OS is XP home, SP3.

I have been backing up successfully using the scheduler and ntbackup to an
exteral hard drive for a week. I back up a full normal backup once a week,
with an incremental each night the other six days. Suddenly, backup quits
responding just after starting. The status window says "preparing to backup
using shadow copy..." but the program is frozen. The only recent change I
know of is that I got a message that indexing had completed for Windows
Desktop Search. The backup log file for the past two days are empty. The
backup file on the external HDD are 2KB in length.

I am grateful for any suggestions. Thanks.
--
DL

"DL333" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:1AC7A06E-6A65-4ABA-9A1E-(E-Mail Removed)...
> OS is XP home, SP3.
>
> I have been backing up successfully using the scheduler and ntbackup to an
> exteral hard drive for a week. I back up a full normal backup once a
> week,
> with an incremental each night the other six days. Suddenly, backup quits
> responding just after starting. The status window says "preparing to
> backup
> using shadow copy..." but the program is frozen. The only recent change I
> know of is that I got a message that indexing had completed for Windows
> Desktop Search. The backup log file for the past two days are empty. The
> backup file on the external HDD are 2KB in length.
>
> I am grateful for any suggestions. Thanks.
> --
> DL

You need to supply more details:
- The exact command line that you see in the Task Scheduler.
- The name of the account used by the Task Scheduler.
- The full name & location of the backup log file.
- The report generated by the Task Scheduler.

"DL333" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:1AC7A06E-6A65-4ABA-9A1E-(E-Mail Removed)
> OS is XP home, SP3.
>
> I have been backing up successfully using the scheduler and ntbackup
> to an exteral hard drive for a week. I back up a full normal backup
> once a week, with an incremental each night the other six days.
> Suddenly, backup quits responding just after starting. The status
> window says "preparing to backup using shadow copy..." but the
> program is frozen. The only recent change I know of is that I got a
> message that indexing had completed for Windows Desktop Search. The
> backup log file for the past two days are empty. The backup file on
> the external HDD are 2KB in length.
>
> I am grateful for any suggestions. Thanks.

Hmm, I've had that problem but it was some time ago. For some reason I
never understood, it was a particular file (non-system file).
Since backup runs and just quits early I assume then that scheduler
and the script is working.
Can you duplicate the problem with a manually initiated backup? If
so:
Watch it backup and note the filename it's working with when it
stops.
I think it occurred during the perparations phase, not the writing
phases so watch closely.

You said it created log files, so look at the logfile for a hint.
IIRC the file's name was listed in the log, too. I copied the file out
to a CD and deleted it, and the backups began working again.

I'd have to dig thru my archives for the filename, but if you spot one
and post it here, I might recognize it.

That may or may not be your situation: But if you're sure it is, I'll
see if I can locate it in my archives; I ended up with a list of names
that would cause that, from Google searches, which might be your next
logical move too.

HTH,

Twayne`

Twayne,

Thanks for the quick reply. I manually initiated a backup and got the same
results as the one performed by task scheduler. The first window pops up and
freezes. The backup report file is created, but it is empty. No file name
appears in the window.

This scheduled backup routine is the same one that ran on Friday - an
incremental backup. The one on Saturday did not run. The Sunday backup was
a normal backup, identical to the one that ran successfully last Sunday. I
have not installed anything new in the last week.

I'm at a loss...

DL
--
DL


"Twayne" wrote:

