diff --git a/od-db-backup.md b/od-db-backup.md
index aa3ea18..5ce9a6e 100644
--- a/od-db-backup.md
+++ b/od-db-backup.md
@@ -3,14 +3,19 @@
 **Applies to:** The Windows machine hosting the Open Dental MySQL/MariaDB database (the "server").
 **Goal:** A fully consistent, restorable backup of both halves of an Open Dental practice — the **database** and the **A-to-Z images folder** — following Open Dental and MySQL/MariaDB best practice, including cleanly **stopping the database during the copy and restarting it after**.
 
-A complete Open Dental backup is **two things**, and both must be captured together:
+### What a complete Open Dental backup is (and isn't)
 
-| Component | Default location | Holds |
-|---|---|---|
-| MySQL/MariaDB **data directory** | `C:\mysql\data\` (contains the `opendental` DB) | All clinical/financial data |
-| **A-to-Z / OpenDentImages** folder | `C:\OpenDentImages\` | Scanned docs, images, attachments |
+Per Open Dental's own docs, a full backup is **two things — the database and the A-to-Z images folder** — and both must be captured together. A database backup **without** the images folder (or vice-versa) is not a usable restore.
 
-A database backup **without** the images folder (or vice-versa) is not a usable restore.
+| Component | Default location | Back up? | Holds |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| MySQL/MariaDB **data directory** | `C:\mysql\data\` (contains the `opendental` DB) | **Yes — required** | All clinical/financial data |
+| **A-to-Z / OpenDentImages** folder | `C:\OpenDentImages\` | **Yes — required** | Scanned docs, images, attachments |
+| **`FreeDentalConfig.xml`** | Open Dental install dir | Nice-to-have | Connection / Choose-Database / AtoZ path config |
+| Open Dental **program files** | `…\Program Files\Open Dental\` | **No — reinstall** | The application itself |
+| Other office documents | (varies) | Per your policy | Non-Open-Dental files |
+
+**There is no separate "application backup."** Open Dental does **not** back up the program itself — on restore you **reinstall the matching Open Dental version** (and matching MySQL/MariaDB) and point it at the restored data. So the two "recovery aids" worth grabbing are just: a copy of **`FreeDentalConfig.xml`** and a record of the **exact versions** to reinstall. The script captures both automatically into the backup folder (`FreeDentalConfig.xml` + `MANIFEST.txt`) — nothing extra to run.
 
 **Placeholders:**
 
@@ -61,7 +66,8 @@ It will:
 3. **Stop `<DB_SERVICE>` and verify it reached *Stopped*** — aborting the copy if it doesn't.
 4. `robocopy` the **whole** data directory to `<DEST>\od-backup-<timestamp>\data`, then the images to `…\OpenDentImages`.
 5. **Restart `<DB_SERVICE>`** in a `finally` block — this runs even if the copy fails or is interrupted.
-6. Write `MANIFEST.txt` and `backup.log` into the backup folder.
+6. Capture recovery aids (best-effort, outside the downtime window): a copy of **`FreeDentalConfig.xml`** and the exact **Open Dental + MySQL/MariaDB versions**.
+7. Write `MANIFEST.txt` and `backup.log` into the backup folder.
 
 ### Manual equivalent (offline / if you can't fetch the script)
 
@@ -118,11 +124,14 @@ schtasks /Create /TN "OD Nightly Cold Backup" /TR "powershell -NoProfile -Execut
 
 Backup media and dumps hold the **entire practice's PHI**. Treat them as the crown jewels: encrypt the destination, lock down share permissions, and keep at least one copy **off-line/immutable** so ransomware can't encrypt your backups along with production. Don't store `<DB_PASSWORD>` in the scheduled command line — use a MySQL option file / limited account.
 
+Note that the captured `FreeDentalConfig.xml` stores the MySQL password **obfuscated but reversible** on **direct-connection** setups. The backup already contains all PHI so this doesn't change the requirement — but it's one more reason the destination must be encrypted and access-controlled. (Middle Tier setups don't put DB credentials in that file — see `od-cfg-persist.md`.)
+
 ## References
 
