How to install NicoVault

It takes about two minutes. The installer is digitally signed, but because NicoVault is new, Windows may still show a warning along the way. This page shows exactly what to click.

Download NicoVault 3.9.9 Browser blocked the download? “Windows protected your PC”?

1. Download the setup

Click Download on our site. The file is NicoVault-Setup-3.9.9.exe (about 30 MB).

Browsers warn about every new program that few people have downloaded yet, signed or not. If yours says the file “isn't commonly downloaded” or blocks it, here is how to keep it:

  1. Click the download icon at the top right of Chrome (it shows “Suspicious download blocked”).
  2. Click the file, then Download suspicious file.
  3. If Chrome asks again, choose Download anyway. The file then appears in your Downloads folder.

Alternative: open chrome://downloads and click Download suspicious file next to NicoVault.

2. “Windows protected your PC”

When you open the setup, Windows SmartScreen may show this blue window. Click More info, then Run anyway.

The “Run anyway” button appears only after you click “More info”.

Why does this appear?

The installer is signed with a Certum code-signing certificate (publisher: Geanina-Elena Sava-Mimbler). Besides the signature, SmartScreen also looks at how many people have already run a program, so a new program is flagged for a while even when it is signed. It does not mean a virus was found.

Want to be sure the file is ours?

Right-click the file → Properties → Digital Signatures: the signer must be Geanina-Elena Sava-Mimbler. You can also compare its fingerprint:

Open PowerShell in your Downloads folder and run:

Get-FileHash .\NicoVault-Setup-3.9.9.exe

The result must be exactly:

469e6d89e0f1f642474f741851fcab89a31292b04e5a1390d1b9b140ac0e9ee7

3. Allow the setup to make changes

Windows asks “Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?”. Click Yes. NicoVault needs administrator rights because it installs a Windows service: that is what lets backups run on schedule, even when nobody is logged in.

This window shows Verified publisher: Geanina-Elena Sava-Mimbler.

4. Run the setup

An ordinary Windows setup: Next → Install → Finish. rsync and rclone are included, nothing else to download. On Windows Server 2016 and 2019 the setup also installs Microsoft Edge WebView2, which the program window needs.

5. Your first backup

  1. 1

    Open NicoVaultFrom the Start menu or the desktop shortcut. The 7-day trial starts automatically: no card, no account.

  2. 2

    Create a backup jobChoose what to back up (folders, or the whole computer with a license) and where: an external disk, a NAS, a server or the cloud.

  3. 3

    Set a password if you want encryptionWrite it down somewhere safe: without it, an encrypted backup can't be opened by anyone, including us.

  4. 4

    Run it onceStart the job manually the first time, then let the schedule take over.

Something went wrong?

Antivirus removed or blocked the fileRestore it from the antivirus quarantine and add an exception, then write to us, so we can report the false positive to the antivirus vendor.
The browser blocked or deleted the downloadOpen the browser’s download list (Ctrl+J) and keep the file, as shown in step 1.
No “Run anyway” buttonClick “More info” first. On company computers an administrator may have disabled it: ask your IT department.
The program window stays blankInstall Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime from Microsoft's site, then reopen NicoVault.
Anything elseWrite to contact@nicovault.com with your Windows version and a screenshot. We usually reply within one business day.