Running, pausing and stopping a job
The ways to start a run now, what the live view shows, what Pause and Stop do, and changing limits while a backup runs.
On this page
A job runs on its schedule without you. When you want it now, there are several ways to start it, and one live view that shows what it is doing.
Starting a run#
| From | How |
|---|---|
| Home | Run on the job's row, or Run all above the table |
| Jobs | Run on the row, or ⋯ ▸ Run as full for one full backup |
| A job's page | Run now |
| The notification-area icon | right-click ▸ Back up now ▸ the job |
| Ctrl+K | type the job's name, then choose Run … |
| A desktop shortcut | see A desktop shortcut that runs a job |
The report records who started it: you, schedule, Ask Genie, a desktop shortcut or command line.
One at a time#
GBM AI runs one backup at a time. Start a second and it shows Queued, then starts when the first finishes; Cancel takes it out of the queue. A scheduled run that falls due while another job runs queues the same way.
The live view#
While a backup runs, Home's status area becomes the live panel: the phase and type, the current file, time left, how much is written, Pause, Stop and Details.
Details opens the run page:
- the phase: Taking a snapshot, Scanning, Backing up, Verifying, Applying retention, Finishing;
- the percentage, the current file, speed, bytes written of the total, and files done of the total;
- six counters: New, Updated, Unchanged, Deleted, Skipped, Errors;
- the Live log, with Important and Everything;
- This run: job, type, destination, compression, encryption, open files and verify;
- the Performance card (below).
During Verifying the line under the bar reads Verified 1,200 of 2,943 files: every stored file is read back and checked against the manifest.
You can close the window. The background agent finishes the run, and the notification-area icon's two blocks take turns while it works.
Pause#
Pause holds the run where it is. The pill turns amber and the button becomes Resume. Nothing is lost; the set is finished when you resume. Pause this backup is also in the icon's menu, and Pause all is in Ctrl+K. A restore cannot be paused, only stopped.
Stop#
Stop asks first: Stop this backup? A backup set is kept only when it is complete, so the files copied so far are discarded. The next run starts from the last complete backup.
| Stopped while | Result |
|---|---|
| backing up | the run is Stopped; nothing from it is kept (E-RUN-005) |
| verifying or applying retention | the set was already complete and is kept (E-RUN-006) |
Earlier backups are never touched. The job shows as needing attention until its next complete run. If you only need the disk or the network back for a while, Pause instead.
A restore can be stopped too. It asks Stop this restore?: The files already restored stay where they are. Start the restore again later to bring back the rest.
When the destination goes away mid-run#
A USB cable knocked out, a NAS restarting: the run does not fail at once. Home says Waiting for Backup (H:) to be plugged in or Waiting for \\nas\backups to answer, and the run carries on by itself when the destination is back. After 15 minutes it gives up with E-DEST-001. See Destination not connected, or not answering.
Changing limits during a run#
The run page's Performance card changes this run only, at once, and writes each change to the run log. The job keeps its own settings.
| Setting | Notes |
|---|---|
| CPU limit (Pro) | below 100 % the backup pauses between files to leave that share of the time free |
| I/O priority (Pro) | Low lets other programs use the disk first; High puts the backup ahead of them |
| Bandwidth limit (Pro) | network and cloud destinations only; a local drive is never slowed |
| When a backup finishes | Do nothing, Sleep, Hibernate or Shut down, for this run |
If the PC shuts down mid-run#
The run is marked Interrupted. Nothing from it is kept: the next time the agent starts, it removes the unfinished set from a drive or share. Run the job again, or let the next scheduled run do it; it starts from the last complete backup. A backup does not carry on from where it stopped.