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"Already in use" during restore


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I'm running Retrospect 10 (the last release of the series) to manage backups on my Mac. I'm trying to restore a "file" (actually a Parallels VM, which only pretends to be a single file). When I attempt to do the restore, it needs to look on multiple tapes. The problem is that it keeps insisting the tape it asked for "is already in use by another Media Set." This is REALLY frustrating because there are no other processes running other than this restore. It's as if the restore is locking itself out of its own process!

 

Here's a screen shot:

 

post-2199-0-93976900-1395364901_thumb.png

 

A backup system which is unable to restore due to an obvious bug like this is absolutely useless!

 

How do I restore this file that I desperately need without Retrospect tripping over its own feet on a smooth floor?

 

Please help me save my sanity and prevent a tape library shaped hole from appearing in my window!

 

Edited to Add: Configuration: Mac OS 10.8.5, Retrospect 10.5 (145), Mac Pro 3.33 GHz 6-Core Xeon, ATTO Tech UL5D SCSI card, Sony AIT-5 LIB-DB1 Library.

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Have you tried ejecting the tape and re-inserting it? [this may get it to work, but a long shot]

 

If you have, does the error message still appear after a short pause?

 

I'm assuming that member 4 of that media set is available in the Members list for that Media Set, and not marked as lost?

 

If the answer is yes to the last two questions, you might want to rebuild the catalogue file for this media set, as it seems the problem is with locating the file in the backup set.

Hope this helps.

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When reading tapes, I've found Retrospect to be far more reliable if it's in the library and pre-identified by Retrospect before trying to access it for reading or writing.

 

I'm now more than 48 hours into the rebuild (6 AIT-5 tapes) and Retrospect Engine is apparently eating all my RAM, to the point where I had to shut everything else down. And it's still not done.

 

After shutting everything else down (that I could):

 

post-2199-0-12303800-1396055471_thumb.png

 

About 2 hours later:

 

post-2199-0-81812500-1396055499_thumb.png

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The problem is that it keeps insisting the tape it asked for "is already in use by another Media Set." 

I've found that when Retrospect is asking for a tape member, if I simply highlight the member or even just insert the tape, Retrospect will continue merrily on its way. Then if I click on OK, I get the "already in use" message, whereas if I click on Done, the request window closes without complaint.

 

We're using a standalone LTO drive and not a library, so each tape is inserted only when needed. While this is not identical to your setup, I think the issue you're seeing is likely related, which would then explain why the operation proceeds more smoothly when all the required tape members are loaded in the library and known to Retrospect.

 

Some people might consider this a bug.

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I've found that when Retrospect is asking for a tape member, if I simply highlight the member or even just insert the tape, Retrospect will continue merrily on its way. Then if I click on OK, I get the "already in use" message, whereas if I click on Done, the request window closes without complaint.

 

We're using a standalone LTO drive and not a library, so each tape is inserted only when needed. While this is not identical to your setup, I think the issue you're seeing is likely related, which would then explain why the operation proceeds more smoothly when all the required tape members are loaded in the library and known to Retrospect.

 

Some people might consider this a bug.

 

When Retrospect is working correctly, that the tape is already loaded in the library and known to be there by Retrospect, it will load the tape into the drive and automatically continue merrily on its way. It's only when this error crops up that Retrospect stops and asks for a tape it already knows about.

 

BTW, after rebuilding the catalog, I was finally able to restore the vm -- 5 days after I needed it and had fortunately discovered a copy I had made less than a month before. I am not happy about Retrospect's lack of reliability and timeliness.

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