I've started with a scripting book, but the more I read the less it
sounds like this is what I need.

My requirements are actually quite simple. I have a Windows Home
Server. WHS does not allow for online backups and I believe it is
imperative for me to have an offsite backup of my photo files.

So I figured out a workaround that I believe will not break any of the
WHS caveats. I added a hard drive to WHS that is not part of the WHS
file system (Drive Extender). I told my online backup system to
backup this drive. In WHS there is a desktop folder that have the
Photos subfolder. I want to programatically copy all the contents of
this folder to the non-WHS drive at regular intervals (every hour, for
instance). Copying only the changed files is of course the objective).

I believe ROBOCOPY will do a nice job of copying the folders, and I
wanted to use something (scripting) to log the times ROBOCOPY runs and
perhaps what it copies and to make sure that it does run at regular
intervals.

I thought writing a script to run ROBOCOPY and create (and manage) a
log file would be the way to go, but Scripting seems to be more
focused on WMI and Active Directory.

Am I on the wrong track? what should I be using? What is replacing the
batch files of olden days?

Thanks.

"MikeB" <mpbrede@newsgroup> wrote in message
news:452f8767-e106-482a-bbd5-0b5bc71b61d9@newsgroup

> I've started with a scripting book, but the more I read the less it
> sounds like this is what I need.
>
> My requirements are actually quite simple. I have a Windows Home
> Server. WHS does not allow for online backups and I believe it is
> imperative for me to have an offsite backup of my photo files.
>
> So I figured out a workaround that I believe will not break any of the
> WHS caveats. I added a hard drive to WHS that is not part of the WHS
> file system (Drive Extender). I told my online backup system to
> backup this drive. In WHS there is a desktop folder that have the
> Photos subfolder. I want to programatically copy all the contents of
> this folder to the non-WHS drive at regular intervals (every hour, for
> instance). Copying only the changed files is of course the objective).
>
> I believe ROBOCOPY will do a nice job of copying the folders, and I
> wanted to use something (scripting) to log the times ROBOCOPY runs and
> perhaps what it copies and to make sure that it does run at regular
> intervals.
>
> I thought writing a script to run ROBOCOPY and create (and manage) a
> log file would be the way to go, but Scripting seems to be more
> focused on WMI and Active Directory.
>
> Am I on the wrong track? what should I be using? What is replacing the
> batch files of olden days?
>
> Thanks.

I use VBScript programs all the time, but to backup files on my computer I
use a batch file that runs robocopy. The following batch file backs up all
files that have been modified since the last backup in folder c:\MyFolder to
an external drive F:

@echo off
robocopy c:\MyFolder f:\MyFolder /s /xo /R:3 /log:c:\MyFolder\backup.log

I need to remember to run the batch file periodically. The log file is very
detailed.

--
Richard Mueller
MVP Directory Services
Hilltop Lab - http://www.rlmueller.net
--

Hi Mike,

You probably bought a VB script book. Good stuff, but you might want to
start with batchfile scripts.

It's easier to learn and more suitable for your robocopy solution.

In fact, the only thing to do is create a textfile called
'onlinebackup.cmd', use notepad to open it and add the robocopy command
in it. Double click the file and there it goes.

Some robocopy tips for your backup solution:

1. You can sync the directory by using the /mir parameter. This causes
robocopy to compare the directories and only copy the files that are
changed. It's much faster.

2. If your network is slow during backup because robocopy uses too much
bandwith, use the /IPG:xx parameter. More on this subject:
http://zeda.nl/en?postid=20100217A

3. Set the retry to a low value to prevent endless execution when the
network is not available somehow. Use the /r:0 parameter to disable
retries completely.

Good luck

ZEDA.

www.ZEDA.nl - Windows Advanced Tips & Tricks

Op 19-4-2010 3:09, MikeB schreef:

> I've started with a scripting book, but the more I read the less it
> sounds like this is what I need.
>
> My requirements are actually quite simple. I have a Windows Home
> Server. WHS does not allow for online backups and I believe it is
> imperative for me to have an offsite backup of my photo files.
>
> So I figured out a workaround that I believe will not break any of the
> WHS caveats. I added a hard drive to WHS that is not part of the WHS
> file system (Drive Extender). I told my online backup system to
> backup this drive. In WHS there is a desktop folder that have the
> Photos subfolder. I want to programatically copy all the contents of
> this folder to the non-WHS drive at regular intervals (every hour, for
> instance). Copying only the changed files is of course the objective).
>
> I believe ROBOCOPY will do a nice job of copying the folders, and I
> wanted to use something (scripting) to log the times ROBOCOPY runs and
> perhaps what it copies and to make sure that it does run at regular
> intervals.
>
> I thought writing a script to run ROBOCOPY and create (and manage) a
> log file would be the way to go, but Scripting seems to be more
> focused on WMI and Active Directory.
>
> Am I on the wrong track? what should I be using? What is replacing the
> batch files of olden days?
>
> Thanks.

--

On Apr 18, 9:09*pm, MikeB <mpbr...@newsgroup> wrote:

> I've started with a scripting book, but the more I read the less it
> sounds like this is what I need.
>
> My requirements are actually quite simple. I have a Windows Home
> Server. WHS does not allow for online backups and I believe it is
> imperative for me to have an offsite backup of my photo files.
>
> So I figured out a workaround that I believe will not break any of the
> WHS caveats. I added a hard drive to WHS that is not part of the WHS
> file system (Drive Extender). *I told my online backup system to
> backup this drive. In WHS there is a desktop folder that have the
> Photos subfolder. I want to programatically copy all the contents of
> this folder to the non-WHS drive at regular intervals (every hour, for
> instance). Copying only the changed files is of course the objective).
>
> I believe ROBOCOPY will do a nice job of copying the folders, and I
> wanted to use something (scripting) to log the times ROBOCOPY runs and
> perhaps what it copies and to make sure that it does run at regular
> intervals.
>
> I thought writing a script to run ROBOCOPY and create (and manage) a
> log file would be the way to go, but Scripting seems to be more
> focused on WMI and Active Directory.
>
> Am I on the wrong track? what should I be using? What is replacing the
> batch files of olden days?
>
> Thanks.

For basic concepts that are common to all scripting langauges, use
these tutorials.

http://www.biterscripting.com/Learni.../overview.html