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Installation and Setup

The goal of this page is not just "open the program," but to ensure your very first backup succeeds -- avoiding common path and permission pitfalls.

Core Dependency​

MineBackup's compression workflow depends on 7-Zip. You can provide 7z.exe in the following ways:

  • On Windows, MineBackup bundles 7-Zip internally -- no separate installation needed
  • Place it in the same directory as the program (it will be auto-detected)
  • Manually specify the 7-Zip executable path in settings

Tip: Even if auto-detection succeeds, we recommend confirming the compression program path on the settings page once, in case it breaks after moving the directory later.

Platform Notes​

  • Windows: Full feature set (including service mode)
  • Linux / macOS: Core backup and restore are available, but Windows service capabilities do not apply

If you use MineBackup primarily across platforms, double-check path separators and directory permissions.

What the First-Launch Wizard Does​

The initial wizard accomplishes four things:

  1. Choose language, font, and theme
  2. Select the save root directory (supports Java / Bedrock auto-detection)
  3. Select the backup directory
  4. Confirm the compression program path

After the wizard finishes, we recommend immediately running an "empty-comment manual backup" test -- verify the pipeline first, then tweak advanced settings.

  • saveRoot: Only the parent path containing the world directories you want to manage
  • backupPath: A separate disk directory, not mixed with the save directory
  • snapshotPath: Optional, used for hot backup temporary snapshots

Layout Example​

  • saveRoot: D:/Minecraft/.minecraft/saves
  • backupPath: E:/MineBackup/archives
  • snapshotPath: E:/MineBackup/snapshot-temp

Principle: Keep the backup directory and save directory on different disks when possible, to reduce the impact of a single disk failure.

Pre-First-Run Checklist​

Before clicking backup for the first time, confirm these 6 items:

  1. saveRoot exists and is accessible
  2. backupPath directory is writable
  3. At least 1 world has been detected
  4. Compression program path is valid
  5. No security software is blocking the compression process
  6. A hot backup strategy is planned for when the game is running

Minimal Post-Install Self-Check​

  1. Can open settings and see the current config
  2. Path fields can be saved and persist after restart
  3. Can successfully run a minimal backup

Common Installation Issues​

1) Wizard cannot auto-detect the save directory​

  • Manually select the parent directory first
  • Then use "Scan Worlds" to confirm detection

2) Compression program looks selectable but backup reports an error​

  • Re-select the compression program path and save
  • Avoid directories with restricted permissions in the path

3) Path looks correct on Linux / macOS but is not writable​

  • Use the terminal to verify directory write permissions first
  • Try to use a backup path under your user directory

Next: Continue to Creating Your First Config.