auto backup fails, manual backup ok (mgf)

Vista Business 32 bit
eMach T5048
P4 @ 3GHz, 1.9GB Ram
160GB hard drive
250GB external drive

Until two days ago, I have been backing up to the external drive manually
each week. No problems at all. Two days ago I set the Auto Backup to ON and
scheduled it for 2 am daily. Next morning I checked and got the message that
last backup failed because Vista could not find the backup drive location. I
re-booted and tried the procedure again last night. Same result. I then
clicked TRY AGAIN. This time the backup went smoothly.

Question: why was the program unable to backup automatically at 2 am but did
it when I clicked on Try Again?

Perhaps your system is in a Sleep mode at 2 am; I am not sure whether Vista
will wake up the external drive from a sleep mode in order to perform a
backup (I don't think it will unless you make some provisions with Task
Scheduling, but not sure of that). Suggest you try scheduling your Auto
Backup to occur during a time when you are sure the system is not in Sleep
mode and see how it works. I would like to know this answer myself.


"Mike F from TN" <> wrote in message
news:F94BE1AE-47D6-4FE0-A917-...
> Vista Business 32 bit
> eMach T5048
> P4 @ 3GHz, 1.9GB Ram
> 160GB hard drive
> 250GB external drive
>
> Until two days ago, I have been backing up to the external drive manually
> each week. No problems at all. Two days ago I set the Auto Backup to ON
> and
> scheduled it for 2 am daily. Next morning I checked and got the message
> that
> last backup failed because Vista could not find the backup drive location.
> I
> re-booted and tried the procedure again last night. Same result. I then
> clicked TRY AGAIN. This time the backup went smoothly.
>
> Question: why was the program unable to backup automatically at 2 am but
> did
> it when I clicked on Try Again?

It might wake Vista up but he has to find a switch to do it.

For hardware devices it is the Device Manager, for things like backup, there
might be a place in Services, perhaps.

If he sets this switch up (if one exists), he will get the best of both
worlds: sleeping Vista that wakes up when for as long as necessary, like a
bear in hibernation to go to the bathroom.

"John Hanley" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Perhaps your system is in a Sleep mode at 2 am; I am not sure whether
> Vista will wake up the external drive from a sleep mode in order to
> perform a backup (I don't think it will unless you make some provisions
> with Task Scheduling, but not sure of that). Suggest you try scheduling
> your Auto Backup to occur during a time when you are sure the system is
> not in Sleep mode and see how it works. I would like to know this answer
> myself.
>
>
> "Mike F from TN" <> wrote in message
> news:F94BE1AE-47D6-4FE0-A917-...
>> Vista Business 32 bit
>> eMach T5048
>> P4 @ 3GHz, 1.9GB Ram
>> 160GB hard drive
>> 250GB external drive
>>
>> Until two days ago, I have been backing up to the external drive manually
>> each week. No problems at all. Two days ago I set the Auto Backup to ON
>> and
>> scheduled it for 2 am daily. Next morning I checked and got the message
>> that
>> last backup failed because Vista could not find the backup drive
>> location. I
>> re-booted and tried the procedure again last night. Same result. I then
>> clicked TRY AGAIN. This time the backup went smoothly.
>>
>> Question: why was the program unable to backup automatically at 2 am but
>> did
>> it when I clicked on Try Again?
>

Thanks, guys. That sounds right. I do have Vista set to sleep when it is idle
for a certain amount of time. Will make adjustments and get back to you.
Mike

"AlexB" wrote:

> It might wake Vista up but he has to find a switch to do it.
>
> For hardware devices it is the Device Manager, for things like backup, there
> might be a place in Services, perhaps.
>
> If he sets this switch up (if one exists), he will get the best of both
> worlds: sleeping Vista that wakes up when for as long as necessary, like a
> bear in hibernation to go to the bathroom.
>
> "John Hanley" <> wrote in message
> news:...
> > Perhaps your system is in a Sleep mode at 2 am; I am not sure whether
> > Vista will wake up the external drive from a sleep mode in order to
> > perform a backup (I don't think it will unless you make some provisions
> > with Task Scheduling, but not sure of that). Suggest you try scheduling
> > your Auto Backup to occur during a time when you are sure the system is
> > not in Sleep mode and see how it works. I would like to know this answer
> > myself.
> >
> >
> > "Mike F from TN" <> wrote in message
> > news:F94BE1AE-47D6-4FE0-A917-...
> >> Vista Business 32 bit
> >> eMach T5048
> >> P4 @ 3GHz, 1.9GB Ram
> >> 160GB hard drive
> >> 250GB external drive
> >>
> >> Until two days ago, I have been backing up to the external drive manually
> >> each week. No problems at all. Two days ago I set the Auto Backup to ON
> >> and
> >> scheduled it for 2 am daily. Next morning I checked and got the message
> >> that
> >> last backup failed because Vista could not find the backup drive
> >> location. I
> >> re-booted and tried the procedure again last night. Same result. I then
> >> clicked TRY AGAIN. This time the backup went smoothly.
> >>
> >> Question: why was the program unable to backup automatically at 2 am but
> >> did
> >> it when I clicked on Try Again?
> >
>
>

John & Alex, I selected "never" for sleep mode, now auto backup works. Thanks
for suggestion. Would like to use sleep mode in future. Where do I find
Services, Alex? Could not locate in Control Panel.

John, I will need step-by-step help for scheduling a task to keep pc awake
during backups. I am just a user, not very smart about doing this stuff, but
always willing to try. Mike

"Mike F from TN" wrote:

> Thanks, guys. That sounds right. I do have Vista set to sleep when it is idle
> for a certain amount of time. Will make adjustments and get back to you.
> Mike
>
> "AlexB" wrote:
>
> > It might wake Vista up but he has to find a switch to do it.
> >
> > For hardware devices it is the Device Manager, for things like backup, there
> > might be a place in Services, perhaps.
> >
> > If he sets this switch up (if one exists), he will get the best of both
> > worlds: sleeping Vista that wakes up when for as long as necessary, like a
> > bear in hibernation to go to the bathroom.
> >
> > "John Hanley" <> wrote in message
> > news:...
> > > Perhaps your system is in a Sleep mode at 2 am; I am not sure whether
> > > Vista will wake up the external drive from a sleep mode in order to
> > > perform a backup (I don't think it will unless you make some provisions
> > > with Task Scheduling, but not sure of that). Suggest you try scheduling
> > > your Auto Backup to occur during a time when you are sure the system is
> > > not in Sleep mode and see how it works. I would like to know this answer
> > > myself.
> > >
> > >
> > > "Mike F from TN" <> wrote in message
> > > news:F94BE1AE-47D6-4FE0-A917-...
> > >> Vista Business 32 bit
> > >> eMach T5048
> > >> P4 @ 3GHz, 1.9GB Ram
> > >> 160GB hard drive
> > >> 250GB external drive
> > >>
> > >> Until two days ago, I have been backing up to the external drive manually
> > >> each week. No problems at all. Two days ago I set the Auto Backup to ON
> > >> and
> > >> scheduled it for 2 am daily. Next morning I checked and got the message
> > >> that
> > >> last backup failed because Vista could not find the backup drive
> > >> location. I
> > >> re-booted and tried the procedure again last night. Same result. I then
> > >> clicked TRY AGAIN. This time the backup went smoothly.
> > >>
> > >> Question: why was the program unable to backup automatically at 2 am but
> > >> did
> > >> it when I clicked on Try Again?
> > >
> >
> >