Simple batch file issue.....

Soldato
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I've got a simple batch file which i've set to run as a scheduled task to copy over our Veeam backups to an external HDD which can then be changed every day for backups.

I've got a bit of software called RemoveDrive.exe which should initiate a safe removal of the the USB drive however it doesnt seem to be working when it is in my batch file. It works on its own if I set up a separate batch file and just run it, however when it is a line in my other batch file at the end it doesn't trigger it.

Below is the complete batch file that I've set up.....

ECHO Y | DEL g:*.* /s /q
xcopy E:\Backups G:\ /E /Y /R /H
removedrive G: -L -W:1000

Can anyone see any problems with it? The RemoveDrive.exe is in the same folder as the batch file so should run and the batch file still runs perfectly fine up until the removedrive line. Just wanted to make it a nice all in one batch file that would disconnect the USB drive so I can just go in the server room and swap drives without having to log on and go into My Computer and go to 'Safely Remove'.
 
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Deinfitely running the batch file as admin? You know what 2008 onwards is like, sometimes stuff won't run properly even if you're an admin unless you "Run as Administrator"

Have you tried using devcon instead? It's a little more involved as you have to ID the drive, but given you've got the same USB drives all the time it shouldn't be too hard to use.

Possibly put a pause or sleep in to let the command run?

Theres this tool too which accepts command-line: http://quickandeasysoftware.net/downloads?download=USBDiskEjector1.3.0.3.zip
 
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I'm going to try adding a sleep command in after the xcopy to see if that works.

I was going to suggest that, it may well be that the drive is still in use directly after the xcopy so the safe eject won't work. put a decent length pause in and see.
 
You could consider using the following Powershell script to eject the USB drive (Run as Admin!).
$vol = get-wmiobject -Class Win32_Volume | where{$_.Name -eq 'F:\'}
$vol.DriveLetter = $null
$vol.Put()
$vol.Dismount($false, $false)

There are few variants on the Web!

I would also consider using robocopy instead of xcopy. It has a option only to copy newer or modified files and delete files that no longer exist in the source (/MIR). Which it means it run much faster than your current method. If you use the restartable mode switch (/ZB), if it craps out it will re-continue from were it failed. PS It's free to download from the Microsoft Website. Also robocopy runs from PowerShell as well!

ROBOCOPY :: Robust File Copy for Windows
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Started : Thu Jun 27 10:59:59 2013

Usage :: ROBOCOPY source destination [file [file]...] [options]

source :: Source Directory (drive:\path or \\server\share\path).
destination :: Destination Dir (drive:\path or \\server\share\path).
file :: File(s) to copy (names/wildcards: default is "*.*").

::
:: Copy options :
::
/S :: copy Subdirectories, but not empty ones.
/E :: copy subdirectories, including Empty ones.
/LEV:n :: only copy the top n LEVels of the source directory tree.

/Z :: copy files in restartable mode.
/B :: copy files in Backup mode.
/ZB :: use restartable mode; if access denied use Backup mode.
/EFSRAW :: copy all encrypted files in EFS RAW mode.

/COPY:copyflag :: what to COPY for files (default is /COPY:DAT).
(copyflags : D=Data, A=Attributes, T=Timestamps).
(S=Security=NTFS ACLs, O=Owner info, U=aUditing info).

/DCOPY:T :: COPY Directory Timestamps.

/SEC :: copy files with SECurity (equivalent to /COPY:DATS).
/COPYALL :: COPY ALL file info (equivalent to /COPY:DATSOU).
/NOCOPY :: COPY NO file info (useful with /PURGE).

/SECFIX :: FIX file SECurity on all files, even skipped files.
/TIMFIX :: FIX file TIMes on all files, even skipped files.

/PURGE :: delete dest files/dirs that no longer exist in source.
/MIR :: MIRror a directory tree (equivalent to /E plus /PURGE).

/MOV :: MOVe files (delete from source after copying).
/MOVE :: MOVE files AND dirs (delete from source after copying).

/A+:[RASHCNET] :: add the given Attributes to copied files.
/A-:[RASHCNET] :: remove the given Attributes from copied files.

/CREATE :: CREATE directory tree and zero-length files only.
/FAT :: create destination files using 8.3 FAT file names only.
/256 :: turn off very long path (> 256 characters) support.

/MON:n :: MONitor source; run again when more than n changes seen.
/MOT:m :: MOnitor source; run again in m minutes Time, if changed.

/RH:hhmm-hhmm :: Run Hours - times when new copies may be started.
/PF :: check run hours on a Per File (not per pass) basis.

/IPG:n :: Inter-Packet Gap (ms), to free bandwidth on slow lines.