> "DL333" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:1AC7A06E-6A65-4ABA-9A1E-(E-Mail Removed)
> > OS is XP home, SP3.
> >
> > I have been backing up successfully using the scheduler and ntbackup
> > to an exteral hard drive for a week. I back up a full normal backup
> > once a week, with an incremental each night the other six days.
> > Suddenly, backup quits responding just after starting. The status
> > window says "preparing to backup using shadow copy..." but the
> > program is frozen. The only recent change I know of is that I got a
> > message that indexing had completed for Windows Desktop Search. The
> > backup log file for the past two days are empty. The backup file on
> > the external HDD are 2KB in length.
> >
> > I am grateful for any suggestions. Thanks.
>
> Hmm, I've had that problem but it was some time ago. For some reason I
> never understood, it was a particular file (non-system file).
> Since backup runs and just quits early I assume then that scheduler
> and the script is working.
> Can you duplicate the problem with a manually initiated backup? If
> so:
> Watch it backup and note the filename it's working with when it
> stops.
> I think it occurred during the perparations phase, not the writing
> phases so watch closely.
>
> You said it created log files, so look at the logfile for a hint.
> IIRC the file's name was listed in the log, too. I copied the file out
> to a CD and deleted it, and the backups began working again.
>
> I'd have to dig thru my archives for the filename, but if you spot one
> and post it here, I might recognize it.
>
> That may or may not be your situation: But if you're sure it is, I'll
> see if I can locate it in my archives; I ended up with a list of names
> that would cause that, from Google searches, which might be your next
> logical move too.
>
> HTH,
>
> Twayne`
>
>
>
>

"DL333" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:CBA82A5D-3B0E-4E09-859F-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Twayne,
>
> Thanks for the quick reply. I manually initiated a backup and got the
> same
> results as the one performed by task scheduler. The first window pops up
> and
> freezes. The backup report file is created, but it is empty. No file
> name
> appears in the window.
>
> This scheduled backup routine is the same one that ran on Friday - an
> incremental backup. The one on Saturday did not run. The Sunday backup
> was
> a normal backup, identical to the one that ran successfully last Sunday.
> I
> have not installed anything new in the last week.
>
> I'm at a loss...
>
> DL

If you answer the questions I asked in my first reply then someone can
probably help you.

Pegasus,

I thought that I did, though, when I posted the reply, the verification
screen did not come up, but said that the website was too busy to reply.
Here is the detail you requested:

Task Scheduler command line:

C:\WINDOWS\System32\ntbackup.exe backup "@C:\Documents and
Settings\Scheduler\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows
NT\NTBackup\data\Image2.bks" /n "Image2.bkf created 7/15/2009 at 7:56 AM" /d
"Set created 7/15/2009 at 7:56 AM" /v:yes /r:no /rs:no /hcff /m normal /j
"Image2" /l:f /f "Z:\Backups\Image2.bkf"

Account: Scheduler (admin user, with password)

Backup log file name & location: Don't know and couldn't find

Task Scheduler Report: could not find a report generated by task scheduler,
but the backup report generated was empty.

Sorry about the mixup...


DL


"Pegasus [MVP]" wrote:

>
> "DL333" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:CBA82A5D-3B0E-4E09-859F-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Twayne,
> >
> > Thanks for the quick reply. I manually initiated a backup and got the
> > same
> > results as the one performed by task scheduler. The first window pops up
> > and
> > freezes. The backup report file is created, but it is empty. No file
> > name
> > appears in the window.
> >
> > This scheduled backup routine is the same one that ran on Friday - an
> > incremental backup. The one on Saturday did not run. The Sunday backup
> > was
> > a normal backup, identical to the one that ran successfully last Sunday.
> > I
> > have not installed anything new in the last week.
> >
> > I'm at a loss...
> >
> > DL
>
> If you answer the questions I asked in my first reply then someone can
> probably help you.
>
>
>

Your report tells me this:
- You're running the job under an account called "Scheduler".
- You're trying to back up to a file called "Z:\Backups\Image2.bkf".
- Your backup report is kept in the folder "C:\Documents and
Settings\Scheduler\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows
NT\NTBackup\data".
- Your Task Scheduler report is accessible via the Advanced pull-down menu
that you see when you open the Control Panel / Task Scheduler.

You should now examine both the Task Scheduler log file and the latest
backup report file. You will probably find that drive Z: does not exist
while you're running the backup job, either because it is a mapped drive or
because the "Scheduler" account has insufficient access rights to it. If it
is a networked drive then the usual remedy is to use UNC coding instead of
mapping a drive letter. Post again if this is not clear or if the issue
remains unresolved.


