What's up with the yellow triangle?

[Don Lee]

This log except is copying a media set from disk (file) to tape (DAT-72)

 

+ Executing copy_set MGN at 1/29/13 (Activity Thread 1)

To Backup Set MGN-mini2-2012t...

- 1/29/13 5:17:48 PM: Transferring from v9-MGN-Mini2

1/29/13 6:18:00 PM: Execution completed successfully

Completed: 142032 files, 10.3 GB

Performance: 180.7 MB/minute

Duration: 01:00:12 (00:02:00 idle/loading/preparing)

 

- 1/29/13 6:18:00 PM: Verifying MGN-mini2-2012t

1/29/13 7:14:45 PM: Execution completed successfully

Remaining: 2 files, 24.3 MB

Completed: 142030 files, 10.3 GB

Performance: 188.5 MB/minute

Duration: 00:56:44 (00:00:57 idle/loading/preparing)

In the activity pane in the console, it comes up with a yellow triangle. There is some error.

 

I see no errors in the log, and there is no additional information available. What's up?

 

The only thing I see is the "remaining: 2 files, 24.3 MB". What are those two files? With most errors it at least names them.

 

What's up with this?

[Don Lee]

I want to refresh this post.  I still see this happening with 10.2.0 (221).  It's not a major problem, but I frequently see "mediaset copy" operations "succeed", but with the yellow trangle, and some number of files "remaining".

 

It is not confidence building to see the "missing files" count, with no indication of what the files were.

 

I believe that this "error" should either be beefed up with more detail if the errors are important, or suppressed as truly unimportant.  The combination of the yelow triangle with no detail on what was missed is not helpful.

 

Two example logs below:

 

==================================== LOG 1 start ======================================

 

+ Executing MGN_apr-tape at 9/20/13 (Activity Thread 2)
To Backup Set MGN_mini_apr_2013t...
- 9/20/13 11:57:47 AM: Transferring from MGN_mini_apr_2013
9/20/13 1:08:07 PM: Execution completed successfully
Completed: 183291 files, 11.1 GB
Performance: 170 MB/minute
Duration: 01:10:20 (00:03:13 idle/loading/preparing)

- 9/20/13 1:08:07 PM: Verifying MGN_mini_apr_2013t
9/20/13 2:09:08 PM: Execution completed successfully
Remaining: 2 files, 34.1 MB
Completed: 183289 files, 11.1 GB
Performance: 190.1 MB/minute
Duration: 01:01:01 (00:01:01 idle/loading/preparing)

 

 

 

==================================== LOG 1 end ======================================

 

 

==================================== LOG 2 start ======================================

+ Executing copy vm3-2013 at 9/20/13 (Activity Thread 1)
To Backup Set v9_vm3_2013...
- 9/20/13 11:50:14 AM: Transferring from v9_vm3_last
Local Disk (C:) (1/7/13) on Client "vm3"
9/20/13 12:06:00 PM: Execution completed successfully
Completed: 210398 files, 39.7 GB
Performance: 2,583.2 MB/minute
Duration: 00:15:44

Local Disk (C:) (2/4/13) on Client "vm3"
9/20/13 12:08:25 PM: Execution completed successfully
Completed: 3347 files, 2.9 GB
Performance: 1,231.3 MB/minute
Duration: 00:02:24

Local Disk (C:) (6/3/13) on Client "vm3"
9/20/13 12:11:37 PM: Execution completed successfully
Completed: 11397 files, 4.1 GB
Performance: 1,312 MB/minute
Duration: 00:03:09

Local Disk (C:) (3/4/13) on Client "vm3"
9/20/13 12:13:12 PM: Execution completed successfully
Completed: 491 files, 884.8 MB
Performance: 558.8 MB/minute
Duration: 00:01:34

Local Disk (C:) (9/3/13) on Client "vm3"
9/20/13 12:15:31 PM: Execution completed successfully
Completed: 2452 files, 2.7 GB
Performance: 1,186.7 MB/minute
Duration: 00:02:17

