Pre/Post commands not executed, True Image 2013
I have a pre- and post command in an Acronis True Image 2013 job which switches on and off the external USB drive to which the image is written. The commands perform well when testing, but are not executed when True Image runs scheduled. I read about similar issues, but there the problem often was related to user intervention. The commands I use, do not require user intervention.
How to tackle this problem?
I followed your instructions, GroverH, but the problem persists.
Is the computer sleeping and not being awakened or what is the situation of the computer at time of the attempted usb activation?
Perhaps post your files containing the files and maybe others can assist.
You might check the permissions or security of the cmd files to make sure it has full permissions.
Or, you might try using the Windows Scheduler to turn on the usb and the TI post command to turn it off.
Which version of Windows?
No, the computer is not sleeping. All permissions are set for all groups. I am using Windows 8 Pro.
Please find attached the cmd-files (as pdf).
Notes:
1) When testing the commands in TI, everything goes well;
2) The log file contains the record "Execution of user command succeeded: D:/ProgData/1BAT/SwitchSocket2_On.cmd", however it is not executed.
You might try adding pause command (temporarily) after the command to see if an error message is displayed after the execution
@Echo off
Your command
Pause
@Exit
whn entering the path into the pre/post commands, do use the browse option so that the program will create its own path to the cmd files.
You are at a disadvantage as there has been very little postings about Win8 and the Pre/post commands.
For research, you might review link #3 below and look at item #9.
This was one method I chose to keep the computer from sleeping during backup but this was not tested for Win8 which came later.
Ultimately, you may have to seek paid help ($9.99) from Acrnis tech support.
Hopefully, someone else will respond whch can provide real help to you.
I decided to upgrade to TI 2014, which gives a month free support. Anyway, the problem persists with TI 2014.
If possible, keep us updated as to the problem or the fix.
Did adding the pause (withn the cmd file) after the command temporarily get you any error messages displayed?
@Echo off
"C:\Program Files\Power Manager\pm.exe" -on -GemPowMan -Socket2
Pause
@Exit
The results of adding the Pause statement in the batch file:
1) When I am logged on as a user with administrator rights:
The Power Manager command is executed properly, a CMD-window pops up and the process is (as expected) paused. When I close the CMD-window TI terminates with the massage that the operation failed.
2) When I am logged on as a user with normal rights (which I usually work with):
The Power Manager command is not executed and the CMD-windows does not show up. TI 'hangs' and must be cancelled 'manually' (which is difficult to realize and might need several tries).
(Note: I am now using TI 2014).
What I would attempt to do next would be
1. Remove the pause statement.
2. Right clcik on the cmd file which is referenced in the post command and change the security so that all users listed has full control over the settings. Most likely now, only some users have full control but change so all listed have the same full control.
If using Windows Task scheduling, be sure to check the run with highest privileges.
The failure as a normal user could indicate that the Notepad not opened as "Run as administrator" so file not saved with highest permissions.
Have you contacted Acronis support officially via the support channels?
I don't seem to be able to correct your issiue.
Yes, I have already contact with Acronis support (case number #02015743), but I think it will not come to a solution.
As a matter of fact, I start to think that the problem is actually not a TI problem. Someway, to use the program "Power Manager" with its arguments (which switches sockets on or off), the program must already be running in the background. This goes well when I logon as a user within the user environment, but for the one or the other reason this does not work when started from a batch file in a pre- or post command in TI. The same behavior occurs in Windows Task Scheduler.
Is it possible to use Windows Task Scheduler to start the Power Manager program without commands.
Then use your batch command to perform the chores.
Or have one line in the batch file to start Power Manager,
A second line to be a delay line to allow some elapse of time
A third line with your present power manager commands.
I don't have Windows 8 so no way of testing.
As I mentioned in post #5, I used an alternate method to solve the power issue to keeping the compute awake. Perhaps a variation of that might help to give you some type workaround.
That was my way of reasoning too. But doing so does apparently not startup power manager in the background, what I don't understand. I attached the paragraph regarding the command line use of power manager. See the NOTE in the last line: "Power Manager should be active". Activating Power manager goes well when logging in, but not in a batch file and also not in a schedule, whether it is TI or Windows Task scheduler.
The end of the story:
I contacted support of Energenie (the maker of the program "Power Manager") about the problem, but got no response (actually, the problem is too strange and too complicated to explain). So, I decided to continue to manage the script by Windows Scheduler, which gave gave some problems in timing the right commands. Anyway, I stopped using the external drive for storing images as I installed an extra drive in my laptop (at the place of the DVD-player) to which the images are written now.
Just to occasionally have another separate backup, use the TI CD and create a different backup to an external disk so not all your eggs in one basket. Do be sure validate.
Thanks for the tip, GroverH. However, all the content on my laptop (including the images) is backuped to an external hard disk every night, and the external disk is regularly replaced by another, while one of them is stored on another place.