TeraByte Unlimited Knowledge Base

Batch File Sample for Maintaining a Rotating Backup with IFD/IFW

The batch file code below is self-documented. You can use this code by copying it in its entirety, pasting it into a new file using a text editor such as Notepad, and saving the file with the .BAT extension (e.g. ABC.BAT). The batch file begins with the line @echo off and ends with the line :: End of batch script.

If you wish to image more than one partition using this batch script, please refer to the section near the bottom titled Using the Batch File for Multiple Partitions.

Note: If you receive the error Out of environment space while running this batch file, please see the following Microsoft support article: Out of Environment Space Error Message in MS-DOS Program.

@echo off

:: Copyright (C) 2005, TeraByte Unlimited. All rights reserved.

:: This batch file maintains multiple iterations of a particular backup. Each
:: time the batch file is run, a backup will be created according to the next
:: letter in sequence. For example, the first time the batch file is run,
:: <file name>A will be created. On subsequent runs, <file name>B will be used,
:: followed by <file name>C, then back to <file name>A, and so on. If a
:: <file name>X backup already exists (where X is A, B, or C), it will be
:: overwritten automatically.
::
:: To keep track of which letter in sequence to use next, the batch file
:: creates a file named "LastBkID.X", where X is A, B, or C. This file must
:: remain in place for the batch file to work as expected. If no "LastBkID.X"
:: file is found, <file name>A will be assumed as the next backup to be created.
::
:: If you will be using this batch file with IFD, please note that IMAGE.EXE
:: will be expected to reside in the current directory of the DOS environment.
::
:: There are three settings you need to specify below (four, if you will be
:: using this batch file with IFW). Each one is preceded by the "set" command.

:: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

:: Specify the directory where backup files will be saved. If using IFD,
:: the MS-DOS 8.3 naming convention applies. In all cases, omit the
:: trailing backslash, even for root directories (e.g. C: or D:).
::
:: Example: set TBIBase=D:\Backups

set TBIBase=

:: Specify the desired backup file name below. If using IFD, the maximum
:: length is 7 characters, and no spaces are allowed. In all cases, omit
:: the file extension.
::
:: Example: set TBIName=Backup

set TBIName=Backup

:: Specify the parameters that should be used by IFD or IFW below. This is
:: where you specify the source drive and partition for the backup.
::
:: Example: set TBIParms=/c00x10vb

set TBIParms=

:: Specify the path to IMAGEW.EXE, if you will be using this batch file with
:: IFW. Omit quotation marks and the trailing backslash.
::
:: Example: set TBIPath=C:\Program Files\Image for Windows

set TBIPath=C:\Program Files\Image for Windows

:: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

set Error=X
set Letter1=X
set Letter2=X
set OpEnv=X

if "%Error%"==""   goto :EnvSpErr
if "%Letter1%"=="" goto :EnvSpErr
if "%Letter2%"=="" goto :EnvSpErr
if "%OpEnv%"==""   goto :EnvSpErr

set OpEnv=Win9x
if "%OS%"=="Windows_NT" set OpEnv=WinNT
if "%WinDir%"==""       set OpEnv=DOS

if "%TBIBase%"=="" echo No TBIBase parameter supplied. Please edit: %0
if "%TBIBase%"=="" goto :End
if "%TBIName%"=="" echo No TBIName parameter supplied. Please edit: %0
if "%TBIName%"=="" goto :End
if "%TBIParms%"=="" echo No TBIParms parameter supplied. Please edit: %0
if "%TBIParms%"=="" goto :End

if "%OpEnv%"=="Win9x" goto :Windows
if "%OpEnv%"=="WinNT" goto :Windows
if "%OpEnv%"=="DOS"   goto :DOS

:: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

:DOS

if not exist image.exe echo Image for DOS (IMAGE.EXE) not found.
if not exist image.exe goto :End

for %%x in (A,B,C) do if exist %TBIBase%\LastBkID.%%x set Letter1=%%x
del %TBIBase%\LastBkID.%Letter1%
if "%Letter1%"=="A" set Letter2=B
if "%Letter1%"=="B" set Letter2=C
if "%Letter1%"=="C" set Letter2=A
if "%Letter1%"=="X" set Letter2=A
echo This file is created and required by: %0>%TBIBase%\LastBkID.%Letter2%

echo.
echo Now running the following command:
echo image.exe %TBIParms% %TBIBase%\%TBIName%%Letter2%
image.exe %TBIParms% %TBIBase%\%TBIName%%Letter2%

goto :PostBkup

:: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

:Windows

if "%TBIPath%"=="" echo No TBIPath parameter supplied. Please edit: %0
if "%TBIPath%"=="" goto :End
if not exist "%TBIPath%\imagew.exe" echo Invalid TBIPath parameter supplied. Please edit: %0
if not exist "%TBIPath%\imagew.exe" goto :End

for %%x in (A,B,C) do if exist "%TBIBase%\LastBkID.%%x" set Letter1=%%x
del "%TBIBase%\LastBkID.%Letter1%"
if "%Letter1%"=="A" set Letter2=B
if "%Letter1%"=="B" set Letter2=C
if "%Letter1%"=="C" set Letter2=A
if "%Letter1%"=="X" set Letter2=A
echo This file is created and required by: %0>"%TBIBase%\LastBkID.%Letter2%"

echo.
echo Now running the following command:
echo "%TBIPath%\imagew.exe" %TBIParms% "%TBIBase%\%TBIName%%Letter2%"
if "%OpEnv%"=="Win9x" start /wait "%TBIPath%\imagew.exe" %TBIParms% "%TBIBase%\%TBIName%%Letter2%"
if "%OpEnv%"=="WinNT" start "" /wait "%TBIPath%\imagew.exe" %TBIParms% "%TBIBase%\%TBIName%%Letter2%"

goto :PostBkup

:: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

:PostBkup

if ErrorLevel   1 set Error=1   #
if ErrorLevel   2 set Error=2   #
if ErrorLevel   3 set Error=3   #
if ErrorLevel   4 set Error=4   #
if ErrorLevel   5 set Error=5   #
if ErrorLevel   6 set Error=6   #
if ErrorLevel   7 set Error=7   #
if ErrorLevel   8 set Error=8   #
if ErrorLevel   9 set Error=9   #
if ErrorLevel 11 set Error=11 #
if ErrorLevel 12 set Error=12 #
if ErrorLevel 13 set Error=13 #
if ErrorLevel 17 set Error=17 #
if ErrorLevel 18 set Error=18 #
if ErrorLevel 60 set Error=60 #
if ErrorLevel 61 set Error=61 #
if ErrorLevel 62 set Error=62 #
if ErrorLevel 63 set Error=63 #
if ErrorLevel 64 set Error=64 #
if ErrorLevel 65 set Error=65 #
if ErrorLevel 66 set Error=66 #
if ErrorLevel 67 set Error=67 #
if ErrorLevel 68 set Error=68 #
if ErrorLevel 200 set Error=200 #
if ErrorLevel 201 set Error=201 #
if ErrorLevel 202 set Error=202 #
if ErrorLevel 203 set Error=203 #
if ErrorLevel 204 set Error=204 #
echo.
echo #########################################
if not "%Error%"=="X" echo # The following error was reported: %Error%
if not ErrorLevel 1 echo # No errors were reported.              #
echo #########################################
echo.

goto :End

:: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

:EnvSpErr

echo.
echo Potential "Out of environment space" condition detected.
echo Please refer to the following Microsoft support article:
echo http://support.microsoft.com/kb/230205/
echo.

goto :End

:: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

:End

set Error=
set Letter1=
set Letter2=
set OpEnv=
set TBIBase=
set TBIName=
set TBIParms=
set TBIPath=

:: End of batch script

Using the Batch File for Multiple Partitions

If you wish to run this batch file for more than one partition, proceed as follows:

Configure a copy of the batch file for each partition you wish to image. Give each batch file a unique name, and save them all in a single directory.
Create a new batch file, and add a CALL statement for each batch file to be run. For example, assuming we wanted to image two different partitions, and had corresponding batch files named MAINOS.BAT and DATA.BAT, this new batch file would contain: