Win XP Scheduled Backup fails

[Ralph Page]

I am using Windows XP Home edition 2002 with SP2.

The backup program works as expected if I perform the backup
immediately.
When I attempt to perform scheduled backups, it fails.
The backup.log located at
C:\Documents and Settings\Ralph Page\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Windows NT\NTBackup\data
Reports:

'The saved selection file "NT\NTBackup\data\Untitled.bks" cannot be
found.'

A file with that name (Untitled.bks) , created when I set up the
scheduled backup, exists there - the full path is the same as the path
above that contains the backup log. I've tried giving it other names
(in desparation) but the result is the same.

I am the only user set up on this machine.

Is there a simple workaround or solution for this problem?

Thanks,

Ralph Page

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Scheduled Tasks Cannot Run with a Blank Password
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310715

Visit http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_s.htm and scroll down to:
"Scheduled Tasks - Applying/Running tasks without a password­"

[Courtesy of Kelly Theriot, MS-MVP]

HOW TO: Troubleshoot Scheduled Tasks in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308558

HOW TO: Schedule Tasks in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308569

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I am using Windows XP Home edition 2002 with SP2.
|
| The backup program works as expected if I perform the backup
| immediately.
| When I attempt to perform scheduled backups, it fails.
| The backup.log located at
| C:\Documents and Settings\Ralph Page\Local Settings\Application
| Data\Microsoft\Windows NT\NTBackup\data
| Reports:
|
| 'The saved selection file "NT\NTBackup\data\Untitled.bks" cannot be
| found.'
|
| A file with that name (Untitled.bks) , created when I set up the
| scheduled backup, exists there - the full path is the same as the path
| above that contains the backup log. I've tried giving it other names
| (in desparation) but the result is the same.
|
| I am the only user set up on this machine.
|
| Is there a simple workaround or solution for this problem?
|
| Thanks,
|
| Ralph Page

 

[Ralph Page]

Scheduled Tasks Cannot Run with a Blank Password
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310715

Visit http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_s.htm and scroll down to:
"Scheduled Tasks - Applying/Running tasks without a password­"

[Courtesy of Kelly Theriot, MS-MVP]

HOW TO: Troubleshoot Scheduled Tasks in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308558

HOW TO: Schedule Tasks in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308569

Thanks for suggestions.
I apologize that I failed to mention that I earlier added a password
for the purpose of making scheduled tasks work properly.

I reviewed the 'scheduled tasks Cannot...' and 'Troubleshoot...' links
but found nothing in my configuration that was inconsistent with the
information provided.

I also have a scheduled task that works, BTW, McAfee.com virus scan
works normally.

When I review the information in the 'properties' of the failing
backup task and compare them to the operational McAfee scan task, I
see no differences with the exception of the time and frequency of the
task. The information in the 'Run:' window is naturally different
since the programs need different switches and are in different
locations.

The 'Run:' window for the offending task says:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntbackup.exe backup "@C:\Documents and
Settings\Ralph Page\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows
NT\NTBackup\data\ScheduledBackup.bks" /a /d "Set created 10/23/2005 at
3:02 PM" /v:yes /r:no /rs:no /hcff /m incremental /j "Scheduled
bkup" /l:n /f "F:\XPBackup.bkf"

The 'ScheduledBackup.bks' file is in the location pointed to on
command line (above)

The backup utility does run at the time scheduled but it immediately
closes, providing the notation in the log that the bks file could not
be found.

I tried running a scheduled backup by scheduling it from the scheduled
tasks user interface and it works fine except that it just launches
the backup program which is mildly helpful at best since I then would
have to walk it through the process manually from that point on.

If you have any additional suggestions I'd love to hear them.

Thanks for the help,

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I am using Windows XP Home edition 2002 with SP2.

The backup program works as expected if I perform the backup
immediately.
When I attempt to perform scheduled backups, it fails.
The backup.log located at
C:\Documents and Settings\Ralph Page\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Windows NT\NTBackup\data
Reports:

'The saved selection file "NT\NTBackup\data\Untitled.bks" cannot be
found.'

A file with that name (Untitled.bks) , created when I set up the
scheduled backup, exists there - the full path is the same as the path
above that contains the backup log. I've tried giving it other names
(in desparation) but the result is the same.

I am the only user set up on this machine.

Is there a simple workaround or solution for this problem?

Thanks,

Ralph Page

Examine the command line of your scheduled job. It has a component
that starts with "@", followed by "NT\NTBackup\data\Untitled.bks".
There are several concerns with this name:
- It lacks a driver letter.
- It lacks a leading backslash
- It has a lousy name ("Untitled.bks").

To fix the problem, do this:
- Locate your .bks file
- Give it a proper name, e.g. "Document Backup.bks"
- Place it in a folder that you can remember, e.g. into
"C:\BackupSelections"
- Adjust the command line in scheduled task to reflect
this folder and name, e.g.
"@c:\BackupSelections\Docment Backup.bks".

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

The command line had the complete path starting with '@'. The
truncated version of the path was from the log file, I assumed that it
just truncated the path/name to save space.
And of course, in my defense, I just used the 'Wizard' which placed
the bks file in that location (no options that I could find during the
setup process).

The good news is that when I place the file in the root of C and
manually change the path generated by the Wizard it works fine,
possibly because the path was so long?

Thanks for the useful suggestion. I guess the wizard was just having
a bad day.

-Ralph Page

I would never place such an important file into the root of C:.
Placing it into an appropriately named folder is far better in view
of long term maintenance. Would you remember two years from
now what this file is here for?

 

[Ralph Page]

Examine the command line of your scheduled job. It has a component
that starts with "@", followed by "NT\NTBackup\data\Untitled.bks".
There are several concerns with this name:
- It lacks a driver letter.
- It lacks a leading backslash
- It has a lousy name ("Untitled.bks").

To fix the problem, do this:
- Locate your .bks file
- Give it a proper name, e.g. "Document Backup.bks"
- Place it in a folder that you can remember, e.g. into
"C:\BackupSelections"
- Adjust the command line in scheduled task to reflect
this folder and name, e.g.
"@c:\BackupSelections\Docment Backup.bks".

The command line had the complete path starting with '@'. The
truncated version of the path was from the log file, I assumed that it
just truncated the path/name to save space.
And of course, in my defense, I just used the 'Wizard' which placed
the bks file in that location (no options that I could find during the
setup process).

The good news is that when I place the file in the root of C and
manually change the path generated by the Wizard it works fine,
possibly because the path was so long?

Thanks for the useful suggestion. I guess the wizard was just having
a bad day.

-Ralph Page

 

[Ralph Page]

I would never place such an important file into the root of C:.
Placing it into an appropriately named folder is far better in view
of long term maintenance. Would you remember two years from
now what this file is here for?

I may not remember it next week, although the name ScheduledBackup.bks
is a decent clue.

I will make a directory for it and see if that works, I primarily
wanted to start with the minimum path initially.

Fortunately the information in the file is ASCII also, making it a bit
easier to decypher as well.

Thanks again for the help.

-Ralph

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I may not remember it next week, although the name ScheduledBackup.bks
is a decent clue.

I will make a directory for it and see if that works, I primarily
wanted to start with the minimum path initially.

Fortunately the information in the file is ASCII also, making it a bit
easier to decypher as well.

Thanks again for the help.

-Ralph

Almost - the information is in Unicode, so you need to be careful
when you edit the file.