Windows Backup is getting my back up.

[corned]

I am running WinXP with all current updates.

I occasionally ran the backup utility in the past and it was quite happy to run, if rather slowly.

However the last couple of times I have tried to run it, I set all the parameters and get it off, but nothing happens bar the backup file being created. The Backup utility window never shows any progress, and the task manager shows no CPU or disc activity. The created back up file stays at 2kb in size.

I have tried several options with the settings, shadow copy, normal, incremental, differential, but nothing makes the damn thing actually back anything up!

Can anyone help, please? Many thanks in advance.

 

[st13phil]

Have you checked the Windows logs for clues? Often there's something in there that helps you get to the root of the problem.

 

[corned]

Good call! I never thought of that.

I have just checked the application event viewer and there are two events logged with ntbackup. Both the same :-

Event Type: Information
Event Source: NTBackup
Event Category: None
Event ID: 8018
Date: 14/04/2011
Time: 15:35:23
User: N/A
Computer: LAP2
Description:
Begin Operation

For more information, see Help and Support Center at Events and Errors Message Center: Basic Search.

I know the operation began - it's just that nothing else happened after that!

 

[wemorgan]

Not wishing to offend, but have you checked that there is space on the destination hard drive?

 

[corned]

No offence taken! It's a 1TB external HDD with about 12.7GB used, so I hope not.

I also set the destination to the laptop's own C: drive(60GB total, 23GB used), but it made no difference.

I am currently trying to see if I can get it to back up just one small folder - just to see...

 

[corned]

Ah - I think I've cracked it.

Even a small folder with half a dozen small files would not back up. The utility just hung as soon as I pressed the 'go' button.

However, I have just got it to run by checking the 'disable volume shadow copy' option. This stops it backing up files which are being written to. Strange, as I picked an old obscure folder with nothing in it having been referenced for months.

We're raising more questions than answers here!

Does it mean that I will have to do the backup with this box checked, but from safe mode, to minimise the possibility of missing an important file from the back up?

 

[wemorgan]

I've not used Windows Backup before, but I presume you specify the directories to be backed-up, but then do you also give wildcards for which files to backup? I wonder if the wildcards have somehow reset to default setting which finds no files.

 

[Piff]

I had difficulty getting windows back up to run on my xp. No, strike that - I couldn't get it to run at all on a timed schedule!!
I downloaded Cobian Back Up which runs each day at 8:00pm without any fuss.