NT backup W2K server
How reliable is NT backup? Twice I have set up weekly schedules to back up 5 different folders, each one on a different day. When I go to restore, instead of seein g the nt backup files, I get this dialogue with a list comprised of lines of text that say: "Media created [date] at [time]".
The times of these media entries are strange - they don't correspond to the weekly scheduled times. Also, when I right click on these and go to Catalogue they all seem to point to the same folder - one of the five. No clue what happened to the other four folders. The ntbackup files themselves do seem to be there in the file location, but I can't find anyway to recover them.
What I am doing wrong, or is it the software?
The times of these media entries are strange - they don't correspond to the weekly scheduled times. Also, when I right click on these and go to Catalogue they all seem to point to the same folder - one of the five. No clue what happened to the other four folders. The ntbackup files themselves do seem to be there in the file location, but I can't find anyway to recover them.
What I am doing wrong, or is it the software?
Lee W, MVP
NT Backup is basic software and it should work as such. Have you checked the backup logs? Tried to do a restore?
I've had my issues over the years and wound up going to Veritas.
ASKER
leew - about restore. Read my post.
Fine... what about the logs? What happens when you run a backup manually?
ASKER
I can't check the box to restore - it is grayed out.
The schedule back-ups I'm trying to do is over a network - could that be a problem?
The schedule back-ups I'm trying to do is over a network - could that be a problem?
Wich OS are you using?
NTBackup works fine for me. But is not as easy to use as Veritas.
The "Media Created" is the original title when you set up the backup.
Probably you have a problem with the command line: You are overwriting the same backup file with each backup. You may be using an "overwrite previous media" flag.
By example, because of my needs, I backup to another HD, and once a month I do it to tape. I use the following command for daily and weekly backups:
(each day, incremental)
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntback
(each week, normal)
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntback
Directories.bks and UsersDirectories.bks holds a carriage-return delimited file with folders I want to backup (a normal notepad file with one per line), and the e:\backups\NormalUsersProf
Is beter if you do that way, because you can later change the file and don't need to touch a schedule is already working. Save a copy of the command line in a text file...
I can recommend you to do incremental backups every night, and a full backups every weekend
Need more help?
NTBackup works fine for me. But is not as easy to use as Veritas.
The "Media Created" is the original title when you set up the backup.
Probably you have a problem with the command line: You are overwriting the same backup file with each backup. You may be using an "overwrite previous media" flag.
By example, because of my needs, I backup to another HD, and once a month I do it to tape. I use the following command for daily and weekly backups:
(each day, incremental)
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntback
(each week, normal)
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntback
Directories.bks and UsersDirectories.bks holds a carriage-return delimited file with folders I want to backup (a normal notepad file with one per line), and the e:\backups\NormalUsersProf
Is beter if you do that way, because you can later change the file and don't need to touch a schedule is already working. Save a copy of the command line in a text file...
I can recommend you to do incremental backups every night, and a full backups every weekend
Need more help?
Grayed box: There is an option to only allow administrators to restore, or you may not have r/w access to the share. Are you using an account that is member of the "Domain Backup Operators" group? You must... if you want to restore using the network
ASKER
Domain Administrators account should be ok shouldn't it, or does this need to be a member of "Domain Backup Operators" group?
I figured out the gray box bit anyway. I just hadn't expanded the whole tree on the left. When I did so, I saw the file.
I think it is just complicated to use. This is what I do using the GUI so far:
1) Go to Back-up tan and choose "New Job" from Job menu.
2) Make Selections
3) In the bottom left of the GUI, there is a type-in box. In here I write the back-up file name and location.
4) Click on "Start Back-up"
5) In the Back-up Job dialogue, I click on "Schedule". This then prompts me to save the selection, which I do.
6) Then I'm asked twice for my admin password.
5) Then the "Schedule" dialogue comes up and asks me for a Job Name.
7) After that, I go to properties, and set up the time, then click OK a few times.
For management purposes, instead of making one huge back-up file, I make several small ones for different departments. This is done daily, five seperate files, so it's a lot of work for the disks. I allow two hours in between each job. Is this enough time?
Does this all sound OK?
