NTBackup Opens & then disappears

[Guest Davy]

When I try to run NTBackup from a command line I see a

window which says "Looking for Backup Devices..." which

closes after a few seconds but I then see no indication

that NTBackup is running.

 

The command line I am using is:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\NTBACKUP.EXE backup "@C:\Documents and

Settings\David\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft

\Windows

 

NT\Backup\data\Differential Backup.bks"

 

No switches set so I believe it will use the options

specified in the .bks file.

 

I am at a loss to debug the problem; any thoughts anyone?

 

Davy

[Guest Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Re: NTBackup Opens & then disappears

 

 

"Davy" <me@removeallthistextchobham.org.uk> wrote in message

news:Xns9AA079BC64363meremoveallthistextc@216.196.109.145...

> When I try to run NTBackup from a command line I see a

> window which says "Looking for Backup Devices..." which

> closes after a few seconds but I then see no indication

> that NTBackup is running.

>

> The command line I am using is:

> C:\WINDOWS\system32\NTBACKUP.EXE backup "@C:\Documents and

> Settings\David\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft

> \Windows

>

> NT\Backup\data\Differential Backup.bks"

>

> No switches set so I believe it will use the options

> specified in the .bks file.

>

> I am at a loss to debug the problem; any thoughts anyone?

>

> Davy

 

Check the following:

- The command line switches (run backup /? to see them)

- The event viewer (run eventvwr.exe)

- The backup logs (look for backup*.log deep inside your profile folder)

[Guest Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Re: NTBackup Opens & then disappears

 

 

"Davy" <me@removeallthistextchobham.org.uk> wrote in message

news:Xns9AA079BC64363meremoveallthistextc@216.196.109.145...

> When I try to run NTBackup from a command line I see a

> window which says "Looking for Backup Devices..." which

> closes after a few seconds but I then see no indication

> that NTBackup is running.

>

> The command line I am using is:

> C:\WINDOWS\system32\NTBACKUP.EXE backup "@C:\Documents and

> Settings\David\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft

> \Windows

>

> NT\Backup\data\Differential Backup.bks"

>

> No switches set so I believe it will use the options

> specified in the .bks file.

>

> I am at a loss to debug the problem; any thoughts anyone?

>

> Davy

 

A further measure: Run ntbackup.exe by itself so that you can

use the wizard to create a backup job. When prompted, specify

that the job should run some time in the future. Now open the

job in the Task Scheduler compare its command line with your

own command line.

[Guest Davy]

Re: NTBackup Opens & then disappears

 

"Pegasus \(MVP\)" <I.can@fly.com.oz> wrote in

news:uynYku0tIHA.3604@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl:

> "Davy" <me@removeallthistextchobham.org.uk> wrote in

message

> news:Xns9AA079BC64363meremoveallthistextc@

216.196.109.145...

>> When I try to run NTBackup from a command line I see

a

>> window which says "Looking for Backup Devices..."

which

>> closes after a few seconds but I then see no

indication

>> that NTBackup is running.

>>

>> The command line I am using is:

>> C:\WINDOWS\system32\NTBACKUP.EXE backup "@C:

\Documents and

>> Settings\David\Local Settings\Application Data

\Microsoft

>> \Windows

>>

>> NT\Backup\data\Differential Backup.bks"

>>

>> No switches set so I believe it will use the options

>> specified in the .bks file.

>>

>> I am at a loss to debug the problem; any thoughts

anyone?

>>

>> Davy

>

> Check the following:

> - The command line switches (run backup /? to see

them)

> - The event viewer (run eventvwr.exe)

> - The backup logs (look for backup*.log deep inside

your profile folder)

 

Pegasus,

thanks for that - the log file was the key. It reports

"invalid /f parameter". Evidently the double set of

double quotes around the backup file name which worked

well in my previous W2K PC is not acceptable in Windows

XP. When replaced with a single set of double quotes

the backup worked fine.

