I am trying to use the robocopy command from windows support tools, to backup my files every night (i can't be bothered with ntbackup or veritas etc). The problem is, when I say the source is D: (the drive with all the shares on), it copies all the files as system files, so they are hidden! Why!? The reason I try and copy the entire drive is because it makes a log file, then emails me the log file - and I dont want to be looking through several seperate log files (one for each directory). Any ideas? Thanks a lot, Rob

(i can't be bothered with ntbackup or veritas etc). ROFLMAO...and you wonder why you're having problems!?!?!? Sorry, I don't mean to be rude but you're making something relatively simple into something complex. Robocopy is NOT backup software so don't expect it to work properly for backing up. Your unwillingness to use proper backup software in favor of copying files tells me you don't know a whole lot about backing up. My advice, to put it simply, use backup software. If you use ntbackup, you don't even have to spend extra $ on software as it's part of Windows. When you create a backup set in ntbackup, by default logging is enabled. It creates one log file per backup (dated and time stamped) and you can set how detailed you want the report. Also, you can include a "System State" in tbe backup set which can be invaluable should you ever need to do a restore. Here's a link to MS's knowledge base with a very simple "how to" guide for ntbackup: How to schedule unattended backups using a stand-alone tape library Again, I don't mean to be rude but, copying files isn't a good solution. All decent backup software compresses the files. You're using a lot of space per backup with uncompressed files. Also, restoring them in case of a problem could be interesting as well. The above link can guide you on how to setup a proper backup set using ntbackup. I prefer the unmanaged backup set as it doesn't require labelling the tapes. This means the backup will overwrite whatever tape is in the drive. This is advantageous on stat holidays when there's nobody there to change tapes. (if you use a managed set, with nobody there to change tapes, you don't get that day's backup done as the wrong tape is in the drive).

OK I think I worded it wrong. I have used ntbackup and Veritas before, and here's my verdict - Veritas was way to advanced for what I need (I'm, 16, and I have a 2 DC, 4 Workstation Domain). ntbackup was OK for a while, untill I noticed that it wouldn't run it's scheduled backup unless someone was logged onto the server via RDP. Also, ntbackup kept appending backup data to the same .bkf file, and I wanted separate files for each day. My batch file solution seemed to solve this, and it's actually working fine now (I added an "md %date%" command on the front and it makes a normal folder now). Anyway, I just figured that ntbackup caused more problems than it solved, and I realise my wording sounded like I don't know what the hell I'm doing - but I have a lot of experience, and have set up large networks (and of course on those, I normally use Veritas), but for me, ROBOCOPY works fine. Thanks a lot anyway, Rob

ntbackup was OK for a while, untill I noticed that it wouldn't run it's scheduled backup unless someone was logged onto the server via RDP. Your didn't set it up properly is all. When creating the backup set, you get asked for an account to run it under, set it to run under the local administrator account and all should work properly. Also, when creating the backup set, you should be logged locally onto the PC/Server in question with the administrator account (or an admin level account). Also, ntbackup kept appending backup data to the same .bkf file, and I wanted separate files for each day. You set it to "append". You can change that and it will overwrite what's there. Note: it will overwrite so if you're just backing up to a hard drive, you'll want to move that file to another place or it'll be overwritten....easy enough to do with a batch file. I just figured that ntbackup caused more problems than it solved You had problems because you're unfamiliar with ntbackup and how to create proper backup sets. I use it exclusively at home on all our machines with the exception of my wifes laptop since it has XP Home which doesn't ship with ntbackup. I use a simple batch file on her PC and my son's PC and my other PC's that: 1) Connects a network drive to my main PC 2) Performs the backup 3) Copies the backup file to a backup folder on my main PC from which I do a backup to DVD-RW on a regular basis 4) disconnects the mapped drive. Here's a copy of the batchfile I use: ****Begin Batchfile**** @echo off rem clear mapped network drive net use w: /d /y rem map network drive to backup folder on remote PC/Server net use w: \\SERVERNAME\USERNAME /persistent:yes rem perform the backup C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntbackup.exe backup "@C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows NT\NTBackup\data\Daily Backup.bks" /n "Daily Backup.bkf created 6/6/2005 at 11:04 AM" /d "Set created 6/6/2005 at 11:04 AM" /v:yes /r:no /rs:no /hc:off /m normal /j "Daily Backup" /l:s /f "C:\Backup\Daily Backup.bkf" rem copy the backup to the server xcopy c:\backup\"daily backup.bkf" w:\ /y rem release mapped drive net use w: /d /y rem exit the batch file exit ****End Batchfile**** NOTE: USERNAME/SERVERNAME will be different on someone elses system so I used all-caps so it's apparent. The command line itself is copied out of the backup set created in ntbackup and pasted into the batchfile. Once done, tested and working, you create a scheduled task to run the batchfile. I've set this up on numerous systems in industry as well as privately for friends etc. If you're just backing up to a hard drive, it would be simple to adapt the batchfile to move/copy the backup to another folder which could be date/time stampded depending on your skill with batchfiles. I realise my wording sounded like I don't know what the hell I'm doing Not really. It sounded like you didn't know your way around ntbackup/Veritas very well is all. The fact that you've got it working tells me you're brighter than the average Joe. I'm willing to bet a bright fellow like you could figure ntbackup out too if you wanted to try. The link I supplied above is very helpful when working with tape backups. The batchfile I pasted is helpful for local backups or backups on small LAN's. I think what you've accomplished so far is admirable! And I mean that. But if you plan on getting into this as a career....you will want to be fluent in ntbackup. I've setup many many clients, both large and small networks, with backup's using ntbackup. It's key selling point is the fact that it doesn't cost the client extra money. They don't have to purchase 3'd party software. They already have the built in ntbackup. So it would benefit you to know how to use it. There are certain situations where you require 3'd party backup software and modules for things like database servers and email servers etc but for smaller networks, ntbackup works quite well. Really big networks use NAS/SAN and tape libraries to backup and often have employees who's sole job it is to monitor/maintain backups. If you're interested in talking with me more, feel free to email me. I'd be willing to help you figure out ntbackup. Just click on my name above to email me.