Copy media mistake (user error)-how to recover?

[Monafly]

I ran a copy media script to move a backup set from one drive to a new one, but when I did, I goofed and got it into the wrong place. Not realizing this, I started backups to the new drive (and media set), but now have two sets of files (in slightly different places) when they all should be under one disk media set. How do I go about straightening this out?

 

 

 

I have attached a screen shot showing the file structure. The LabDataB2 set with "today's" modification date is where the copy media SHOULD have put things, but as you can see the LabDataB2 set (dated Jul) is buried somewhat deeper in the file structure.

 

 

 

Can I just rerun the copy media script pointing to the proper place and then delete the 'buried' files?

 

 

Thanks.

RS file structure.tiff

[twickland]

Please supply a bit more information.

 

It's not completely clear exactly what you did. It appears likely that you were attempting to copy from some other media set on a different hard drive volume to media set LabDataB2; is that correct? If so, does the 543 GB in the lowest-level Retrospect, LabDataB2 and 1-LabDataB2 folders accurately reflect what was in the source media set, plus what was recently backed up to LabDataB2? (That would confirm that the "buried" version of media set LabDataB2 is what Retrospect considers the proper version.)

 

Do you want to save the recently backed up data to LabDataB2?

 

Also, the top level Retrospect folder displays as containing 1.55 TB while the top level LabDataB2 folder shows only 1.38 TB. Is there another media set in the top level Retrospect folder? If not, what are those extra files?

[Monafly]

First statement is correct- I was attempting to copy a media set (LabDataB2) from HD A (where is still exists if that helps) to a newly created media set (of the same name) LabDataB2 on HD B. Instead of adding it to (appending) the set on HD B, it copied into the buried folder. I wanted (expected) it to be combined with what had originally been in LabDataB2 on HD B.

 

 

RS thinks that the upper level LabDataB2 is the active one (currently backing up to it), but I still want data that is in the buried set to be part of what should be just a single LabDataB2 media set.

 

I had run out of space on HD A so was trying to transfer the media set that was on it to a new HD B with enough space for it live and grow.

 

There is other RS data in the folder, hence the size difference.

[twickland]

It's not a good idea to create a second media set with the same name as an existing media set. To do that, you must have stored those media sets' catalogs in different locations. Even so, I'm surprised that Retrospect was able to copy data from one same-named set to the other (though I must say I haven't ever tried that). 

 

The normal procedure to use when you need a new media set but want to continue to use your existing script(s) is to run a backup script with the media action set to create a new media set. In your case, performing such a new media backup would have created the media set LabDataB2 [001], after which all of the scheduled events in all of your scripts that pointed to LabDataB2 would automatically begin pointing to LabDataB2 [001]. To get to where I think you want to end up, this is still the way I would go.

 

I would actually write a new script with a single small source, backing up to LabDataB2 with the media action set to "start new Media Set." After that script ran, you would then perform a copy media set from LabDataB2 to LabDataB2 [001], which would take care of everything in the  most-recently active set LabDataB2.

 

You would then need to deal with the data in the buried media set. The way to do that would be to remove LabDataB2 from the media sets list, and then click on "Locate" and navigate to the location where the catalog for the buried LabDataB2 is stored. If that catalog is unavailable, you would need to re-create it from the media. Once you've found the catalog for this data, you would run your copy media set script again, copying from buried LabDataB2 to LabDataB2 [001].

[Monafly]

Thanks Twickland. Your suggestion solved my problem.

 

 

Having need to do this again, I realize how I got into this pickle in the first place and I think it's an interface/quirk of RS that ought to be fixed.

 

 

I used the Copy button (icon) from the upper left to move the media set files (that ended up in the buried folder) rather than the same Copy button in the sort of middle menu bar when Media Sets are selected. The former just moves files, the later properly moves a media set.

 

 

The interface fix would be to add a third choice to the Copy button (not just exact copy or files and folders) in the upper left to allow a Copy Media Set to be selected there.

 

Thanks.