Backup not running...

[Mike]

I have an external usb drive connected to the computer & have used the
built-in backup (ntbackup?) to back up several folders every night.
I get no error messages in the log file, just no backup ever happens.
Any ideas why?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I have an external usb drive connected to the computer & have used the
built-in backup (ntbackup?) to back up several folders every night.
I get no error messages in the log file, just no backup ever happens.
Any ideas why?

You need to supply more details, e.g.
- What exactly is your backup command?
- How do you run it: Directly or scheduled?
- If it is scheduled, have you tried running it directly?
- Which log file are you looking at?
- What does it contain?

 

[Mike]

You need to supply more details, e.g.
- What exactly is your backup command?
- How do you run it: Directly or scheduled?
- If it is scheduled, have you tried running it directly?
- Which log file are you looking at?
- What does it contain?

Starting with the backup wizard, selecting certain files and folders,
scheduled for 2AM
No log entries, no backup files, nothing the next morning.
Running directly will work, scheduling for later seems to be the problem...

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Starting with the backup wizard, selecting certain files and folders,
scheduled for 2AM
No log entries, no backup files, nothing the next morning.
Running directly will work, scheduling for later seems to be the
problem...

Fine. Now run this little test:
1. Click Start / Run / notepad c:\MyBackup.bat{OK}
2. Allow a new file to be created.
3. Type these lines:
@echo off
echo %date% %time% %UserName% >> c:\MyBackup.log
4. Open the Task Scheduler and copy the ntbackup command line,
using Ctrl+C.
5. Paste this line into your batch file, then add another line so that
it looks like so:
@echo off
echo %date% %time% %UserName% >> c:\MyBackup.log
%SystemRoot%\system32\ntbackup.exe /.. /.. /..
echo Backup ended at %time% >> c:\MyBackup.log
6. Save and close the batch file.
7. Run it right now.
8. Use notepad.exe to check the file c:\MyBackup.log.
9. Use the Task Scheduler to invoke c:\MyBackup.bat five
minutes from now.
10. Wait 10 minutes.
11. Examine c:\MyBackup.log again.
12. Report the result here.

Note: The above procedure will not solve your problem. However, it will tell
you what's going on.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Starting with the backup wizard, selecting certain files and folders,
scheduled for 2AM
No log entries, no backup files, nothing the next morning.
Running directly will work, scheduling for later seems to be the
problem...

Don't forget to post the exact ntbackup command in your reply!

 

[Mike]

Fine. Now run this little test:
1. Click Start / Run / notepad c:\MyBackup.bat{OK}
2. Allow a new file to be created.
3. Type these lines:
@echo off
echo %date% %time% %UserName% >> c:\MyBackup.log
4. Open the Task Scheduler and copy the ntbackup command line,
using Ctrl+C.
5. Paste this line into your batch file, then add another line so that
it looks like so:
@echo off
echo %date% %time% %UserName% >> c:\MyBackup.log
%SystemRoot%\system32\ntbackup.exe /.. /.. /..
echo Backup ended at %time% >> c:\MyBackup.log
6. Save and close the batch file.
7. Run it right now.
8. Use notepad.exe to check the file c:\MyBackup.log.
9. Use the Task Scheduler to invoke c:\MyBackup.bat five
minutes from now.
10. Wait 10 minutes.
11. Examine c:\MyBackup.log again.
12. Report the result here.

Note: The above procedure will not solve your problem. However, it will
tell you what's going on.

At the risk of sounding stupid, I don't have alot of experience with batch
files - are there any variables that I need to enter in place of .. /.. /..
?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

At the risk of sounding stupid, I don't have alot of experience with batch
files - are there any variables that I need to enter in place of .. /..
/.. ?

You're not supposed to take any initiative there. I will restate the crucial
step:

4. Open the Task Scheduler and copy the ntbackup command line, using Ctrl+C.

- Did you open the Task Scheduler?
- Did you open the backup task?
- Did you see the "ntbackup" command line with all its switches?
- Did you mark/copy it, using Ctrl+C?

If you did all of the above then it's a matter of pasting that command line
into your batch file. No magic at all!

