Install FiveMesh Backup - FiveMesh Docs

Requirements

Platform	Architecture	Scheduler
Windows 10/11 or Windows Server 2016+	amd64	Task Scheduler
Debian, Ubuntu or another systemd Linux distribution	amd64, arm64	systemd user timers

Install the MariaDB or MySQL client tools on the machine running backups: mariadb-dump or mysqldump, plus mariadb or mysql. They are included with MariaDB/MySQL server installations and packages such as XAMPP, Laragon and WAMP. The tool searches common installation locations even when the clients are not on PATH. You also need database connection details and a writable backup directory with enough free space. Run setup as the user that will own and execute backups.

Install

Windows
Linux

Run in PowerShell. Installing the binary does not require administrator access.

irm https://github.com/FiveMesh/fivemesh-backup/releases/latest/download/install.ps1 | iex

The installer checks the binary against the release’s SHA256SUMS, installs it in %LOCALAPPDATA%\FiveMesh\bin and starts guided setup.Windows background scheduling asks for administrator approval when you create or change a task. See Windows scheduling.

Run as the user that will own the backups, not root.

curl -fsSL https://github.com/FiveMesh/fivemesh-backup/releases/latest/download/install.sh | bash

The installer selects amd64 or arm64, checks the binary against the release’s SHA256SUMS, installs it in ~/.local/bin and starts guided setup. It refuses to run as root.

These commands download and execute the release installer. If you prefer to inspect the files first, use the latest release. Download the binary for your platform, compare its checksum with SHA256SUMS, and run it directly.

Windows binaries are not code-signed yet. SmartScreen or your browser may show an unrecognized-app warning. Verify the file against SHA256SUMS, or use gh attestation verify, before allowing it.

Complete guided setup

If setup did not open, run:

fivemesh-backup setup

Database: confirm the detected client tools, enter connection details and credentials, then select a database from the list your account can access.
Storage: choose the archive folder, compression, retention and minimum free space.
Schedule: choose manual backups, every 6 or 12 hours, daily, or a custom interval. Review the platform-specific requirements in scheduling.
Review: check the summary before saving. Accept the optional test backup to create an archive and verify it end to end.

Passwords are masked during entry. On limited terminals, setup falls back to numbered prompts. Set FIVEMESH_BACKUP_PLAIN=1 to request that mode explicitly. Running fivemesh-backup with no arguments starts setup on first use and shows status afterwards. You can also double-click the Windows executable.

Confirm the result

The examples in these docs use a profile named production. Replace it with the profile you created.

fivemesh-backup status
fivemesh-backup list --profile production
fivemesh-backup verify --all --profile production

Confirm that an archive appears in your chosen folder and verification succeeds. Then rehearse a restore into a separate database.

Update or change settings

Run the same installer again to upgrade. It preserves configuration, schedules and backups. To revisit the setup choices:

fivemesh-backup configure

Existing settings load into the wizard. Changes are saved only after you confirm the review.