Backup Problems using Xcopy

[Joe]

I use Xcopy for backup with alot of my customers but it
can be a bit unreliable. Especially the scheduler
Does anyone recommend a program that is easy to use that can
backup network drives & up to 40GB & has a scheduler.
I am using a removable drive attached to a worstation & transferring
the data via a mapped drive.
My customers will be using it so it has to be simple.
Not something like Arcserve!!
Pc's are Windows 2000.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I use Xcopy for backup with alot of my customers but it
can be a bit unreliable. Especially the scheduler
Does anyone recommend a program that is easy to use that can
backup network drives & up to 40GB & has a scheduler.
I am using a removable drive attached to a worstation & transferring
the data via a mapped drive.
My customers will be using it so it has to be simple.
Not something like Arcserve!!
Pc's are Windows 2000.

xcopy.exe is extremely reliable. If it fails then it fails for one of
these reasons:
- Insuffcient access rights for the account that you use for the Task
Scheduler;
- Locked files that cannot be copied;
- Inappropriate or missing switches

Other backup tools will suffer from exactly the same problems.

If you show us your batch file, and quote the precise error message,
then we can tell you why the process fails.

 

[Joe]

this is an example of the switches i use
xcopy /h/e/c/k/y/r d:\data\*.* o:\data\*.*
--
Regards

Donal

087 2989058

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I would probably modify this like so:

xcopy /h /e /c /k /y /r /d d:\data\*.* o:\data\ 1>c:\copy.log 2>c:\copy.err

When copying many files, you only give the target folder. It
makes no sense specifying a target file as well, even if it is
only a wild card. When finished, examine your log files.

Adding the /d switch prevents lots of unnecessary copying.

Now what about the error messages I mentioned in my
first reply?

 

[Joe]

thanks for the help.
i get alot of "sharing violation" errors which really slow
down the backup & it sometimes aborts. error 4.
any ideas on how to resolve this?
i try to make sure everyone has closed any databases.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

If you get sharing violations then you have three options:
- Force everybody to close their databases, or
- Forcibly close their database applications by scheduling
kill.exe to run on their machines prior to your backup, or
- Forcibly reboot their PCs prior to the backup, or
- Reboot the server prior to the backup

Rebooting machines will close locked files but it may
also corrupt them.

All copy/backup programs are affected by this issue,
not just xcopy.

 

[Joe]

thats a great help.
I'll try to make sure they are all out.
Do you recommed any other backup programs that
are like xcopy

IE Easy to use.
Can backup mapped drives using USB removable hard drives.
Can be scheduled.
Can backup up to 30GB.
I love simplicity!

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

xcopy.exe and ntbackup.exe are the only ones I've used to back up to drives
(as opposed to tape). xcopy is probably easier to use.

 

[Joe]

thanks for all the help

--
Regards

Joe

xcopy.exe and ntbackup.exe are the only ones I've used to back up to drives
(as opposed to tape). xcopy is probably easier to use.