"DL333" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:450883C7-40EF-4E21-AF0C-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Pegasus,
>
> I thought that I did, though, when I posted the reply, the verification
> screen did not come up, but said that the website was too busy to reply.
> Here is the detail you requested:
>
> Task Scheduler command line:
>
> C:\WINDOWS\System32\ntbackup.exe backup "@C:\Documents and
> Settings\Scheduler\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows
> NT\NTBackup\data\Image2.bks" /n "Image2.bkf created 7/15/2009 at 7:56 AM"
> /d
> "Set created 7/15/2009 at 7:56 AM" /v:yes /r:no /rs:no /hcff /m normal
> /j
> "Image2" /l:f /f "Z:\Backups\Image2.bkf"
>
> Account: Scheduler (admin user, with password)
>
> Backup log file name & location: Don't know and couldn't find
>
> Task Scheduler Report: could not find a report generated by task
> scheduler,
> but the backup report generated was empty.
>
> Sorry about the mixup...
>
>
> DL
>
>
> "Pegasus [MVP]" wrote:
>
>>
>> "DL333" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:CBA82A5D-3B0E-4E09-859F-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> > Twayne,
>> >
>> > Thanks for the quick reply. I manually initiated a backup and got the
>> > same
>> > results as the one performed by task scheduler. The first window pops
>> > up
>> > and
>> > freezes. The backup report file is created, but it is empty. No file
>> > name
>> > appears in the window.
>> >
>> > This scheduled backup routine is the same one that ran on Friday - an
>> > incremental backup. The one on Saturday did not run. The Sunday
>> > backup
>> > was
>> > a normal backup, identical to the one that ran successfully last
>> > Sunday.
>> > I
>> > have not installed anything new in the last week.
>> >
>> > I'm at a loss...
>> >
>> > DL
>>
>> If you answer the questions I asked in my first reply then someone can
>> probably help you.
>>
>>
>>

I'm not sure how to use UNC coding - not really sure what it is.

The Z: drive is available to the Scheduler user. I have manually initiated
a backup operation to this drive from two different users on this computer,
both admin users, and get the same results, i.e., it opens a status window
saying "preparing to backup using shadow copy" and doesn't progress beyond
that (all other boxes in the window are empty). The task logs are empty for
all of the backups that froze. As I said, this started Saturday - the Friday
backup was successful.

Thanks
--
DL


"Pegasus [MVP]" wrote:

> Your report tells me this:
> - You're running the job under an account called "Scheduler".
> - You're trying to back up to a file called "Z:\Backups\Image2.bkf".
> - Your backup report is kept in the folder "C:\Documents and
> Settings\Scheduler\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows
> NT\NTBackup\data".
> - Your Task Scheduler report is accessible via the Advanced pull-down menu
> that you see when you open the Control Panel / Task Scheduler.
>
> You should now examine both the Task Scheduler log file and the latest
> backup report file. You will probably find that drive Z: does not exist
> while you're running the backup job, either because it is a mapped drive or
> because the "Scheduler" account has insufficient access rights to it. If it
> is a networked drive then the usual remedy is to use UNC coding instead of
> mapping a drive letter. Post again if this is not clear or if the issue
> remains unresolved.
>
>
> "DL333" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:450883C7-40EF-4E21-AF0C-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Pegasus,
> >
> > I thought that I did, though, when I posted the reply, the verification
> > screen did not come up, but said that the website was too busy to reply.
> > Here is the detail you requested:
> >
> > Task Scheduler command line:
> >
> > C:\WINDOWS\System32\ntbackup.exe backup "@C:\Documents and
> > Settings\Scheduler\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows
> > NT\NTBackup\data\Image2.bks" /n "Image2.bkf created 7/15/2009 at 7:56 AM"
> > /d
> > "Set created 7/15/2009 at 7:56 AM" /v:yes /r:no /rs:no /hcff /m normal
> > /j
> > "Image2" /l:f /f "Z:\Backups\Image2.bkf"
> >
> > Account: Scheduler (admin user, with password)
> >
> > Backup log file name & location: Don't know and couldn't find
> >
> > Task Scheduler Report: could not find a report generated by task
> > scheduler,
> > but the backup report generated was empty.
> >
> > Sorry about the mixup...
> >
> >
> > DL
> >
> >
> > "Pegasus [MVP]" wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> "DL333" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> >> news:CBA82A5D-3B0E-4E09-859F-(E-Mail Removed)...
> >> > Twayne,
> >> >
> >> > Thanks for the quick reply. I manually initiated a backup and got the
> >> > same
> >> > results as the one performed by task scheduler. The first window pops
> >> > up
> >> > and
> >> > freezes. The backup report file is created, but it is empty. No file
> >> > name
> >> > appears in the window.
> >> >
> >> > This scheduled backup routine is the same one that ran on Friday - an
> >> > incremental backup. The one on Saturday did not run. The Sunday
> >> > backup
> >> > was
> >> > a normal backup, identical to the one that ran successfully last
> >> > Sunday.
> >> > I
> >> > have not installed anything new in the last week.
> >> >
> >> > I'm at a loss...
> >> >
> >> > DL
> >>
> >> If you answer the questions I asked in my first reply then someone can
> >> probably help you.
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>

