Unable to see Backup Set on external disk

[SSI89]

Hello,

 

I've created a backup set with a 500 GB external hard drive (Apple Time Capsule) set as the destination. My source is a hard disk in windows. I run an immediate backup and everything appears to be going fine except that when I look on the hard disk, I can't see the backup set I've made.

 

At first it appeared to be a file system incompatibility (backing up NTFS disk onto apple HTF disk), but then I tried to back up a MacMini disk. The storage capacity on the external disk drops and I still can't see the backup set.

 

I've tried to access the backup set from OS X 10.5 and OS X Server 10.3.

 

Any thoughts?

[CallMeDave]

I've created a backup set with a 500 GB external hard drive (Apple Time Capsule) set as the destination.

 

A hard drive is not a Destination in Retrospect. A Destination is a Backup Set.

 

There are multiple Types of Backup Sets; what Type of Backup Set are you using here?

[SSI89]

Backup set type is "File"

 

[CallMeDave]

When you create a File Backup Set, Retrospect uses the same file navigation window that all other programs use, allowing you to save the Backup Set files wherever you want.

 

Once a Backup Set exists, you can view it's location by visiting

Configure->Backup Sets->YourBackupSet->Configure...

and look at the Summary tab, next to "Catalog:"

 

Sadly, this information is provide in the old "Classic" Mac OS style, starting with the name of the hard drive and using colons ":" instead of forward slashes used in OS X paths.

 

I'd guess that you're just looking in the wrong place on your Time Capsule remote volume.

 

 

Dave

[SSI89]

Okay, I see:

 

Catalog: Time Capsule: Backup Set T.cat

 

8 sessions, 7 snapshots

 

64.xx GB

 

-

 

Retrospect seems to be behaving properly and the hard disk shows that 150 GB are already allocated for storage. I don't see the backup set. My knowledge of retrospect is very basic, it's possible that something has been misconfigured or is no longer applicable to our current network. The last successful backups were performed last year. All the pieces are there, but I'm not sure they're in the right places. The old files are visible on the xserve and client machines, but not the Backup Set T file.

 

Is there any additional information that would help to diagnose this?

[CallMeDave]

I don't see the backup set. My knowledge of retrospect is very basic...

 

In this regard, Retrospect is as basic a program as Text Edit or Preview. You make a document, give it a name, and select the location where it will be saved.

 

- How is your Macintosh seeing the Time Capsule device? Are you connected via USB? Wireless? Ethernet?

 

If "Backup Set T.cat" is on the root level of the volume "Time Capsule" and you can't see it with the Finder, then it's not something that Retrospect has done wrong.

 

I think the first thing is to look for the files ("Backup Set T.cat" and "Backup Set T") using something _other_ then the Finder. Try this:

 

- Launch Text Edit

- Select "Open" from the File menu (or press Command+O)

- Navigate to your Time Capsule volume

- Do you see "Backup Set T.cat" and "Backup Set T" in the list of files?

 

 

Dave

[SSI89]

 

- How is your Macintosh seeing the Time Capsule device? Are you connected via USB? Wireless? Ethernet?

 

Dave

 

The Time Capsule is connected to the network via ethernet.

 

 

If "Backup Set T.cat" is on the root level of the volume "Time Capsule" and you can't see it with the Finder, then it's not something that Retrospect has done wrong.

 

I think the first thing is to look for the files ("Backup Set T.cat" and "Backup Set T") using something _other_ then the Finder. Try this:

 

- Launch Text Edit

- Select "Open" from the File menu (or press Command+O)

- Navigate to your Time Capsule volume

- Do you see "Backup Set T.cat" and "Backup Set T" in the list of files?

 

Dave

 

Unfortunately no, I don't. I see the same three files that have always been there. There is a backup file called "Sparse Disk Image Bundle", it's a backup that is local to this machine. This file is generated by the Time Machine backup utility. Is it possible that these softwares are in a conflict for system resources?

 

I am going to try creating another backup set in a different location on the disk.

 

-

 

I am able to write to the xserve but I can't create backup sets on another mac machine without getting this:

 

Error -5000 (server: no privileges)

 

I've tried changing the premissions on the folder I was trying to write to but it was ineffective.

 

I do not get this error when I try to write to the Time Capsule but it is just an external disk, maybe I need to reconfigure something.

[CallMeDave]

- How is your Macintosh seeing the Time Capsule device? Are you connected via USB? Wireless? Ethernet?

 

The Time Capsule is connected to the network via ethernet.

Although your reply is not directly responsive to my question, it does make clear that the Time Capsule is acting as a remote, shared volume and not a directly attached external hard drive.

 

Since you don't see the File Backup Set files in the Finder, and you don't see them using a standard Coco GetFile dialog box, the next step I'd do is use Terminal to view the contents of the volume. One way to do this is:

 

- Launch Terminal

- Type:

cd

- Drag and drop the Time Capsule volume from the Desktop right into the Terminal window; you should see the text:

/Volumes/Time\ Capsule/

entered for you.

- Press

- Type:

ls -la

 

What do you see in that list?

 

Is it possible that these softwares are in a conflict for system resources?

 

I have limited experience with a Time Capsule. The time I saw on in action, I noted that when selecting "Backup Now" from the Time Machine window, the Time Capsule volume mounted itself on the Desktop; I wasn't there for the completion of the backup, so I don't know if the volume then unmounts itself afterwards. I also have no experience with how Time Capsule can be configured for shares, if Time Machine needs a special share point, etc. But assuming that the Time Capsule hardware can be used as a general purpose NAS (Network Attached Storage) device, then it should be able to house a File Backup Set for use with Retrospect (assuming unix permissions are acceptable).

 

I am able to write to the xserve but I can't create backup sets on another mac machine without getting this:

 

Error -5000 (server: no privileges)

 

I've tried changing the premissions on the folder I was trying to write to but it was ineffective.

This is expected behavior when having Retrospect save to a sub directory of a shared volume. It is addressed in the ReadMe that is installed with Retrospect. It's also the longest running single-subject issue addressed here on the forum, since about 2001. Search for the -5000 error, or search for "mounted afp volume" and you'll see the answer given in the past.

[SSI89]

http://list.dantz.com/pipermail/retro-talk/2004-April/006868.html

 

I wonder if this page has any relation to the problem.

[SSI89]

Although your reply is not directly responsive to my question, it does make clear that the Time Capsule is acting as a remote, shared volume and not a directly attached external hard drive.

 

My mistake, yes, you're right. Time Capsule has been named Apple Express 500 GB Backup and is sitting in the "SHARED" section of the finder window.

 

I have terminal open but am unable to drop the Time Capsule shared volume into terminal or my desktop from the finder window, it is sitting in finder but not on my desktop. Here is my terminal output:

 

[color:blue]administrators-mac-mini:Volumes Admin$ cd /Volumes/Apple\ Express\ 500\ GB\ Backup/

-bash: cd: /Volumes/Apple Express 500 GB Backup/: No such file or directory

administrators-mac-mini:Volumes Admin$ sudo cd /Volumes/Apple\ Express\ 500\ GB\ Backup/

 

WARNING: Improper use of the sudo command could lead to data loss

or the deletion of important system files. Please double-check your

typing when using sudo. Type "man sudo" for more information.

 

To proceed, enter your password, or type Ctrl-C to abort.

 

Password:

/usr/bin/cd: line 4: cd: /Volumes/Apple Express 500 GB Backup/: No such file or directory

administrators-mac-mini:Volumes Admin$

[/color]

 

Perhaps I am using the wrong volume name?

[CallMeDave]

Perhaps I am using the wrong volume name?

 

I wouldn't know.

 

But Retrospect believes that the File Backup Set resides on a Mac OS volume with the name "Time Capsule"

 

If you're not looking in that volume, it's not surprising that you don't see the files!

 

 

I ... am unable to drop the Time Capsule shared volume into terminal or my desktop from the finder window, it is sitting in finder but not on my desktop.

 

Well, the presence of remote volumes on the Desktop is generally handled by the "Show connected servers" preference setting in the General tab of the Finder's preferences window. But perhaps there's something special about Time Capsule shared volumes; it's beginning to look that way, and I don't have the first hand experience to know exactly what's gong on in your setting.

 

You look to be comfortable in the bash shell, so I'd ask what you see when you just type:

cd /Volumes/

 

That will give you the name of all the mounted volumes that any program, such as Retrospect, would be able to access.

 

Perhaps the GUI software that ships with Time Capsule might be the cause/solution to whatever is going on.

 

 

Dave

[CallMeDave]

I wonder if this page has any relation to the problem.

 

It's not a "page," it's an email message that I wrote to the RetroTALK mailing list four and a half years ago. It's not anything official from Dantz/EMC, and it's relevance and accuracy may have changed with the passage of time, the release of new products, and updates to software.

 

But it does explain the issue that you are probably seeing.

[SSI89]

Hey Dave,

 

I appreciate your patience with this:

 

[color:blue]administrators-mac-mini:Time Capsule Admin$ ls -la

total 56

drwx------ 18 Admin staff 568 Nov 20 08:54 .

drwxrwxrwt@ 8 root admin 272 Nov 20 08:47 ..

-rwxrwxrwx 1 Admin staff 16 Oct 24 11:34 .0016cba7dcdd

-rwxrwxrwx@ 1 Admin staff 6148 Nov 20 15:37 .DS_Store

drwxrwxrwx@ 3 Admin staff 264 Oct 27 14:49 .TemporaryItems

-rwxrwxrwx@ 1 Admin staff 0 Oct 24 10:50 .com.apple.timemachine.supported

drwxrwxrwx@ 6 Admin staff 264 Oct 28 18:08 Administrator’s Mac mini_0016cba7dcdd.sparsebundle

drwxrwxrwx 6 Admin staff 264 Nov 20 08:55 Kenyon's Folder

drwxrwxrwx 6 Admin staff 264 Nov 20 08:55 Kenyon's Folder

drwxrwxrwx 6 Admin staff 264 Nov 20 08:55 Kenyon's Folder

drwxrwxrwx 6 Admin staff 264 Nov 20 08:55 Kenyon's Folder

drwxrwxrwx 4 Admin staff 264 Oct 24 11:18 Tim's Folder

drwxrwxrwx 4 Admin staff 264 Oct 24 11:18 Tim's Folder

drwxrwxrwx 4 Admin staff 264 Oct 24 11:18 Tim's Folder

drwxrwxrwx 4 Admin staff 264 Oct 24 11:18 Tim's Folder

administrators-mac-mini:Time Capsule Admin$

[/color]

 

I was mistaken about the name, it is Time Capsule.

[CallMeDave]

What we know:

 

- Retrospect has a File Backup Set in its database that it identifies as being saved on the root level of a volume named "Time Capsule."

 

- There is a remote share point named "Time Capsule" but the expected files are not present on its root level.

 

(sadly, Retrospect does not have a "Reveal in Finder" command, the way pretty much EVERY OTHER MACINTOSH APPLICATION would, but oh well, I only started asking 'em for that around 1999)

 

If we are to rule out user error, then what's left is the conclusion that the volume "Time Capsule" that Retrospect is identifying in its Backup Set configuration window is a _different_ volume then the one with 56 items that is listed by the terminal output above.

 

What do you see in Configure->Volumes? Are there two entries for Time Capsule in the Volumes Database window?

 

Dave

[SSI89]

Amazing...

 

Like magic I can see the backup sets in the Time Capsule.

 

In the Configure -> Volumes dialog I clicked browse and it generated a -127 (corrupt volume?) error in the log window; however, I can see the backup set files. All of them, even the ones I told retrospect to forget.

 

All I did was define a sub volume (Kenyon's Folder) and browse the Time Capsule volume. Everything that was in the Time Capsule volume and Kenyon's Folder is visible within Finder.

 

 

I did not reboot either machine or shut down and relaunch retrospect client/server. Define the sub volume and browse the main volume, was this something simple I overlooked?

 

---

 

Now that we've jumped through all these hoops, is there any way I can verify the integrity of the data?

[CallMeDave]

Like magic I can see the backup sets in the Time Capsule.

 

OK, but this doesn't answer the most recent question asked, of what do you see in the Volumes Database window.

- Where can you see the Backup Sets?

 

In the Configure -> Volumes dialog I clicked browse and it generated a -127 (corrupt volume?) error in the log window; however, I can see the backup set files. All of them, even the ones I told retrospect to forget.

 

No, you don't get a Browse button until you do an additional step to what you have provided above. And since you haven't described what's in your Volumes Database window, the reader is forced to guess or assume what steps you might have taken.

 

So I'll guess that there is an entry in the Volumes Database window for a volume named "Time Capsule" in the Local Desktop container, and that the item was black and not grey (signifying that it was already mounted on your Macintosh), and that you clicked on it once before pressing the "Browse" button, at which point the log generated the -127 error. But I'd sure like to know if that's _exactly_ what you did.

 

So now you're looking in the Retrospect "Browse" window, where you see the Backup Set files?

 

All I did was define a sub volume (Kenyon's Folder) and browse the Time Capsule volume.

 

OK, that's different then the guess I made above. You defined a subvolume before you clicked on Browse?

 

Everything that was in the Time Capsule volume and Kenyon's Folder is visible within Finder.

 

So now items that you previously were unable to see in the root level of the Time Capsule sharepoint (including Backup Set T and Backup Set T.cat) are now visible in the Finder? Items that were previously not visible even in the bash shell? And you never suggested before that Kenyon's Folder was not displaying properly in the Finder; was it? Is it showing different items now?

 

I did not reboot either machine or shut down and relaunch retrospect client/server. Define the sub volume and browse the main volume, was this something simple I overlooked?

 

Retrospect has no control over what you see in the Terminal or the Finder. I think that there is something that you are leaving out in what you have reported seeing/doing. Sorry, but I'm suspicious by nature.

 

 

Dave

[SSI89]

 

Local Desktop > Time Capsule > Kenyon's Folder

 

The Time capsule icon is a disk in a cube, I suppose that denotes a remote volume?

 

-

 

Yes, I highlighted the Time Capsule volume before clicking the browse button. Before doing that all three buttons were grey.

 

-

 

No, I'm pretty sure I highlighted the volume and clicked on browse before defining a subvolume.

 

-

 

After browsing the volume and defining/browsing the sub volume, all my backup sets appeared. Kenyon's folder, like Time Capsule root level was not displaying the backup sets configured on the xserve until browsing/defining the subvolume. The items are visible in shell now, they were not visible before.

 

-

 

:tongue2: I'm not pretending to be skilled with any of this, it's very possible that I may have inadvertently tweaked a setting that made Retrospect/Mac OS X/Finder unhappy. I am not trying to work against you, but I would like to check this backup set so that I can confidently say that this backup set has what we need to restore our data in the event of a fire, burglary, etc.

 

Retrospect has been set to run an immediate backup, I'll check the log in a bit.

[CallMeDave]

I'm not pretending to be skilled with any of this

 

Most users who post questions on a Forum such as this are less skilled in some area or another that leads them here; that's expected.

 

But what's necessary for actual solutions to emerge out of the ether of the internet is clear, concise communications. Readers know only as much as they read, and filling in the missing parts generally results in wild goose chases and red herrings (hmmm; delicious at Thanksgiving!).

 

Kenyon's folder, like Time Capsule root level was not displaying the backup sets configured on the xserve until browsing/defining the subvolume

 

What XServe? What does this mean? You said nothing previously about anything missing other then the Backup Sets on the root level of the Time Capsule sharepoint. Missing information makes my brain hurt!

 

Up-thread, your Terminal output suggests that you are currently working on a mac mini (administrators-mac-mini). Now you imply that you had originally created the Backup Sets using a different computer. What's up with that?

 

Retrospect does not have any settings or methods to create a File Backup Set that is invisible to the shell. And simply browsing a volume or defining a folder as a Subvolume does not make any changes to the file structure that would result in magical appearance of previously unseen files.

 

I continue to be unclear as to your exact circumstances and steps (never did answer the question of what is seen with a simple "ls -la /Volumes/" command). But getting a "corrupt volume" error in Retrospect would give me pause about the validity of files on that volume; I've never seen such an error, but if I did I would be worried about it.

 

Dave

[SSI89]

The Administrator's MacMini is a client machine, the server machine is the xServe (Apple). Retrospect server software is running on the xServe.

 

-

 

I was not able to see the backup set files on either the xServe or the Admin MM, should I have opted to run Terminal on the xServe?

 

- s

 

administrators-mac-mini:~ Admin$ ls -la /Volumes/

total 14

drwxrwxrwt@ 9 root admin 306 Nov 25 08:49 .

drwxrwxr-t 35 root admin 1258 Nov 21 15:08 ..

drwxr-xr-x 7 Admin staff 272 Oct 30 17:06 FaxPack Demo

lrwxr-xr-x 1 root admin 1 Nov 18 11:46 Leopard-B_17GB -> /

drwxr-xr-x 11 Admin 501 442 Jl 28 16:06 Mac OS X Install DVD

drwxrwxr-t 35 root admin 1258 Nov 18 11:36 Macintosh HD

drwx------ 16 Admin staff 500 Nov 21 13:10 Time Capsule

drwx------ 1 Admin staff 2048 Nov 25 08:46 haratine

drwxr-xr-x 6 Admin staff 1024 Nov 21 15:07 mysql-5.0.67-osx10.5-x86

 

__________________________________________________

 

Retrospect has worked without a hitch over the weekend until yesterday at 3:47 AM While backing up to the Time Capsule Device...

 

 

- 11/24/2008 3:47:39 AM: Copying G5 HD on G5 machine…

Can't read file “.hotfiles.btreeâ€, error -40 (file positioning error), path: “G5 HD/.hotfiles.btreeâ€.

Trouble writing: “Backup Set T†(437288448), error 206 (drive reported a failure: dirty heads, bad media, etc.).

Can't create session, error -51 (file not open).

11/25/2008 8:59:58 AM: Execution incomplete.

Remaining: 7 files, 8.0 GB

Completed: 65 files, 3.2 GB, with 58% compression

Performance: 1.8 MB/minute

Duration: 29:12:19 (00:26:24 idle/loading/preparing)

 

Internal consistency check failed:

Assertion check at "file.c-107"

11/25/2008 9:00:56 AM: Execution incomplete.

Total duration: 29:12:19 (00:26:24 idle/loading/preparing)

Quit at 11/25/2008 9:00 AM

 

 

∆ Retrospect version 6.1.126

automatically launched at 11/25/2008 9:01 AM

 

+ Executing Immediate Backup at 11/25/2008 11:01 AM

To backup set Backup Set T…

 

- 11/25/2008 11:01:39 AM: Copying Accounting on Accounting…

11/25/2008 11:01:39 AM: Connected to Accounting

Catalog out of sync with backup set “Backup Set Tâ€.

Select Tools>Repair>Update Existing from the Directory.

11/25/2008 11:06:01 AM: Execution incomplete.

Remaining: 309 files, 363.6 MB

Completed: 0 files, zero KB

Performance: 0.0 MB/minute

Duration: 00:04:22 (00:01:16 idle/loading/preparing)

 

+ Executing Recatalog at 11/25/2008 11:06 AM

To backup set Backup Set T…

11/25/2008 11:10:18 AM: Execution completed successfully.

Completed: 65 files, 1.4 GB

Performance: 331.4 MB/minute

Duration: 00:04:02

 

+ Executing Immediate Backup at 11/25/2008 11:18 AM

To backup set Backup Set T…

 

- 11/25/2008 11:18:43 AM: Copying Accounting on Accounting…

11/25/2008 11:18:43 AM: Connected to Accounting

11/25/2008 11:21:36 AM: Execution completed successfully.

Completed: 309 files, 363.8 MB, with 26% compression

Performance: 149.4 MB/minute

Duration: 00:02:53 (00:00:27 idle/loading/preparing)

 

While scanning volume Time Capsule,

Folder Time Capsule/Kenyon's Folder/,

Duplicate dirid detected: 0x0000004d

Volume root Time Capsule/,

Scanning incomplete, error -127 (volume corrupt?).

 

---

 

As you can probably tell from this log, I rebuilt the catalog and to my knowledge Retrospect is functioning normally again. I don't understand the 206 error because the Time Capsule seems to be fully operational. I can read and write to it from multiple machines.

 

[CallMeDave]

Duplicate dirid detected: 0x0000004d

 

When Retrospect reports a duplicate dirid (Directory ID), it's because there is a duplicate directory ID on the volume. A duplicate directory ID is a sign of a corrupted volume, as such duplications are illegal on a unix file system.

 

Caveat; it's possible that Time Machine/Time Capsule volumes _do_ have/allow duplicate dirids, as part of their magical hard linking of directories; my knowledge is old and out of date in regards to Time Machine host volumes (Anybody? Bueller? Bueller?).

 

If this were a normal (ie; not Time Machine) volume, I'd say without doubt that it's corrupted.

In any case, you should run, not walk, to Disk Utility, and verify the integrity of your Time Capsule volume(s). Put Retrospect down for now; this might be a bigger issue.