Complete setup guide

From download to protected repos.

A simple step-by-step guide for setting up MadLabz Repo Backup, running your first safe checkpoint, and turning on automatic protection.

You do not need to be a Git expert

Follow the steps in order. Repo Backup keeps discovery opt-in and blocks instead of guessing when Git needs human judgement.

Download latest release GitHub version

Download

Validate

Install

Onboard

Dry Run

Protected

Start here

First-time setup, one step at a time.

Download

Open the latest GitHub release and download the Windows release ZIP under Assets.

madlabz-repo-backup-v0.6.2-windows.zip

Extract

Right-click the downloaded ZIP, choose Extract All, then open the extracted folder.

Validate

Double-click VALIDATE-PACKAGE.cmd before installing. Both compatibility checks should pass.

ASCII source compatibility: PASS
PowerShell parse: PASS

What if validation does not pass?

Stop here and do not run INSTALL.cmd. Delete the extracted package, download the latest Windows release ZIP again from the official GitHub Releases page, extract it, and run VALIDATE-PACKAGE.cmd again. If either check still fails, do not bypass the validator. Copy the exact validator output and report it through the Repo Backup GitHub repository so the package can be investigated.

Install

Double-click INSTALL.cmd and let the installer finish.

INSTALL.cmd

Open a new terminal

Close terminals that were already open. Start a fresh Git Bash or PowerShell window so the new command path is available.

Check the install

Ask Repo Backup which version is installed.

repo-backup version

Run onboarding

Start the guided setup. Repo Backup discovers repositories but keeps new discoveries disabled until you choose them.

repo-backup onboard

Choose your repos

Select only the active projects you want protected. Leave old experiments and archives disabled or Manual.

Run the safety review

Let Repo Backup inspect Git state, remote state, sensitive files, obvious secret risks and generated directories.

Preview first

Run the real safety flow without creating a checkpoint.

repo-backup backup -DryRun

Create your first checkpoint

When the Dry Run looks correct, run the real backup.

repo-backup backup

Test automation

If you enabled automatic schedules, verify Windows Task Scheduler can launch Repo Backup unattended.

repo-backup schedule test

Recommended setup

A sensible default for most developers.

Protect active work frequently. Keep experiments and archives quiet. Repo Backup does not need every project on the same schedule.

01Main active project

Hourly

02Other important projects

Every 6 hours

03Experiments

Manual

04Old / archived work

Manual or disabled

Everyday use

These are the commands you'll actually use.

repo-backup

Open the dashboard.

repo-backup status

See detailed repository state.

repo-backup backup -DryRun

Preview a checkpoint safely.

repo-backup backup

Checkpoint enabled repositories.

repo-backup schedule

See repository schedules.

repo-backup auto log

Review automatic-run history.

repo-backup doctor

Check installation and configuration health.

repo-backup update check

Check for a newer public release.

Automatic checkpoints.

Windows wakes Repo Backup hourly. Repo Backup decides which repositories are actually due and skips clean or unsafe repositories.

repo-backup schedule "Website" hourly

Checkpoint an active project hourly when needed.

repo-backup schedule "API" 6h

Check an important secondary project every six hours.

repo-backup schedule "Shop" daily

Use a daily schedule.

repo-backup schedule "Prototype" manual

Keep experiments manual.

Test unattended mode

repo-backup schedule test

Stop or remove Repo Backup

You are always in control of the automation.

Pause one repository, remove the Windows scheduler entirely, or completely remove Repo Backup from the computer.

OPTION 01

Pause one project

Keep the repository configured but stop automatic checkpoints for that project.

repo-backup schedule "Project" manual

OPTION 02

Stop all automatic runs

Remove the Repo Backup trigger from Windows Task Scheduler. Manual Repo Backup commands still work normally.

repo-backup schedule remove

To enable automatic scheduling again later:

repo-backup schedule install

OPTION 03

Completely uninstall

The v0.6 public beta does not yet include a one-click uninstaller. Remove the scheduler first, then follow the full-removal steps below.

Full removal on v0.6.2

First run the scheduler-removal command above. Then close Repo Backup terminals. Remove the Repo Backup entry from your user PATH, remove the Git Bash shim if it exists, and delete the Repo Backup application/data folder.

Stop the scheduler

repo-backup schedule remove

Remove the user PATH entry

%LOCALAPPDATA%\MadLabz\RepoBackup\bin

Remove the Git Bash shim if present

%USERPROFILE%\bin\repo-backup

Delete Repo Backup application and data

%LOCALAPPDATA%\MadLabz\RepoBackup

Deleting the RepoBackup data folder removes Repo Backup settings and logs. It does not delete any of your Git repositories or project folders. Open a new terminal after removal so the PATH change takes effect.