Thanks, Davy

[Guest Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Re: NTBackup Opens & then disappears

 

 

"Davy" <me@removeallthistextchobham.org.uk> wrote in message

news:Xns9AA090210B98Dmeremoveallthistextc@216.196.109.145...

> "Pegasus \(MVP\)" <I.can@fly.com.oz> wrote in

> news:uynYku0tIHA.3604@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl:

>

>> "Davy" <me@removeallthistextchobham.org.uk> wrote in

> message

>> news:Xns9AA079BC64363meremoveallthistextc@

> 216.196.109.145...

>>> When I try to run NTBackup from a command line I see

> a

>>> window which says "Looking for Backup Devices..."

> which

>>> closes after a few seconds but I then see no

> indication

>>> that NTBackup is running.

>>>

>>> The command line I am using is:

>>> C:\WINDOWS\system32\NTBACKUP.EXE backup "@C:

> \Documents and

>>> Settings\David\Local Settings\Application Data

> \Microsoft

>>> \Windows

>>>

>>> NT\Backup\data\Differential Backup.bks"

>>>

>>> No switches set so I believe it will use the options

>>> specified in the .bks file.

>>>

>>> I am at a loss to debug the problem; any thoughts

> anyone?

>>>

>>> Davy

>>

>> Check the following:

>> - The command line switches (run backup /? to see

> them)

>> - The event viewer (run eventvwr.exe)

>> - The backup logs (look for backup*.log deep inside

> your profile folder)

>

> Pegasus,

> thanks for that - the log file was the key. It reports

> "invalid /f parameter". Evidently the double set of

> double quotes around the backup file name which worked

> well in my previous W2K PC is not acceptable in Windows

> XP. When replaced with a single set of double quotes

> the backup worked fine.

> Thanks, Davy

 

Thanks for the feedback. I'm somewhat mystified - your

initial post had just one single set of double quotes . . .

NTBACKUP.EXE backup "@C:\Documents and Settings\

David\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\

Windows NT\Backup\data\Differential Backup.bks"

[Guest Davy]

Re: NTBackup Opens & then disappears

 

"Pegasus \(MVP\)" <I.can@fly.com.oz> wrote in

news:OHUI#y0tIHA.4076@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl:

>

> A further measure: Run ntbackup.exe by itself so that

you can

> use the wizard to create a backup job. When prompted,

specify

> that the job should run some time in the future. Now

open the

> job in the Task Scheduler compare its command line with

your

> own command line.

 

Another brilliant idea.

 

The sample code I posted was a cut down version of a

VBScript I was trying to develop so didn't have the double

set of double quotes. But your reminder of the log file

allowed me to run the real VBScript and then see the

double quotes problem.

 

So double quotes and double thanks,

 

Davy

[Guest Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Re: NTBackup Opens & then disappears

 

 

"Davy" <me@removeallthistextchobham.org.uk> wrote in message

news:Xns9AA0B911664DCmeremoveallthistextc@216.196.109.145...

> "Pegasus \(MVP\)" <I.can@fly.com.oz> wrote in

> news:OHUI#y0tIHA.4076@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl:

>

>>

>> A further measure: Run ntbackup.exe by itself so that

> you can

>> use the wizard to create a backup job. When prompted,

> specify

>> that the job should run some time in the future. Now

> open the

>> job in the Task Scheduler compare its command line with

> your

>> own command line.

>

> Another brilliant idea.

>

> The sample code I posted was a cut down version of a

> VBScript I was trying to develop so didn't have the double

> set of double quotes. But your reminder of the log file

> allowed me to run the real VBScript and then see the

> double quotes problem.

>

> So double quotes and double thanks,

>

> Davy

>

 

Thanks - this explains it. When trouble-shooting the "run" or "exec"

methods in VB Script then it's a good idea to precede the run/exec

line with a "wscript.echo" line to show the actual arguments meant

for run/exec - all problems with missing or extra double quotes will

become immediately obvious.