OK, let's get out the tool box. Create the batch file c:\DL.bat with the
following lines inside:
@echo off
echo %date% %time% %UserName% >> c:\test.txt
net use >> c:\test.txt
dir z:\ >> c:\test.txt
dir z:\Backups 1>> c:\test.txt 2>>&1
xcopy /y %comspec% z:\Backup\ 1>> c:\test.txt 2>>&1
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ntbackup.exe backup "@C:\Documents and
Settings\Scheduler\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows
NT\NTBackup\data\Image2.bks" /n "Image2.bkf created 7/15/2009 at 7:56 AM" /d
"Set created 7/15/2009 at 7:56 M" /v:yes /r:no /rs:no /hcff /m normal /j
"Image2" /l:f /f "Z:\Backups\Image2.bkf"
echo %date% %time% End of test >> c:\test.txt

Now use the Task Scheduler to schedule c:\DL.bat under the Scheduler
account. Afterwards examine c:\test.txt. I expect it to be an eye opener.

By the way - you never reported the contents of the two log files - the one
maintained by the Task Scheduler and the one created by ntbackup.exe.


"DL333" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:B24DB314-59F2-453A-81E0-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'm not sure how to use UNC coding - not really sure what it is.
>
> The Z: drive is available to the Scheduler user. I have manually
> initiated
> a backup operation to this drive from two different users on this
> computer,
> both admin users, and get the same results, i.e., it opens a status window
> saying "preparing to backup using shadow copy" and doesn't progress beyond
> that (all other boxes in the window are empty). The task logs are empty
> for
> all of the backups that froze. As I said, this started Saturday - the
> Friday
> backup was successful.
>
> Thanks
> --
> DL
>
>
> "Pegasus [MVP]" wrote:
>
>> Your report tells me this:
>> - You're running the job under an account called "Scheduler".
>> - You're trying to back up to a file called "Z:\Backups\Image2.bkf".
>> - Your backup report is kept in the folder "C:\Documents and
>> Settings\Scheduler\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows
>> NT\NTBackup\data".
>> - Your Task Scheduler report is accessible via the Advanced pull-down
>> menu
>> that you see when you open the Control Panel / Task Scheduler.
>>
>> You should now examine both the Task Scheduler log file and the latest
>> backup report file. You will probably find that drive Z: does not exist
>> while you're running the backup job, either because it is a mapped drive
>> or
>> because the "Scheduler" account has insufficient access rights to it. If
>> it
>> is a networked drive then the usual remedy is to use UNC coding instead
>> of
>> mapping a drive letter. Post again if this is not clear or if the issue
>> remains unresolved.
>>
>>
>> "DL333" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:450883C7-40EF-4E21-AF0C-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> > Pegasus,
>> >
>> > I thought that I did, though, when I posted the reply, the verification
>> > screen did not come up, but said that the website was too busy to
>> > reply.
>> > Here is the detail you requested:
>> >
>> > Task Scheduler command line:
>> >
>> > C:\WINDOWS\System32\ntbackup.exe backup "@C:\Documents and
>> > Settings\Scheduler\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows
>> > NT\NTBackup\data\Image2.bks" /n "Image2.bkf created 7/15/2009 at 7:56
>> > AM"
>> > /d
>> > "Set created 7/15/2009 at 7:56 AM" /v:yes /r:no /rs:no /hcff /m
>> > normal
>> > /j
>> > "Image2" /l:f /f "Z:\Backups\Image2.bkf"
>> >
>> > Account: Scheduler (admin user, with password)
>> >
>> > Backup log file name & location: Don't know and couldn't find
>> >
>> > Task Scheduler Report: could not find a report generated by task
>> > scheduler,
>> > but the backup report generated was empty.
>> >
>> > Sorry about the mixup...
>> >
>> >
>> > DL
>> >
>> >
>> > "Pegasus [MVP]" wrote:
>> >
>> >>
>> >> "DL333" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> >> news:CBA82A5D-3B0E-4E09-859F-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> >> > Twayne,
>> >> >
>> >> > Thanks for the quick reply. I manually initiated a backup and got
>> >> > the
>> >> > same
>> >> > results as the one performed by task scheduler. The first window
>> >> > pops
>> >> > up
>> >> > and
>> >> > freezes. The backup report file is created, but it is empty. No
>> >> > file
>> >> > name
>> >> > appears in the window.
>> >> >
>> >> > This scheduled backup routine is the same one that ran on Friday -
>> >> > an
>> >> > incremental backup. The one on Saturday did not run. The Sunday
>> >> > backup
>> >> > was
>> >> > a normal backup, identical to the one that ran successfully last
>> >> > Sunday.
>> >> > I
>> >> > have not installed anything new in the last week.
>> >> >
>> >> > I'm at a loss...
>> >> >
>> >> > DL
>> >>
>> >> If you answer the questions I asked in my first reply then someone can
>> >> probably help you.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>>
>>

