PRoblem executing shutdown after backup

We're using Acronis True Image 9.0 (build 2,302) to back up developers workstations. Because the backups can be lengthy, I've opted to run them after business hours (7PM). We don't want the workstations running overnight, so I instructed Acronis to execute psshutdown (by www.sysinternals.com) to shut the system down once the back up completes. The back ups run, but it can't execute: psshutdown -k.

Does anyone know why Acronis won't execute this? The developers say they get an error message like "cannot create named pipe".

Alternatively, is there a way to instruct Acronis to execute a back up at a specified time & then shut the system down?

I'm using the built in Acronis Scheduler, not the Windows one.

 

“Alternatively, is there a way to instruct Acronis to execute a back up at a specified time & then shut the system down?”

Or, alternatively, can you schedule a system shutdown and use the “When my computer shuts down” scheduling option of TI? A chicken or the egg sorta thing.

 

That's the problem....

I *would*, but I ahve users that DON'T shut their systems down. I'm trying to keep it automated

I don't trust my users at all. When I scheduled them to run over lunch time, I actually had someone go in & turn off the back up job because it took too long!

Is there a way I can call an Acronis job via the command line? Then perhaps issue a 'psshutdown' when it finishes?

 

I actually have no idea on how to schedule a shutdown – I was hoping you had that info.
I’m sure I’ve heard of it being done, just never done it myself.
I have a file renaming batch job that runs after one of my backups that works fine, but how to shutdown the system …

 

Well, I have a way to shut the system down. I use PSSHUTDOWN from Sysinternals (www.sysinternals.com). When you execute it with the -k option, it shuts the system down in 15 seconds.

What I don't understand is, when I tell Acorinis to run that as the post backup command I get an error about "cannot create named pipe".

 

“Well, I have a way to shut the system down”

Then that takes me back to my original question – “ … can you schedule a system shutdown and use the “When my computer shuts down” scheduling option of TI?”

Instead of a backup shutting down the system, what happens if you shut down the system and use that event to trigger a backup?

 

*bangs his hea dinto the desk

You know, I never even though about doing it backwards LOL

You're right. That just might work!

I'll give it a try on someones system & see if the shut down does in fact trigger Acronis.

i'll let you know what I find

 

Actually, there was one reason:

Some of the machines are portable (they can be moved to a lab for testing). In whiich case, the machines could be powered down during the day.

How would I make it so they execute the back up at the end of the day?

 

I know there’s an option to only run the "shutdown" backup once a day, but beyond that, never having a use for the feature, I don’t know what to tell you.
Hopefully, someone else will jump in.

 

Hello PcPixel,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

Please accept our apologies for the delay with the response.

I've consulted with the the respective person from our Development Team and he assured me that the computer shutdown can not be performed as a post-backup command in Acronis True Image 9.0 Home. The point is that when a post-backup command is being performed the task (script) is not completely finished yet. This fact eliminates the ability of using 'shutdown -[respective parameter]' as a post-backup command. We therefore recommend that you follow TheWeaz's advice and schedule the backup creation on the computer shutdown using the corresponding options in the Schedule Task Wizard (see the screen shot below).

As a possible workaround I can suggest that you create a special bath file containing the script which "executes" the corresponding .tis file (Acronis True Image script) and only after that shuts down the computer using 'shutdown -[respective parameter]' command. Then schedule this batch file execution on the particular point in time using Windows embedded scheduling service.

Thank you.
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Alexey Popov