Add, rename, pause or remove repositories.

repo-backup scan "C:\Users\YourName\Desktop\Projects"

Scan a specific projects folder.

repo-backup add "C:\path\to\your\repo"

Add a repository by exact path.

repo-backup alias "madlabz-v2" "MadLabz Website"

Give a repository a friendly name.

repo-backup enable "Project"

Enable a configured repository.

repo-backup disable "Project"

Pause Repo Backup for a repository.

repo-backup remove "Project"

Remove it from Repo Backup configuration.

If Repo Backup blocks

Fix the Git state. Don't bypass the guard.

Repo Backup intentionally refuses to decide how your history should be merged, rebased or reconciled.

Detached HEAD

Merge, rebase or cherry-pick in progress

Remote branch ahead

Diverged local and remote history

Tracked sensitive files such as .env

Obvious literal-secret risks in changed content

Sensitive filenames in first-push Git history

Dangerously broad Git roots

Unignored node_modules, .next or generated build output

Troubleshooting

The common fixes are straightforward.

`repo-backup` says command not found

Close the terminal completely, open a brand-new Git Bash or PowerShell window, then run `repo-backup version` again. A terminal opened before installation may still have the old PATH.

A project was not discovered

Run `repo-backup onboard` again, scan the folder containing the project, or add the repository by exact path.

Repo Backup blocks a repository

Read the reason instead of bypassing it. Resolve the underlying Git or sensitive-file state normally, then run `repo-backup backup -DryRun` again.

The remote is ahead or branches diverged

Repo Backup intentionally does not decide whether you should pull, merge or rebase. Make that Git-history decision yourself, then retry the Dry Run.

Common questions

What happens when you leave Repo Backup running automatically?

The important details around shutdowns, active coding, ignored files, recovery and per-project control.

What happens if my computer is off when a backup is due?

Nothing runs while the PC is off. When Windows is running again, Task Scheduler resumes and Repo Backup checks which repositories are due on its next scheduled run. It saves the current state when appropriate rather than generating one commit for every missed interval.

Do I need to keep a terminal open?

No. After automatic scheduling is configured, Windows Task Scheduler can launch Repo Backup without Git Bash, PowerShell or the dashboard being left open.

What if I'm still actively editing files?

Automatic mode waits for an idle window before checkpointing active edits, then runs the same Git and safety checks used by a manual backup.

What if only one repository has a problem?

Repositories are evaluated independently. A repository that needs attention can be blocked while you resolve its Git state normally instead of Repo Backup trying to fix history automatically.

Does Repo Backup save files ignored by Git?

Repo Backup checkpoints through normal Git behavior. Untracked files excluded by your Git ignore rules are not included in checkpoint commits. Remember that adding an already-tracked file to .gitignore does not automatically stop Git tracking it.

Does it switch branches, merge or rewrite history?

No. Repo Backup does not switch branches, auto-pull, auto-merge, rebase, resolve conflicts or force-push. Those decisions remain yours.

Can I recover work from a checkpoint?

Yes, using normal Git history and tools. Repo Backup creates ordinary Git commits rather than storing your project in a proprietary backup format.

Can I pause automation for only one project?

Yes. Set that repository to Manual while leaving other repositories on Hourly, Every 6 hours or Daily schedules.

How do I stop all automatic scheduling?

Run repo-backup schedule remove. This removes the Repo Backup trigger from Windows Task Scheduler while leaving the application and your repository configuration available for manual use.

What should I do if package validation fails?

Do not run INSTALL.cmd. Re-download the latest Windows release ZIP and validate it again. If either check still fails, keep the package uninstalled and report the exact validator output rather than bypassing the safety gate.

Updating Repo Backup.

Check the public release channel whenever you want. The check itself is read-only.

repo-backup update check

Current v0.6 update flow

Download and extract the newer Windows release ZIP.

Run VALIDATE-PACKAGE.cmd and confirm both checks pass.

Run UPDATE.cmd.

Open a new terminal.

Run repo-backup version to verify the installed release.

The shortest version

Set it up once. Keep coding normally.

DOWNLOAD
↓
EXTRACT
↓
VALIDATE-PACKAGE.cmd
↓
INSTALL.cmd
↓
OPEN A NEW TERMINAL
↓
repo-backup onboard
↓
CHOOSE YOUR REPOS + SCHEDULES
↓
repo-backup backup -DryRun
↓
repo-backup backup
↓
repo-backup schedule test
↓
DONE

Download Repo Backup Back to overview