I figured out the gray box bit anyway. I just hadn't expanded the whole tree on the left. When I did so, I saw the file.
I think it is just complicated to use. This is what I do using the GUI so far:
1) Go to Back-up tan and choose "New Job" from Job menu.
2) Make Selections
3) In the bottom left of the GUI, there is a type-in box. In here I write the back-up file name and location.
4) Click on "Start Back-up"
5) In the Back-up Job dialogue, I click on "Schedule". This then prompts me to save the selection, which I do.
6) Then I'm asked twice for my admin password.
5) Then the "Schedule" dialogue comes up and asks me for a Job Name.
7) After that, I go to properties, and set up the time, then click OK a few times.
For management purposes, instead of making one huge back-up file, I make several small ones for different departments. This is done daily, five seperate files, so it's a lot of work for the disks. I allow two hours in between each job. Is this enough time?
Does this all sound OK?
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ASKER
Hi
Points re-adjustment is neccessary here after all that extensive help. Many thanks SoyYup! Points upped to 500.
I don't use the wizard. We don't have tape yet, so I bought an external hard disk to do the back ups to.
>Make a backup of your own documents using Windows XP backup, that is on All Programs/Accessories/Syste
All important files are stored on the file server, which is running W2K Server. I don't think I need to do what you suggest here? All back-ups have to be done on files stored on the server, no-where else.
I chek out the help section. Thanks.
Points re-adjustment is neccessary here after all that extensive help. Many thanks SoyYup! Points upped to 500.
I don't use the wizard. We don't have tape yet, so I bought an external hard disk to do the back ups to.
>Make a backup of your own documents using Windows XP backup, that is on All Programs/Accessories/Syste
All important files are stored on the file server, which is running W2K Server. I don't think I need to do what you suggest here? All back-ups have to be done on files stored on the server, no-where else.
I chek out the help section. Thanks.
Oh, I've suggested to make tests and have some practice. This way you can be more relaxed if you make a mistake ;)
Good luck,
Good luck,
ASKER
SoyYop .... if you are still around can you explain why the differential file has to be done manually?
Don't need to. You can configure it all from the wizard, checking advanced options, scheduled.
Look at the "*" as space used by backups
Jan --- Feb --- Mar --- Apr --- ...
* ** ** ***
+= __________________________
********
As time moves ahead, files grows. You can automate a process to move, delete or overwrite the old backups so they don't fill your HD.
In my schema, I've set a backup task to overwrite the old scheduled backups on first monday of the month, so it's automated. BUT you have to put a copy aside to be able to recover old files. Think on your boss, "Jason, do you have a backup of my December documents I've deleted last month?" If you answer "Yes, no problem", you are going to get some extra points.
If you just automatically overwrite, you loose your old backups. Starting it manually (takes 5 minutes of your time) allows you to take the backups aside and store them.
If it's the OS backup, no big deal. If it's data, is better to have old backups aside, by example, on tape, dvd, or if they are big files, on cheap hot-plug SATA drives. You never know when you are going to be asked to recover old files.
Hope this is more clear,
Look at the "*" as space used by backups
Jan --- Feb --- Mar --- Apr --- ...
* ** ** ***
+= __________________________
********
As time moves ahead, files grows. You can automate a process to move, delete or overwrite the old backups so they don't fill your HD.
In my schema, I've set a backup task to overwrite the old scheduled backups on first monday of the month, so it's automated. BUT you have to put a copy aside to be able to recover old files. Think on your boss, "Jason, do you have a backup of my December documents I've deleted last month?" If you answer "Yes, no problem", you are going to get some extra points.
If you just automatically overwrite, you loose your old backups. Starting it manually (takes 5 minutes of your time) allows you to take the backups aside and store them.
If it's the OS backup, no big deal. If it's data, is better to have old backups aside, by example, on tape, dvd, or if they are big files, on cheap hot-plug SATA drives. You never know when you are going to be asked to recover old files.
Hope this is more clear,
ASKER
SoyYop
It is more clear, but I need more help. I've posted another question. There will be more points if you are interested:
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21336032/ntbackup-issues.html
It is more clear, but I need more help. I've posted another question. There will be more points if you are interested:
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21336032/ntbackup-issues.html