NTBACKUP

Backup drives / folders to tape.

NTBACKUP /?

Erase the tape (Requires user confirmation):

NTBACKUP /nopoll

Convert tape to single unit rather than part of a set (Requires user confirmation):

NTBACKUP /missingtape

NTBACKUP EJECT /tape:{n}

NTBACKUP BACKUP path [/a] [/t {type}] [/l "logfile"] [/tape:{n}] [/b] [/d "description text"] [/e] [/hc:[on | off]] [/r] [/v]

NTBACKUP BACKUP [SYSTEMSTATE] "@bks_file_name" /J "job_name" [[/A] [/N "media_name"] /F "file_name" | [/N "media_name"] /P "pool_name" | /A /G "guid_name" | /A /T "tape_name"] [/D "set_description"] [/DS "server_name"] [/IS "server_name"] [/V:[YES | NO]] [/R:[YES | NO]] [/L:[F | N | S]] [/M "backup_type"] [/RS:[YES | NO]] [/HC:[ON | OFF]] [/SNAP:[ON | OFF]]

BACKUP (NT3.1 through NT4)

Make backup.

"@bks_file_name" (NTXP)

Specifies the name of the backup selection file (.bks file) to be used for this backup operation. The at (@) character must precede the name of the backup selection file. A backup selection file contains information on the files and folders you have selected for backup. You have to create the file using the graphical user interface (GUI) version of Backup.

EJECT (NT4 ONLY)

?

path (NT4 ONLY)

One or more paths to be backed up.

SYSTEMSTATE (NTXP)

Specifies that you want to back up the System State data. When you select this option, the backup type will be forced to normal (copies all selected files and clears the archive attribute on each file) or copy (copies all selected files and does not clear the archive attributes).

/? (NTXP)

Displays help.

/a (NT3.1)

Append rather than overwrite backup sets onto the tape (required if more then one drive is to be backed up).

Robb Topolski says: Speaking from experience only, in XP, /A appends to an existing file. Otherwise, the file is replaced.

/b (NT3.1 through NT4)

Backup the local registry.

/d "description text" (NT3.1 through NT4)

Description of the backup. Specifies a label for each backup set.

/DS "server_name" (NTXP)

Backs up the directory service file for the specified Microsoft Exchange Server.

/e (NT3.1 through NT4)

Include only exceptions in the backup log.

/F "file_name" (NTXP)

Logical disk path and file name.

/G "guid_name" (NTXP)

Overwrites or appends to this tape.

/hc:[on | off] (NT4)

Uses hardware compression, if available, on the tape drive.

/IS "server_name" (NTXP)

Backs up the Information Store file for the specified Microsoft Exchange Server.

/J "job_name" (NTXP)

Specifies the job name to be used in the log file. The job_name usually describes the files and folders you are backing up in the current backup job as well as the date and time you backed up the files.

/l "logfile" (NT3.1 through NT4)

The filename for the backup log.

/L:[F | N | S] (NTXP)

Specifies the type of log file:

• f full
• n none (no log file is created)
• s summary

/M "backup_type" (NTXP)

Specifies the backup type. It must be one of:

• copy copies all selected files and does not clear the archive attributes. Does not affect other backup operations, useful between normal and incremental backups.
• daily copies all selected files that have been modified that day. The archive attribute is not cleared.
• differential copies files created or changed since the last normal or incremental. does not clear the archive attribute. Restoration requires the last normal AND differential.
• incremental copies files created or changed since the last normal or incremental. The archive attribute is cleared. Restoration requires the last normal AND ALL incrementals made since the last normal.
• normal copies all selected files and clears the archive attribute on each file. You only need the most recent copy to restore all the files. Usually the first backup set created.

/missingtape (NT4 ONLY)

Convert tape to single unit rather than part of a set (Requires user confirmation).

/N "media_name" (NTXP)

Specifies the new tape name.

/nopoll (NT4 ONLY)

Erase the tape (Requires user confirmation).

/P "pool_name" (NTXP)

Specifies the media pool from which you want to use media. This is usually a subpool of the Backup media pool, such as 4mm DDS.

/r (NT3.1 through NT4)

/R:[YES | NO] (NTXP)

Restricts access to this tape to the owner or members of the Administrators group.

/RS:[YES | NO] (NTXP)

Backs up the migrated data files located in Remote Storage. Not required to back up the local Removable Storage database (that contains the Remote Storage placeholder files). When you backup the %SYSTEMROOT% folder, Backup automatically backs up the Removable Storage database as well.

/SNAP:[ON | OFF] (NTXP)

Specifies whether or not the backup is a volume shadow copy (duplicates original volume).

/t {type} (NT3.1 through NT4)

Backup type, can be one of:

• normal
• copy
• incremental differential
• daily

/T "tape_name" (NTXP)

Overwrites or appends to this tape.

/tape:{n} (NT4 ONLY)

The tape drive 'n' is a number from 0 to 9 (assigned during tape drive installation).

/v (NT3.1 through NT4)

/V:[YES | NO] (NTXP)

Verify the operation.

AT - Schedule a command to run at a later time.
COPY - Copy one or more files to another location.
VERIFY - Verify that files have been saved.
XCOPY - Copy files and folders.
Equivalent Linux BASH command:
tar - Tape ARchiver.

The GUI command 'Operations, Backup' allows Logging options to be set:

• Full Detail: Log all operations, including the names of files and folders that are backed up.
• Summary Only: Log only major operations, such as loading a tape, starting the backup, and failing to open a file.
• Don't Log: Nothing is logged.

To restore a full backup from tape will require the NTBACKUP program itself to be available, in other words you either need to be able to boot NT or reinstall it from the original media. There are no command-line options for running a restore - you have to use the GUI.

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External

DOS

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Windows

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Windows NT

NT3.1 NT4 NTXP NT2003