To create an archive with the desired parameters, you must perform the following steps:

1. In the branch of the Server object corresponding to the computer on which you need to organize an archive, click the Create link.
   
   
   

   You can also create an archive by selecting the matching command in the context menu of the Server object (the menu can be brought up by right-clicking the name of the Server)

2. Highlight the New archive link which appears (1).
   
3. In the Basic properties group (2), identify the archive:
   
   1. in the Archive name field, enter the desired archive name.
   2. From the Color list, select a color to label the archive.
4. Place the archive partitions on one or several volumes of the server 3):
   

   1. From the Partition type list, select the desired type of archive partition on the disk: a file or the entire volume.
      
      

      The system disk cannot be completely allocated for an archive

   2. If you select a File partition, enter the full path to the .afs file which should be used for creating an archive partition on the disk in the Archive file field.
      
      

      If the indicated file does not exist, it will be automatically created when changes are saved

      If an archive was created from an existing file, it will be possible to extract archived recordings from the file only if the following conditions are met: The name of the computer on which the recording was written to the existing archive file is the same as the name of the current computer. The IDs of the video cameras from which the recordings were written to the existing archive file are the same as the IDs of the current video cameras.

   3. If you select a File partition, enter the amount of disk space in gigabytes which should be used for the archive partition in the Size field.
      
      

      The size of an archive partition on a disk should be greater than 1 GB

      If you are creating an archive based on an existing file, the Archive size field automatically displays the size of the file. It may be changed

   4. If the Disk partition is chosen, you must manually delete the file system on the selected disk by using the Windows disk management utility and then repeat the archive creation procedure. To start this utility, click the Disk operations button.
      
      
      

      Deleting the file system on the disk in the disk management utility consists of the following: Delete the volume. Create a new volume in the resulting unformatted area. Assign a letter to the volume, but do not format it.

   5. Repeat steps 4.a–4.d to place archive partitions on all desired volumes of the server (4).
5. Click the Apply button.
6. A dialog box will appear, warning you about formatting of the partitions (files and/or volumes).
   
7. Read through the list of partitions that will be formatted. If the list is correct, select I have read the warning and realize the risk of losing important data, then click Format. Otherwise, click Cancel to return to the archive settings.

Creation of an archive with the desired parameters is now complete.
The archive size relative to the total amount of space on system disks is displayed in the Allocation of archives chart.