Windows Server 2008 Backups
Hello Experts,
I have a server running Server 2008 standard and I am trying to run the scheduled backups everynight on two different drives that I need to alternate. I added both drives to the schedule however when I check on the status the next day, it seems to backup sucessfully to one but then the next night I check it and it wont backup to the second one. We never have them both plugged in together they are alternated nightly. Both disks are active and visible in the drive managment screen. I am stumpped. Any Ideas???
I have a server running Server 2008 standard and I am trying to run the scheduled backups everynight on two different drives that I need to alternate. I added both drives to the schedule however when I check on the status the next day, it seems to backup sucessfully to one but then the next night I check it and it wont backup to the second one. We never have them both plugged in together they are alternated nightly. Both disks are active and visible in the drive managment screen. I am stumpped. Any Ideas???
ASKER
WD Caviar Green WD20EARX 3.5" Hard Drive - 2TB, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64MB, 3.5"
http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/library/SpecSheet/ENG/2879-701229.pdf
That's an advanced format (4k sector) drive.
It doesn't work with the built in backup unless you reformat it.
This may or may not work.
They fixed the backup in W8 and server2012,but anything below does not work with 4k drives.
I would also like to add a solution that I found that has worked for my 3TB WD Elements drive. Out of the box this drive did not work with Windows backup at all. WD support actually came through for me on this issue and pointed me to the following solution:
http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/6618/session/L3RpbWUvMTMxMzUzNzc5My9zaWQvT1hrMSpJQms%3D
Basically it consists of formatting the drive with their external drive formatting utility in "Factory Default" mode rather than XP-Compatible mode which (ironically) is how the drive ships. After performing the format, the drive works fine with Windows backup in both Windows 7 and Windows Server, but is incompatible with Windows XP. In my case, this is an acceptable compromise.
This is how the drive appeared out of the box:
C:\Windows\system32>fsutil
Bytes Per Sector : 4096
Bytes Per Physical Sector : <Not Supported>
Bytes Per Cluster : 4096
Bytes Per FileRecord Segment : 4096
This is how the drive appeared after the "Factory Default" format:
C:\Windows\system32>fsutil
Bytes Per Sector : 512
Bytes Per Physical Sector : <Not Supported>
Bytes Per Cluster : 4096
Bytes Per FileRecord Segment : 1024
Finally, I should point out that this utility will probably not work for drives from manufacturers other than Western Digital as it scans for WD drives specifically on launch and is likely working directly with their drives' firmware. That said, I do believe this should cover all WD drives 2.5TB and larger to correct this issue.
That's an advanced format (4k sector) drive.
It doesn't work with the built in backup unless you reformat it.
This may or may not work.
They fixed the backup in W8 and server2012,but anything below does not work with 4k drives.
I would also like to add a solution that I found that has worked for my 3TB WD Elements drive. Out of the box this drive did not work with Windows backup at all. WD support actually came through for me on this issue and pointed me to the following solution:
http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/6618/session/L3RpbWUvMTMxMzUzNzc5My9zaWQvT1hrMSpJQms%3D
Basically it consists of formatting the drive with their external drive formatting utility in "Factory Default" mode rather than XP-Compatible mode which (ironically) is how the drive ships. After performing the format, the drive works fine with Windows backup in both Windows 7 and Windows Server, but is incompatible with Windows XP. In my case, this is an acceptable compromise.
This is how the drive appeared out of the box:
C:\Windows\system32>fsutil
Bytes Per Sector : 4096
Bytes Per Physical Sector : <Not Supported>
Bytes Per Cluster : 4096
Bytes Per FileRecord Segment : 4096
This is how the drive appeared after the "Factory Default" format:
C:\Windows\system32>fsutil
Bytes Per Sector : 512
Bytes Per Physical Sector : <Not Supported>
Bytes Per Cluster : 4096
Bytes Per FileRecord Segment : 1024
Finally, I should point out that this utility will probably not work for drives from manufacturers other than Western Digital as it scans for WD drives specifically on launch and is likely working directly with their drives' firmware. That said, I do believe this should cover all WD drives 2.5TB and larger to correct this issue.
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no solution found.........
The built in backup will not work with drives USB drives larger that 2 tb.
It will also not work with 4k sector drives?(most of what is shipping is 4k these days).
So make and model of the drives please.