Automated Windows copy Scheduled task?

[IVB]

Boy I feel like a dumbass after using PCs since 1983, but I can't figure out how to copy an entire directory via the command prompt in WHS. (I'm trying to create a scheduled task to do this.)

I tried

copy "C:\program files\Sagetv" \\backup-machine\backup\WHS

but it says it can't find the file specified. I tried adding a *.* to no avail. I then tried manually doing it, even by switching to the correct folder then doing a copy *.*, and that's not it either.

I tried changing the destination to a local drive just to get the formatting right, and that isn't it either. There's other stuff i've tried, but now i'm randomly doing stuff

Google shows people doing what i'm doing, so I have no idea what i'm doing wrong.

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by IVB

Boy I feel like a dumbass after using PCs since 1983, but I can't figure out how to copy an entire directory via the command prompt in WHS. (I'm trying to create a scheduled task to do this.)

I tried

but it says it can't find the file specified. I tried adding a *.* to no avail. I then tried manually doing it, even by switching to the correct folder then doing a copy *.*, and that's not it either.

I tried changing the destination to a local drive just to get the formatting right, and that isn't it either. There's other stuff i've tried, but now i'm randomly doing stuff

Google shows people doing what i'm doing, so I have no idea what i'm doing wrong.

copy "C:\program files\Sagetv\*.* /s" Some drive letter:\backup\WHS


I believe the copy command will not like UNC paths so you will need to map a drive. The *.* /s tells it all the files in the SageTV directory and /s twlls it to also copy subdirectories and files within the SageTV folder.

You may want to look at robocopy for a more sophisicated commandline tool. Also robogeek had already created a SageTV Backup script for WHS which is here.

Gerry

[stanger89]

I think you're looking for 'xcopy /S' or 'xcopy /E'

[GKusnick]

Use xcopy for copying whole directories (including subdirectories).

[IVB]

ah, the /s is what i was missing, it wasn't finding any files in ..\SageTV so it died. Looking into robogeeks backup automated routine now, thanks for that link.

[SWKerr]

Not sure what you are trying to do exactly but I suspect you are backing stuff up to a separate locations. I use SyncToy 2.1 to copy backups of select folders to a drive that is not in the pool. It can easily be scheduled to run at any interval you like. SyncToy is from Microsoft and is free. The benefit of SyncToy is that it will only copy the changes.

Don't forget to backup the Sage wiz.bin as well. I have a *.bat file scheduled to run every night that will reset SageTV and backup the wiz.bin file. It uses utility called devcon to restart the SageTV service as well as resetting the HD-PVR devices. (attached if interested.)


"

[IVB]

Does one really need to stop the SageTV service before doing the copy?

I just set up a simple xcopy of \programfiles\sagetv to a different machine at 3am every sat morning. It runs pretty fast, so I don't mind a non-incremental copy. I tried running robogeek's script, but it was throwing errors. Plus it's way more than I need (I think), so I just stuck with that simple xcopy command.

[SWKerr]

The restart of the SageTV service is really about stability and the HD-PVRs. You shouldn't really need to stop it for a decent backup.

My WHS can go for months without a reboot. I started the reset when I seup the automatic backups in hopes to improve stability. (was not a significant problem before) I have not missed a recording since I started the SageTV and HD-PVR daily reset.

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by IVB

Does one really need to stop the SageTV service before doing the copy?

I just set up a simple xcopy of \programfiles\sagetv to a different machine at 3am every sat morning. It runs pretty fast, so I don't mind a non-incremental copy. I tried running robogeek's script, but it was throwing errors. Plus it's way more than I need (I think), so I just stuck with that simple xcopy command.

There's certainly nothing wrong with the solutions mentioned here and I've used some of them before myself, but if you decide you want incremental backups, as well as full backups, which are automatically deleted after a certain number of days/weeks/months, you might want to look at something like Cobian Backup (free). This could also help when you decide you have additional directories under WHS which you would like to have the same backup solution for. I use this for any "non-standard" programs I've installed on my WHS box. Personally, I keep backups going back several months, so that I have access to the historical changes I've made and can pick and choose what to restore from and/or reference when I find something has suddenly broken (thankfully, this has yet to happen).

Again, this might be overkill for your needs, but I figured I'd mention it.

[sic0048]

What is a good way restart HD-100 extenders after resetting the SageTV service? Once they loose the connection to the Sage server, they must be restarted to reconnect.

I think there are some scripts floating around, but I don't see them now (haven't looked very hard however).

[KarylFStein]

Originally Posted by sic0048

What is a good way restart HD-100 extenders after resetting the SageTV service? Once they loose the connection to the Sage server, they must be restarted to reconnect.

I think there are some scripts floating around, but I don't see them now (haven't looked very hard however).

Hm, mine reconnects automatically...?

[sic0048]

I found the script program. Shadeblue.com created a utility call SageExtCtrl that should work nicely. I had looked at it before, but never tried it out. Now that I set my parents up with a Sage system, I really need to get their extenders to restart automatically should the computer be rebooted for some reason. I'm tired of getting those "The Sage isn't working" phone calls

[infocus13]

Hey guys

sorry to resurrect an old thread but I'm having issues using SyncToy 2.1 to backup sagetv...

For some reason ST errors when copying about 90 JARs and wiz.bin.... it says it cannot read the files at the source b/c they are used by another program.

Anyone know why this is? Using xcopy also hangs at copying the files in the active-MQ/Ortus directory (I think the files are called data-control, etc)

Any ideas? Im running Win7, UAC switched off.

Thanks!

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by dkatchalov

Hey guys

sorry to resurrect an old thread but I'm having issues using SyncToy 2.1 to backup sagetv...

For some reason ST errors when copying about 90 JARs and wiz.bin.... it says it cannot read the files at the source b/c they are used by another program.

Anyone know why this is? Using xcopy also hangs at copying the files in the active-MQ/Ortus directory (I think the files are called data-control, etc)

Any ideas? Im running Win7, UAC switched off.

Thanks!

Because you left Sage still running. It will usually keep some files open when running.

Gerry

[infocus13]

Originally Posted by gplasky

Because you left Sage still running. It will usually keep some files open when running.

Gerry

Thanks Gerry.... so I can't backup sage if it is running? Seems weird.... how come I can use windows copy (via windows explorer) to copy / backup Sage once it is still running?

cheers

[gplasky]

Usually open files cannot just be copied. Now a true backup program may be able to copy open files. And it may depend at what time you copied Sage via windows copy and what the program was doing. And did you verify that all the fies were copied over? I mean Sync Toy is telling you exactly what the error is. And if you left xcopy running long enough it would probably give you an error about the file being open.


Gerry