Error -3681 on SBS Standard

[legion]

I'm getting a "error -3681 Backup is already active" message whenever a scheduled job is run. The job will run clear through and get verified, but if you check the log, after it is verified, the job shows as incomplete.

 

7/8/2006 11:39:45 PM: Execution incomplete

Total duration: 00:39:12 (00:16:32 idle/loading/preparing)

 

this is just the end of the job FYI. if i run the same script manually, everything goes through fine and the job completes. looking for some help to get the error to go away and avoid any problems that may arise from this error. thanks in advance.

 

Tim

[nekr0phage]

Hi Tim,

 

If your script has a multitude of sources, a failure to backup or connect to any one of those will cause an 'incomplete' status for the script. Are there any errors for this execution?

 

I'm not familiar with error -3681, but it almost sounds like the script is double scheduled, or somehow tries to start again while it's already in progress.

[legion]

Here is a little more info from looking at my operations log.

 

The Normal Backup begins.

 

* Resolved container Exchange Server to 1 volumes:

First Storage Group

* Resolved container Exchange Mailboxes to 22 volumes:

22 mailboxes are listed here

 

It then goes and starts copying data from a D partition i have. It's getting the error when it goes to copy the First Storage Group.

 

Trouble reading files, error -3681 (Backup is already active)

 

It shows as execution incomplete. Would it be possible there is some type of conflict since i'm backing up the First storage Group and the Exchange Mailboxes?

[nekr0phage]

Tim,

 

The problem should not be that you're backing up both. Most people do backup both the storage groups and mailboxes. Perhaps if you had two scripts trying to backup the storage group at the same time as the mailboxes, I could understand this error then. Or if there was another application like NT Backup trying to get a backup of Exchange at the same time.

 

Just for reference, do you have an RBU account setup as outlined here ( http://kb.dantz.com/article.asp?article=9480&p=2 )?

[legion]

i went ahead and setup the RBU account for the backup but i'm still getting the error. It's just really annoying because i can run the job manually, and it works fine. Let the script run it, and i get the error.

 

We're not using NT backup on this machine so that isn't interferring. When you setup a scheduled script in retrospect, does that carry across all users who log onto the machine?

 

What i'm thinking is that the script was setup and scheduled as one user and then another user setup something for the same time when they were logged in. it's a long shot but i'm grasping for anything at this point.

[waltr]

hi l,

 

if you have a script that runs fine manually but get's a permission error when scheduled it usually means Retrospect is set up to run 'as the logged in user'. you not only have to set up the RBU account, you need to set Retrospect to run as that user in the preferences. look under:

 

'Configure->Preferences->Execution->Security'

 

for the preference.

[legion]

checked it and it's set to run as the right user. thanks for the help though.

[nekr0phage]

Quote:

---

 

What i'm thinking is that the script was setup and scheduled as one user and then another user setup something for the same time when they were logged in. it's a long shot but i'm grasping for anything at this point.

 

 

---

 

The scripts and schedules for Retrospect are stored in one centralized file, no matter how many different user accounts had access to Retrospect, any changes would be global and all users would see the same thing.

 

I'm wondering if Exchange is stuck in some 'in progress' status and denying Retrospect a backup. Do you get the same message if you attempt an immediate backup of the storage group? Can you backup the mailboxes?

 

Also, did you catch that bit at the end of the KB about unlicensing/relicensing Exchange in Retro so that connection authentication is correct?

[jed]

Foster asked that I combine my thread with the same issue from here

 

my original thread is also copied below.

 

The jist of my problem is the same as legion's, however I have a few differences. First, I can always backup the First Storage Group 100% successfully the first attempt. I can NEVER back it up after that first time, however, until I restart Retrospect. After a restart, I can back up the First Storage Group exactly once, but it fails on all subsequent attempts. This behavior is exactly the same whether running through a script or an immediate backup.

 

I have also attempted, on the request of Retrospect technical support, turning off the Open File Backup on this backup set. This had no effect.

 

Below is the text of my original message:

 

Quote:

---

Hi all. I've been receiving this error when trying to backup Exchange on Windows Small Business Server 2003. Some background details:

 

--OS: Small Business Server 2003, SP 1, running Exchange and Retrospect

--Retrospect Small Business Server Premium 7.5.285 running on the SBS Server, backing up to a combination of NAS on an XP Pro machine and a local tape drive.

--Retrospect runs as the local server administrator. Member of Administrators, Domain Admins. Has an active Exchange mailbox, mailbox is not hidden from the GAL.

 

I have spoken to the EMC technical support team several times about this, and we have been unable to solve it so far. I'm trying here as another option.

 

Problem: Retrospect will back up the First Storage Group exactly once. After it has successfully backed up once, I will receive the error -3681 Backup is already active. If I restart Retrospect, it will back up the First Storage Group again, exactly once before receiving the above error. All mailboxes backup successfully all the time.

 

After the last phone call to tech support I was hoping I had "solved" the problem by setting Retrospect to Exit when not active, and setting the Look Ahead Time to 1 hour. However Retrospect never shuts itself down, I am suspecting this is because Proactive backup continues to Poll as long as any Proactive Backup Script is active. (I have rescheduled to leave at least 2 hours completely free, and will see how that works tonight.) In any case, this isn't really a "fix" to the problem.

 

Can anyone suggest anything else?

 

Thanks!

 

---

[legion]

i can do an immediate backup with no problem. everything runs fine.

 

it's only when i have the script scheduled that i get the error. that's why i'm kind of confused at this point. i can run the script manually, works fine. schedule the script for 5 minutes later, and i get the error.

[AmyJ]

Quote:

---

i can do an immediate backup with no problem. everything runs fine.

 

it's only when i have the script scheduled that i get the error. that's why i'm kind of confused at this point. i can run the script manually, works fine. schedule the script for 5 minutes later, and i get the error.

 

---

 

Interesting ... When you schedule the script to run 5 minutes later do you actually quit Retrospect or leave it running? Is the behavior different if you leave it running vs quitting?

 

Is Exchange local to the backup server or a client?

Is the user you are logged into the computer as different then the user Retrospect is configured to run as?