# Solved: Windows Server 2003 error when backing up to mapped drive on IBM I



## adamt (Feb 13, 2012)

We're trying to set up our Server03 machine to backup to our IBM Iseries but are having issues with the mapped drive. The backup runs fine to a drive on the Server03 machine, but it stalls out at various points when going to the Iseries. The error it throws back is _E: is not a valid drive or you do not have access to it_. E: is the Server03 drive we are trying to backup. Before setting this up I read that mapping via IP address can be problematic so I used the Iseries name for the map.

Edit: I'm using NTbackup.

Thanks for reading,
Adam


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

Try using the UNC path instead of a mapped drive letter. Whatever software you are using to do the backups has to have backup rights to backup those files.


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## adamt (Feb 13, 2012)

I currently have it mapped \\servername(not ip address)\backup.


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## adamt (Feb 13, 2012)

That is assigned drive letter Z on the server03 machine. How would I go about using the UNC?


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

What backup software are you using?


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## adamt (Feb 13, 2012)

NTbackup. Like I stated in my OP.


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

Have you verified the security on the location you are trying to back up to? I have never used NTBACKUP this way and I am not sure it will even work to a mapped drive. Do a local backup and run a batch file at the completion of the job to move the file to the other server.


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## adamt (Feb 13, 2012)

Now it's throwing back errors when I try to copy the backup file to the server via cmd.exe and windows explorer drag 'n drop. The cmd error is that the semaphore timeout period has expired. Explorer is telling my the file path is too deep. I tried moving the file higher to root E: and still the same problem. The path to the destination on the server is not long at all, roughly 30 characters, so I'm not entirely sure whats going on with that error.


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

What is the OS running on the iSeries?


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## adamt (Feb 13, 2012)

We've decided to abandon this route. We called IBM support and they suggested to backup to the windows server then use FTP to copy it to the Iseries. Know anything about creating an FTP batch or script to do this?


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

I am not sure how that would be any different than a regular XCOPY in a batch file. I would test it out using something like Filezilla first before committing to trying a batch FTP. If there is an FTP server on the IBM you will probably run into security issues as well.


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## adamt (Feb 13, 2012)

All the tests have worked great with the FTP batch.


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## adamt (Feb 13, 2012)

We decided to try to include the execution of the backup in our batch file and I'm having some trouble with the ntbackup command line params. Here is what I have:

ntbackup backup @C:\Documents and Settings\Accounting\backup.bks /j "Test Backup" /f C:\backup.bkf. 

All I want to do is backup to the local harddrive which will then be FTP'd over to the IBM. When I run this, I see ntbackup pop up for a second but no backup is ever created. The log says "expecting more parameters." What am I missing?


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## adamt (Feb 13, 2012)

Nevermind. Solution was 
ntbackup backup "@C:\Documents and Settings\Accounting\backup.bks" /f C:\backup.bkf /j: "backup"


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