Local Disk (C:) (4/1/13) on Client "vm3"
9/20/13 12:17:08 PM: Execution completed successfully
Completed: 307 files, 961.1 MB
Performance: 600.6 MB/minute
Duration: 00:01:35

Local Disk (C:) (4/29/13) on Client "vm3"
9/20/13 12:18:39 PM: Execution completed successfully
Completed: 27 files, 342.2 MB
Performance: 228.1 MB/minute
Duration: 00:01:29

Local Disk (C:) (7/1/13) on Client "vm3"
9/20/13 12:20:04 PM: Execution completed successfully
Completed: 36 files, 349.5 MB
Performance: 246.7 MB/minute
Duration: 00:01:24

Local Disk (C:) (8/6/13) on Client "vm3"
9/20/13 12:21:28 PM: Execution completed successfully
Completed: 19 files, 352.4 MB
Performance: 251.6 MB/minute
Duration: 00:01:23

- 9/20/13 12:21:28 PM: Verifying v9_vm3_2013
9/20/13 12:28:17 PM: Execution completed successfully
Remaining: 160 files, 0 B
Completed: 228314 files, 52.1 GB
Performance: 7,848.1 MB/minute
Duration: 00:06:48

9/20/13 12:28:20 PM: Execution completed successfully
Total duration: 00:38:02

 

==================================== LOG 2 end ======================================

[Daniels]

The two files are files that were modified between the time they were backed up and the time they were verified.  As long as the backup completes successfully you should not be concerned with the verification missing a few files.  The yellow triangle is used as a warning indicator when there are no errors.  A red circle with an "x" is shown when there are actual errors in either backup or verification process.

[Don Lee]

Nice theory, but the source media set was idle during this entire process.  It didn't change.

[Daniels]

To do any kind of copy the source files and folders must be read so the access date of each source item is changed.  The two files that failed verification are probably the hidden .ds_store files for the containing folders for the backup set.

[etracer]

Still nice throery but not the answer.  I get the "yellow triangles" all the time on backups that don't even have verification enabled.

[Don Lee]

These operations are copies from one media set to another.  The source media set is static and unchanging.  There is no reason to access or scan the original files on the computer that was backed up.  These copy operations should come through completely without error.

 

They don't.  They report "missing files", and don't tell me what the files are, or what's wrong with them.  I think that's sub-marvelous.

[Daniels]

I agree that the missed files should be listed as well as why they were missed.  However based on the logs it does appear that the copying is successful and it is just the verification process that is throwing the warning.  Does the yellow triangle disappear if you turn off verification?

[etracer]

Does the yellow triangle disappear if you turn off verification?

 

As I mentioned in an earlier reply to this topic...

 

I see the yellow triangles and the log message "Remaining: X files; Y KB" (the X and Y values vary, but it's usually only 1-2 files) frequently while running normal backup scripts with no verification.

[twickland]

I see the yellow triangles and the log message "Remaining: X files; Y KB" (the X and Y values vary, but it's usually only 1-2 files) frequently while running normal backup scripts with no verification.

That's interesting. In our case, if any files are missed during the backup phase, we see a red "X." Yellow triangles appear only for files that failed to compare or were missed in the compare phase, or if the backup itself was interrupted.

[Don Lee]

To be clear - verification failures on files that are changing on a live machine can and should be flagged with a warning, and are probably not of concern.

 

My situation is quite different.  The operation is not on a live machine.  It is a copy of one media set to another.  Neither media set is otherwise "in use" and nothing is changing.  ANY errors are of concern.  It is as if you did a copy of a file, and the OS said "I missed some bits, but it's OK".

 

I'm funny about my data.  I want it to be **correct**.  Nothing less will do.  When an operation drops bits, I want to know why, and which bits are missing.

[Daniels]

That's interesting. In our case, if any files are missed during the backup phase, we see a red "X." Yellow triangles appear only for files that failed to compare or were missed in the compare phase, or if the backup itself was interrupted.

 

That is the same situation that happens to me and when I get the red x it tells me what files were missed.  There is one other case where the yellow triangle might appear which is if files are created between the time Retrospect scans the backup source and actually copies the files.  Since the new files never got scanned Retrospect sees them but does not know to back them up thus giving the warning.