/SL :: copy symbolic links versus the target.

/MT[:n] :: Do multi-threaded copies with n threads (default 8).
n must be at least 1 and not greater than 128.
This option is incompatible with the /IPG and /EFSRAW options.
Redirect output using /LOG option for better performance.

::
:: File Selection Options :
::
/A :: copy only files with the Archive attribute set.
/M :: copy only files with the Archive attribute and reset it.
/IA:[RASHCNETO] :: Include only files with any of the given Attributes set.
/XA:[RASHCNETO] :: eXclude files with any of the given Attributes set.

/XF file [file]... :: eXclude Files matching given names/paths/wildcards.
/XD dirs [dirs]... :: eXclude Directories matching given names/paths.

/XC :: eXclude Changed files.
/XN :: eXclude Newer files.
/XO :: eXclude Older files.
/XX :: eXclude eXtra files and directories.
/XL :: eXclude Lonely files and directories.
/IS :: Include Same files.
/IT :: Include Tweaked files.

/MAX:n :: MAXimum file size - exclude files bigger than n bytes.
/MIN:n :: MINimum file size - exclude files smaller than n bytes.

/MAXAGE:n :: MAXimum file AGE - exclude files older than n days/date.
/MINAGE:n :: MINimum file AGE - exclude files newer than n days/date.
/MAXLAD:n :: MAXimum Last Access Date - exclude files unused since n.
/MINLAD:n :: MINimum Last Access Date - exclude files used since n.
(If n < 1900 then n = n days, else n = YYYYMMDD date).

/XJ :: eXclude Junction points. (normally included by default).

/FFT :: assume FAT File Times (2-second granularity).
/DST :: compensate for one-hour DST time differences.

/XJD :: eXclude Junction points for Directories.
/XJF :: eXclude Junction points for Files.

::
:: Retry Options :
::
/R:n :: number of Retries on failed copies: default 1 million.
/W:n :: Wait time between retries: default is 30 seconds.

/REG :: Save /R:n and /W:n in the Registry as default settings.

/TBD :: wait for sharenames To Be Defined (retry error 67).

::
:: Logging Options :
::
/L :: List only - don't copy, timestamp or delete any files.
/X :: report all eXtra files, not just those selected.
/V :: produce Verbose output, showing skipped files.
/TS :: include source file Time Stamps in the output.
/FP :: include Full Pathname of files in the output.
/BYTES :: Print sizes as bytes.

/NS :: No Size - don't log file sizes.
/NC :: No Class - don't log file classes.
/NFL :: No File List - don't log file names.
/NDL :: No Directory List - don't log directory names.

/NP :: No Progress - don't display percentage copied.
/ETA :: show Estimated Time of Arrival of copied files.

/LOG:file :: output status to LOG file (overwrite existing log).
/LOG+:file :: output status to LOG file (append to existing log).

/UNILOG:file :: output status to LOG file as UNICODE (overwrite existing log).
/UNILOG+:file :: output status to LOG file as UNICODE (append to existing log).

/TEE :: output to console window, as well as the log file.

/NJH :: No Job Header.
/NJS :: No Job Summary.

/UNICODE :: output status as UNICODE.

::
:: Job Options :
::
/JOB:jobname :: take parameters from the named JOB file.
/SAVE:jobname :: SAVE parameters to the named job file
/QUIT :: QUIT after processing command line (to view parameters).
/NOSD :: NO Source Directory is specified.
/NODD :: NO Destination Directory is specified.
/IF :: Include the following Files.
 
As mentioned above, I use devcon to eject USB disks safely prior to them being swapped. One client is very erratic at swapping their USB back drives so I have devcon set to eject the drive at 7am every weekday, and then remount it at 12.30pm every weekday, just before the 1pm backup. They know they have this window to swap out the drive.

They have three identical WD drives, so that makes the devcon script easier:

remove.bat
D:\utilities\devcon\devcon.exe remove USBSTOR\DiskWD* > d:\utilities\devcon\remove.log

rescan.bat
D:\utilities\devcon\devcon.exe rescan > d:\utilities\devcon\rescan.log

Use something like this to determine the USB drive name:

devcon.exe find USBSTOR\*

Then use the results of the above and something like this to find a neat hwid you can use with the remove switch:

devcon.exe hwid *WD*

Basically this lists the hwids of all the items with "WD" in their name.

This works very well for me on two scheduled tasks with the "Run with highest privilege" option ticked (SBS 2011 - so it's Server 2008 underneath).
 
oldbag

Member since Oct 2003, do you think OcUK will give you a gong for 10 years membership of the forum in October?:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Perhaps a gold plated memory stick on a chain:p:p:p:p:p:p
 
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