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Client backup tape unknown


jsunderwood

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We have three Windows desktop machines, all running Windows XP Pro SP2 and NTFS. One acts as a server (though not running a server OS). The server has Retrospect Professional 7.5. The other two are workstations. The working folders on the workstations are mirrored on the server (using Techsoft Mirrorfolder) which means an exact copy is retained on the server. Every day the Server is backed up to a Seagate Travan 20/40GB external (USB) tape drive. A recycle backup is made and then normal every day until two tapes are full in which the case the process is repeated on another backup set. Three backup sets are cycled as needed. This works with no problems.

 

Retrospect Client is installed on the two workstations. Once a week a backup is made of each of these on different days. All non-temporary data apart from that in the mirror is included. On the days when one of these backups is scheduled, after the daily backup has finished and Retrospect closed, a message appears warning that the other backup tape is required.

 

I start Retrospect, open Devices, select and reject the current tape (the one for the daily Server backup) and insert the one for the workstation needed that day. Closing Retrospect and checking media it reports that the required medium is available.

 

A process external to Retrospect ensures that the workstation is running when the backup is scheduled (it can't be the BIOS since that doesn't provide for weekly events, the scheduled tasks folder on the Server initiates a WOL command).

 

Almost every time either of the scheduled job starts, Retrospect sits indefinitely "waiting for media". Opening Devices, the drive is described as "empty" or "unknown media". If I eject and reinsert the same tape, the job continues without any further problem.

 

I have tried a number of possible remedies. Cleaning should not be necessary (the drive is cleaned as recommended) but has been tried, retensioning, power cycling the drive after inserting the tape. None solve the problem consistently. The only course which seems reliable is to reboot the server machine (to which the tape drive is attached). This is impractical on a server.

 

Any suggestions for something else to try would be appreciated. This seems to be a consequence of a client backup but I can't understand what that has to do with the situation of the tape in the drive attached to the backup machine - the error occus before the client machine has been contacted.

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