 

[Mike]

You're not supposed to take any initiative there. I will restate the
crucial step:

4. Open the Task Scheduler and copy the ntbackup command line, using
Ctrl+C.

- Did you open the Task Scheduler?
- Did you open the backup task?
- Did you see the "ntbackup" command line with all its switches?
- Did you mark/copy it, using Ctrl+C?

If you did all of the above then it's a matter of pasting that command
line into your batch file. No magic at all!

I am currently at home, on my XP box.
The Win2k is one I have set up at the office, running an older copy of
Peachtree, that I hope to replace in amonth or so... Ok, I'm rambling!
Anyway, I was going through the steps on my XP box, just to see what
happens.
I'm assuming Task Scheduler will not look/act the same as Scheduled Tasks?
I'll past back when I get to Win2k box...

 

[Mike]

You're not supposed to take any initiative there. I will restate the crucial
step:

4. Open the Task Scheduler and copy the ntbackup command line, using Ctrl+C.

- Did you open the Task Scheduler?
- Did you open the backup task?
- Did you see the "ntbackup" command line with all its switches?
- Did you mark/copy it, using Ctrl+C?

If you did all of the above then it's a matter of pasting that command line
into your batch file. No magic at all!- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Scheduled time came & went & nothing happened.
The only entry in the log file was for the one that I manually ran.
Here's the contents of batch file...
@echo off
echo %date% %time% %UserName% >> c:\MyBackup.log
C:\WINNT\system32\NTBACKUP.EXE backup "@C:\Documents and Settings\John
Doe\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows NT\NTBackup\data
\backupTest.bks" /a /d "Set created 1/17/2009 at 4:43 PM" /v:no /r:no /
rs:no /hcff /m normal /j "backupTest.job" /l:s /f "F:\Bob PC daily-
test.bkf"
echo Backup ended at %time% >> c:\MyBackup.log

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

news:[email protected]...

Scheduled time came & went & nothing happened.
The only entry in the log file was for the one that I manually ran.
Here's the contents of batch file...
@echo off
echo %date% %time% %UserName% >> c:\MyBackup.log
C:\WINNT\system32\NTBACKUP.EXE backup "@C:\Documents and Settings\John
Doe\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows NT\NTBackup\data
\backupTest.bks" /a /d "Set created 1/17/2009 at 4:43 PM" /v:no /r:no /
rs:no /hcff /m normal /j "backupTest.job" /l:s /f "F:\Bob PC daily-
test.bkf"
echo Backup ended at %time% >> c:\MyBackup.log

=======================

Did you examine the file c:\MyBackup.log?
You must also inspect the Task Scheduler log file. It's under the Advanced
menu.
Does the account you use for the scheduled task have a password?

 

[Mike]

Scheduled time came & went & nothing happened.
The only entry in the log file was for the one that I manually ran.
Here's the contents of batch file...
@echo off
echo %date% %time% %UserName% >> c:\MyBackup.log
C:\WINNT\system32\NTBACKUP.EXE backup "@C:\Documents and Settings\John
Doe\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows NT\NTBackup\data
\backupTest.bks" /a /d "Set created 1/17/2009 at 4:43 PM" /v:no /r:no /
rs:no /hcff /m normal /j "backupTest.job" /l:s /f "F:\Bob PC daily-
test.bkf"
echo Backup ended at %time% >> c:\MyBackup.log

=======================

Did you examine the file c:\MyBackup.log?
You must also inspect the Task Scheduler log file. It's under the Advanced
menu.
Does the account you use for the scheduled task have a password?

a-ha!
Verify that the task's Run-as name and password are valid and try
again.

Yes there is a password on the acount & I have entered it.
Why would it think it's wrong?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

=======================

Did you examine the file c:\MyBackup.log?
You must also inspect the Task Scheduler log file. It's under the Advanced
menu.
Does the account you use for the scheduled task have a password?

a-ha!
Verify that the task's Run-as name and password are valid and try
again.

Yes there is a password on the acount & I have entered it.
Why would it think it's wrong?

========================

Because it is wrong, or expired, or the account is locked.

 

[Mike]

a-ha!
Verify that the task's Run-as name and password are valid and try
again.

Yes there is a password on the acount & I have entered it.
Why would it think it's wrong?

========================

Because it is wrong, or expired, or the account is locked.

Actually, entering no password was the fix.
When going through the steps, why wouldn't it have told me password
was wrong?
Anyway, it's working now.
Thanks!