"DL333" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:CBA82A5D-3B0E-4E09-859F-(E-Mail Removed)
> Twayne,
>
> Thanks for the quick reply. I manually initiated a backup and got
> the same results as the one performed by task scheduler. The first
> window pops up and freezes. The backup report file is created, but
> it is empty. No file name appears in the window.
>
> This scheduled backup routine is the same one that ran on Friday - an
> incremental backup. The one on Saturday did not run. The Sunday
> backup was a normal backup, identical to the one that ran
> successfully last Sunday. I have not installed anything new in the
> last week.
>
> I'm at a loss...

That just means the problem is a little deeper, that's all. It sounds
like Pegasus has you on the right track, so I'd stick with him for now.
I saw his batch file and it's good; in fact, I thieved it for myself<g>.
Haven't run it yet, but when I get time ...

Twayne`


>
> DL
>
>> "DL333" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:1AC7A06E-6A65-4ABA-9A1E-(E-Mail Removed)
>>> OS is XP home, SP3.
>>>
>>> I have been backing up successfully using the scheduler and ntbackup
>>> to an exteral hard drive for a week. I back up a full normal backup
>>> once a week, with an incremental each night the other six days.
>>> Suddenly, backup quits responding just after starting. The status
>>> window says "preparing to backup using shadow copy..." but the
>>> program is frozen. The only recent change I know of is that I got a
>>> message that indexing had completed for Windows Desktop Search. The
>>> backup log file for the past two days are empty. The backup file on
>>> the external HDD are 2KB in length.
>>>
>>> I am grateful for any suggestions. Thanks.
>>
>> Hmm, I've had that problem but it was some time ago. For some
>> reason I never understood, it was a particular file (non-system
>> file). Since backup runs and just quits early I assume then that
>> scheduler
>> and the script is working.
>> Can you duplicate the problem with a manually initiated backup?
>> If so:
>> Watch it backup and note the filename it's working with when it
>> stops.
>> I think it occurred during the perparations phase, not the
>> writing phases so watch closely.
>>
>> You said it created log files, so look at the logfile for a hint.
>> IIRC the file's name was listed in the log, too. I copied the file
>> out to a CD and deleted it, and the backups began working again.
>>
>> I'd have to dig thru my archives for the filename, but if you spot
>> one and post it here, I might recognize it.
>>
>> That may or may not be your situation: But if you're sure it is, I'll
>> see if I can locate it in my archives; I ended up with a list of
>> names that would cause that, from Google searches, which might be
>> your next logical move too.
>>
>> HTH,
>>
>> Twayne`