Run backup apps in sequence

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I have set up Windows Backup and Restore to execute once a week, on Mondays at 1:00 am. I plug in my external drive Sunday evening and then just let the system sit there turned on overnight. Works fine. I do not include a system backup here, only file backups. The next morning I manually run Macrium Reflect to make a system image.

I want to automate this process. After Windows Backup and Restore finishes running, I want Macrium Reflect to start up and make a system image.

I can run Macrium Reflect from the command line, so I could create a batch file to run it. But how can I trigger the batch file to run when Windows Backup and Restore is finished?

I can configure Macrium Reflect to run on a schedule, but that’s not quite what I want. I don’t want to run it at a certain time, I want to run it after Windows Backup and Restore finishes.

Any ideas?

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An idea or two (I haven’t done either of these).

First, some references: do Google Searches on, and suggested hits from:
a) [ windows task scheduler ]
– https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Task_Scheduler
— Note particularly the info under “Task Scheduler 2.0”.
b) [ task scheduler batch file ]
– one hit, among several useful, is
https://windows.tips.net/T013223_Running_a_Batch_File_at_a_Scheduled_Time.html
c) Also see functionality of the command: SCHTASKS
– schtasks /?
– schtasks run /?
d) https://www.windowscentral.com/how-create-task-using-task-scheduler-command-prompt

SO, for your scheduled task of Backup-and-Restore, change the task to start a BATch file.
Skeleton Weekly.Bat:
Backup-and-Restore.exe (whatever is the proper path\program_name.exe)
C:\Program Files\Macrium\Reflect\ReflectBin.exe (or whatever it is for you)

I believe that one can use a Batch file to serialize operations.
And, from a) above, also do serialization within a scheduled task.

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How do you run the Windows backup?

cheers, Paul

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bmeacham wrote:

I want to automate this process. After Windows Backup and Restore finishes running, I want Macrium Reflect to start up and make a system image.

Windows has a function called : continuation task

A continuation task (also known just as a continuation) is an asynchronous task that is invoked by another task, which is known as the antecedent, when the antecedent finishes.

Don’t know if there are such apps or if you have to write your own.

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Alex5723 wrote:

Don’t know if there are such apps or if you have to write your own.

Forgot the link :

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/standard/parallel-programming/chaining-tasks-by-using-continuation-tasks

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Paul T wrote:

How do you run the Windows backup?

I schedule it in Windows Backup and Restore to run every Monday at 1:00 am.

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I meant what is the command / executable? I was thinking it could be added to a batch / PowerShell.

cheers, Paul

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Some 3rd party backup apps have a “post processing” option for this sort of thing. Any sign of it in Windows backup?

cheers, Paul

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Have a look at this post.  If you’re interested I’ll update it with my latest version of the Powershell.

HTH

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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Paul T wrote:

what is the command / executable? I was thinking it could be added to a batch / PowerShell.

Windows Backup and Restore has its own interface, which adds a scheduled task.

I am looking into wbadmin, which might be able to run a backup task from the command line, but it looks like I can configure it to run only at a specified time every day but not on a specified day. Still investigating.

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bmeacham wrote:

Paul T wrote:

what is the command / executable? I was thinking it could be added to a batch / PowerShell.

Windows Backup and Restore has its own interface, which adds a scheduled task.

I am looking into wbadmin, which might be able to run a backup task from the command line, but it looks like I can configure it to run only at a specified time every day but not on a specified day. Still investigating.

Use wbadmin start backup (specify all the parameters) in a batch file; add the commands for macrium after the wbadmin command. Schedule the whole thing using Task Scheduler.

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Paul T wrote:

Some 3rd party backup apps have a “post processing” option for this sort of thing. Any sign of it in Windows backup?

I have not found any such option in the user interface.

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