script for backup pst files

PowerShell Help
1

i made a script for backup pst files on computer but i have a problem. i copied this script on remote computer and when i start this script the copying of pst files is not working. why? on my local computer script is working ok. also, i want that from the searching exclude path d:\backupmail. how?

 If ((get-process | Where-Object{$_.Name -eq "OUTLOOK"}).Count -gt 0)
 {
  Stop-Process -name "OUTLOOK" -force
  }
 $today= Get-Date -format "MM-dd-yyyy HH.mm"
 $CurrentDate = Get-Date
 $days="-1"
 $filterlastwritetime=$CurrentDate.AddDays($days)
 $drv=Get-WmiObject -class win32_Logicaldisk | Where { $_.DriveType -eq 3 -and $_.DeviceID -ne 'C:'}
 $location= $drv.DeviceID +"\backupmail"
 
 if (!(Test-Path -path $location))
 {
 md $location
 $pst=Get-WmiObject -Query "Select * from CIM_DataFile Where Extension = 'pst'"
 Copy-Item $pst.Name  $location -Force -recurse
 cd $location
 dir | where-object{$_.LastWriteTime -gt $filterlastwritetime} | rename-item -newname {$_.name+ ($today)+".pst"} 
 }
 else
 {
 $pst=Get-WmiObject -Query "Select * from CIM_DataFile Where Extension = 'pst'"
 Copy-Item $outlookpst.Name $location -Force -Recurse
 cd $location
 dir | where-object{$_.LastWriteTime -gt $filterlastwritetime} | rename-item -newname {$_.name+ ($today)+".pst"} 
 }

$Daysback = "-45"
$DatetoDelete = $CurrentDate.AddDays($Daysback)
Get-ChildItem $location | Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt $DatetoDelete } | Remove-Item

thanks

2

Perhaps because $location already exists, which means it will execute the else-clause, which are referencing $outlookpst, a variable you never set. I guess you want to rename this to $pst

3

i changed code

 If ((get-process | Where-Object{$_.Name -eq "OUTLOOK"}).Count -gt 0)
 {
  Stop-Process -name "OUTLOOK" -force
  }
 $today= Get-Date -format "MM-dd-yyyy HH.mm"
 $CurrentDate = Get-Date
 $days="-1"
 $filterlastwritetime=$CurrentDate.AddDays($days)
 $pst=Get-WmiObject -Query "Select * from CIM_DataFile Where Extension = 'pst'"
 $drv=Get-WmiObject -class win32_Logicaldisk | Where { $_.DriveType -eq 3 -and $_.DeviceID -ne 'C:'}
 $location= $drv.DeviceID +"\backupmail"
 
 if (!(Test-Path -path $location))
 {
 md $location
  Copy-Item $pst.Name  $location -Force -recurse
 cd $location
 dir | where-object{$_.LastWriteTime -gt $filterlastwritetime} | rename-item -newname {$_.name+ ($today)+".pst"} 
 }
 else
 {
  Copy-Item $pst.Name $location -Force -Recurse
 cd $location
 dir | where-object{$_.LastWriteTime -gt $filterlastwritetime} | rename-item -newname {$_.name+ ($today)+".pst"} 
 }

$Daysback = "-45"
$DatetoDelete = $CurrentDate.AddDays($Daysback)
Get-ChildItem $location | Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt $DatetoDelete } | Remove-Item

but i receive error

Copy-Item : Cannot bind argument to parameter ‘Path’ because it is null.
At C:\backupmail.ps1:23 char:12

  • Copy-Item <<<< $pst.Name $location -Force -Recurse
    • CategoryInfo : InvalidData: (:slight_smile: [Copy-Item], ParameterBindingVa
      lidationException
    • FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentValidationErrorNullNotAllowed,M
      icrosoft.PowerShell.Commands.CopyItemCommand
4

This is indicating that the value $pst.name is $null, which would imply that 

$pst=Get-WmiObject -Query “Select * from CIM_DataFile Where Extension = ‘pst’”
is not returning anything. Scenario for this would be if there isn’t a PST file available.

Maybe an idea to put a 

Get-Variable
after 
 $location= $drv.DeviceID +“\backupmail”
, to confirm all your assignments are good.

Worthwhile also maybe executing the 

$pst=Get-WmiObject -Query “Select * from CIM_DataFile Where Extension = ‘pst’”
with the -Computer parameter to confirm it is returning anything.

5

but pst file is available but i cannot copying pst file on location \backupmail
also i tryed with get-childitem. my code is

 If ((get-process | Where-Object{$_.Name -eq "OUTLOOK"}).Count -gt 0)
 {
  Stop-Process -name "OUTLOOK" -force
  }
 $today= Get-Date -format "MM-dd-yyyy HH.mm"
 $CurrentDate = Get-Date
 $days="-1"
 $filterlastwritetime=$CurrentDate.AddDays($days)
 
 $drv=Get-WmiObject -class win32_Logicaldisk | Where { $_.DriveType -eq 3 -and $_.DeviceID -ne 'C:'}
 $location= $drv.DeviceID +"\backupmail"
 $drvpath=$drv.DeviceID+'\'
 $pst=get-childitem "c:\", $drvpath -recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | where{$_.Path -notlike "*backupmail*" -and $_.extension -like "*.pst"}
 if (!(Test-Path -path $location))
 {
 md $location
  Copy-Item $pst.fullname  $location -Force -recurse
 cd $location
 dir | where-object{$_.LastWriteTime -gt $filterlastwritetime} | rename-item -newname {$_.name+ ($today)+".pst"} 
 }
 else
 {
  Copy-Item $pst.fullname $location -Force -Recurse
 cd $location
 dir | where-object{$_.LastWriteTime -gt $filterlastwritetime} | rename-item -newname {$_.name+ ($today)+".pst"} 
 }

$Daysback = "-45"
$DatetoDelete = $CurrentDate.AddDays($Daysback)
Get-ChildItem $location | Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt $DatetoDelete } | Remove-Item

but i receive error

Copy-Item : Cannot bind argument to parameter ‘Path’ because it is null.
At C:\backupmail.ps1:17 char:12

  • Copy-Item <<< $pst.fullname
    C:\Users\user\goran.ljubic@dri.rs backup.pst
    C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\goran.ljubic@dri.gov.rs (1).pst
    C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\goran.ljubic@dri.gov.rs.pst
    C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\goran.ljubic@dri.rs (1).pst
    C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\goran.ljubic@dri.rs.pst
    C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\goran.ljubic@drims.rs.pst
    C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\My Outlook Data File(1).pst
    C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\podrska@dri.rs.pst
    C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\sit@dri.gov.rs.pst
    C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\sit@dri.rs (1).pst
    C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\sit@dri.rs.pst

where i made error?

thanks

6

when manually start. pst files is availabled

PS D:\backupmail> $pst.fullname
C:\Users\user\goran.ljubic@dri.rs backup.pst
C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\goran.ljubic@dri.gov.rs (1).pst
C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\goran.ljubic@dri.gov.rs.pst
C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\goran.ljubic@dri.rs (1).pst
C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\goran.ljubic@dri.rs.pst
C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\goran.ljubic@drims.rs.pst
C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\My Outlook Data File(1).pst
C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\podrska@dri.rs.pst
C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\sit@dri.gov.rs.pst
C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\sit@dri.rs (1).pst
C:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\sit@dri.rs.pst