance: Common Questions and Fixes

Upgrade Assurance is an optional yearly subscription that gives you free upgrades to new major versions, plus priority technical support. Most queries we receive about it fall into the following categories.

Activating your free V12 upgrade with Upgrade Assurance

If you have an active Upgrade Assurance subscription, your upgrade to V12 is free. To activate it:

1. Download and install V12 over your existing version: SyncBackPro or SyncBackSE.
2. When prompted, enter your existing serial number.
3. When you see the prompt "Would you like to download your Upgrade Assurance Details from 2BrightSparks?", click Yes.

"My subscription is overdue" email

If you received a reminder saying your subscription payment is overdue, it usually means an automatic renewal payment could not be taken. The most common reason is that the card payment was declined by your bank. It may also be that you chose the manual renewal option when you purchased. To resolve it:

• Contact your bank. A declined renewal is a bank-side decision, so your bank can tell you why the payment was refused and clear it.
• Switch to manual renewal. If you would rather renew yourself, you can manage the subscription and update your payment details from your account portal. Contact support if you would like us to switch the subscription to manual renewal for you.

My Upgrade Assurance lapsed, so what now?

If your subscription was cancelled or deactivated and has lapsed, you are no longer eligible for a free upgrade. You can still move to V12 by purchasing an upgrade license, and you can add a new Upgrade Assurance subscription at the same time if you would like free future upgrades. The steps are below.

How to Upgrade to V12

If you need to purchase a V12 upgrade, the process takes a couple of minutes:

1. Go to the 2BrightSparks Upgrade Store.
2. Enter your existing SyncBackPro or SyncBackSE serial number in the text field and click the Check button.
3. Click the Upgrade to SyncBackPro V12 (or SyncBackSE V12) button. You are taken to the store to complete the purchase.
4. Choose a payment method and pay for your licence. Your V12 serial is then issued to you.

Upgrading from a much older version

Upgrading from an old version such as V8 or V9 is fine. If you are staying with the same edition and the same architecture, for example SyncBackSE V9 32-bit to SyncBackSE V12 32-bit, simply install V12 over the top and your profiles and settings are kept. If you are also moving from the 32-bit version to the 64-bit version, there are a few extra steps. Follow our guide to migrating from 32-bit to 64-bit, and always export a copy of your profiles first.

Still Stuck?

If you have worked through the relevant section above and the problem continues, please contact our support team. To help us resolve it as quickly as possible, include your order reference, the exact version shown in Help > About, and a screenshot of any message you see. With those details we can usually identify the cause straight away.