This article describes the Msdmback.vbs script that SharePoint Portal Server contains, which you can use to back up and restore the server data. You can schedule this script by using Windows 2000 Task Scheduler for regular, automated backups.
To manually back up a server by using the Msdmback.vbs script:
- Locate the following folder:
Programfiles\SharePoint Portal Server\Bin
- At a command prompt, type:
cscript msdmback.vbs /b PathToImageFile\ImageFileName
For example, if you have installed the SharePoint Portal Server program files to the D drive, and you want to create a backup image named Backup.bak in the d:\Spsback folder type the following command:
cscript msdmback.vbs /b d:\spsback\backup.bak
Note If you attempt to create a scheduled task by using this command line, the first backup succeeds, but all subsequent backups do not respond if you do not remove the previous backup image. This behavior can occur because the
ImageFileName parameter must not reference a file that currently exists. If you attempt to back up to a file that already exists, the backup operation does not respond and you may receive the "Error 80070050 (The file exists)" error message.
To work around this behavior, you can create a batch file that moves, renames or deletes the previous backup image before you create the new backup image. You can use this batch file for the scheduled task.
The following text is an example of a batch file that renames the previous backup image:
echo off
move d:\spsback\backup.bak d:\spsback\backup.old
c:\winnt\system32\cscript "d:\program files\sharepoint portal server\bin\msdmback.vbs" /b d:\spsback\backup.bak"
SharePoint Portal Server only enables you to backup to a hard disk. To obtain the best protection for your data, Microsoft recommends that you use the Windows 2000 Backup utility or a third-party utility to save the backup image created with Msdsmback.vbs to tape. In addition, you can move the backup image to another location either manually or by using a batch file.
You can use the Windows 2000 Backup utility to back up the operating system; however, do not use the Windows 2000 Backup utility to back up SharePoint Portal Server data. Although the backup process completes, the backup utility does not back up all required data for SharePoint Portal Server. A subsequent restore by using this utility does not respond.