 - Open Dental manual — Backups (overview): <https://opendental.com/manual/backups.html>
 - Open Dental manual — Manual Backups: <https://www.opendental.com/manual/backupsmanual.html>
 - Open Dental manual — Backup Tool: <https://www.opendental.com/manual/backuptool.html>
+- Open Dental manual — FreeDentalConfig.xml: <https://www.opendental.com/manual/freedentalconfig.html>
 - Open Dental — InnoDB (backup implications): <https://www.opendental.com/site/mysqlinnodb.html>
 - Open Dental manual — MySQL Data Directory Management: <https://opendental.com/manual/mysqlmanage.html>
 - MySQL — `mysqldump`, `--single-transaction`: <https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/en/mysqldump.html>
diff --git a/scripts/od-db-backup.ps1 b/scripts/od-db-backup.ps1
index 778431e..a1bb6d3 100644
--- a/scripts/od-db-backup.ps1
+++ b/scripts/od-db-backup.ps1
@@ -206,21 +206,53 @@ finally {
     }
 }
 
-# --- 9. Write a manifest and report ---
+# --- 9. Capture recovery aids: FreeDentalConfig.xml + version stamps (best-effort) ---
+# The Open Dental program is NOT backed up (reinstall the matching version on
+# restore). But grabbing the connection config and recording the exact versions
+# makes a restore fast and version-correct. Best-effort: never fails the backup.
+if ($ok) {
+    $odInstall = @(${env:ProgramFiles(x86)}, $env:ProgramFiles) | Where-Object { $_ } |
+        ForEach-Object { Join-Path $_ 'Open Dental' } |
+        Where-Object { Test-Path $_ } | Select-Object -First 1
+    $odVersion = 'unknown'
+    if ($odInstall) {
+        $cfg = Join-Path $odInstall 'FreeDentalConfig.xml'
+        if (Test-Path $cfg) {
+            try { Copy-Item -LiteralPath $cfg -Destination (Join-Path $backupDir 'FreeDentalConfig.xml') -Force
+                  Log 'Captured FreeDentalConfig.xml (connection/AtoZ config).' }
+            catch { Log "Could not copy FreeDentalConfig.xml: $($_.Exception.Message)" }
+        }
+        $exe = Join-Path $odInstall 'OpenDental.exe'
+        if (Test-Path $exe) { try { $odVersion = (Get-Item $exe).VersionInfo.FileVersion } catch {} }
+    }
+    # DB engine version from the service's backing executable
+    $dbVersion = 'unknown'
+    try {
+        $imgPath = (Get-CimInstance Win32_Service -Filter "Name='$svcName'" -ErrorAction Stop).PathName
+        $exePath = ([regex]::Match($imgPath, '([A-Za-z]:\\[^"]*?\.exe)')).Groups[1].Value
+        if ($exePath -and (Test-Path $exePath)) { $dbVersion = (Get-Item $exePath).VersionInfo.ProductVersion }
+    } catch {}
+}
+
+# --- 10. Write a manifest and report ---
 if ($ok) {
     $manifest = @"
 Open Dental cold backup
-  Created        : $(Get-Date -Format 'yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss')
-  Host           : $env:COMPUTERNAME
-  Service        : $svcName
-  Data directory : $dataDir  (~$dataGB GB)
-  Images folder  : $(if($imgDir){"$imgDir  (~$imgGB GB)"}else{'(skipped)'})
-  Backup folder  : $backupDir
-  Method         : cold copy (service stopped + verified), whole data dir incl InnoDB shared tablespace/logs
+  Created           : $(Get-Date -Format 'yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss')
+  Host              : $env:COMPUTERNAME
+  Service           : $svcName
+  Open Dental ver   : $odVersion   (reinstall THIS version to restore)
+  DB engine ver     : $dbVersion   (restore onto a matching MySQL/MariaDB)
+  Data directory    : $dataDir  (~$dataGB GB)
+  Images folder     : $(if($imgDir){"$imgDir  (~$imgGB GB)"}else{'(skipped)'})
+  FreeDentalConfig  : $(if($odInstall -and (Test-Path (Join-Path $backupDir 'FreeDentalConfig.xml'))){'captured'}else{'(not found)'})
+  Backup folder     : $backupDir
+  Method            : cold copy (service stopped + verified), whole data dir incl InnoDB shared tablespace/logs
 "@
     Set-Content -LiteralPath (Join-Path $backupDir 'MANIFEST.txt') -Value $manifest
     Write-Host ''
     Write-Host "Backup complete: $backupDir" -ForegroundColor Green
+    Write-Host "Open Dental $odVersion / DB $dbVersion — reinstall matching versions to restore." -ForegroundColor Green
     Write-Host 'Next: copy this folder OFF-SITE, and TEST-RESTORE it periodically on an isolated machine.' -ForegroundColor Green
     Write-Host 'Never restore over a live production database.' -ForegroundColor Yellow
 }