Engineering
Nightly encrypted restic backups of the bot computer to Dropbox
If the only copy lived on the bot computer, Reset/Recover can wipe weeks of work.
What hurt
@dbonneville asked Grok Bot for the simplest robust restore setup given Dropbox, then shared the plan: nightly encrypted restic to Dropbox (workspace, settings, skills, encrypted secrets, rebuild kit), nightly brain export (instructions/memory/routines/skills as text), retention snapshots, stale-computer guard, verified runs + monthly test restore, safe restore into a separate folder. Tip/method as shared. Not affiliated with xAI.
What to install or create
Ask bot for Dropbox restic plan → nightly backup + brain export → test restore monthly.
Bots
Backup bot
Runs nightly restic + brain export; alerts only on failure.
Plugins
None on day one. Follow the first-run steps.
Files
Rebuild kit: tools list, reinstall script, re-login checklist.
Routines
Nightly restic + brain export; monthly test restore.
The prompt
This is a tip, not a pasteable system prompt. The author did not publish one. Follow the first-run steps.
First run
- 1Read https://x.com/dbonneville/status/2113774367050232086 (credit @dbonneville).
- 2Tell your bot you have Dropbox and want the simplest robust, easy-to-restore backup of the bot computer.
- 3Have it set nightly encrypted restic (workspace, settings, skills, encrypted secrets, rebuild kit) plus a nightly text export of instructions/memory/routines/skills.
- 4Keep snapshot retention and a stale-computer guard; skip tools/caches/browser logins on purpose.
- 5Require verified runs, a monthly test restore into a separate folder, and alerts only on failure.
Approval fence
You own Dropbox credentials and restore decisions; bot does not overwrite live files blindly.
What to tweak
Steal snapshots + separate-folder restore; skip caches and browser logins on purpose.
Source
Douglas Bonneville @dbonneville · Original post
Not affiliated with xAI. We did not write this prompt. Third-party template terms still apply.
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