What is this: „Media Set format inconsistency“?

[mac.ron]

Hi again!

 

I have an initial backup (with more than 400 Gigs of data) which I try to get on DAT 160 tapes. The backup first runs fine, but after some tapes are written, I get these errors in the log during tape verification:

 

> !Media Set format inconsistency (4 at 274270816)

> !Generated MD5 digest for file "/Volumes/core_data/Shares/media file/Kundendaten/NK> Nikon GmbH/Archiv/6.B7X1 Nikon GmbH photokina 2006/Product Presentation/Pictures/Nikon Capture NX/D2Xs NX/" does not match stored MD5 digest.

> !Media Set format inconsistency (5 at 274270818)

> !Media Set format inconsistency (4 at 274373216)

> !Media Set format inconsistency (4 at 274475616)

> !Media Set format inconsistency (4 at 274578016)

> !Media Set format inconsistency (4 at 274680416)

> !Media Set format inconsistency (4 at 274782816)

> !Media Set format inconsistency (4 at 274885216)

[...]

 

... and so on (there are some hundreds of similar lines following ...). After these bunches of errors I finally get this:

 

!Device trouble: "5-CS Bandsicherung", error -212 ( media erased)

 

The named object („Generated MD5 digest for file ...“) in this case is a folder with four files in it, all of them read fine when opened from the source. So what do these errors mean? Which files are affected? Is it recoverable?

 

We are using Retro 8 Multi Server (Engine 8.1.626.1) on a Mac OS X Server 10.6.2 machine. The source backed up is attached locally via FW800, the tape drives are connected locally via USB. No Retro clients, nothing special.

 

This error is reproducable since we tried to save this large initial backup several times now (more than 10 times changing tapes and even drives!). So it does not seem to be hardware related. The error comes randomly, so it won't occur when verifying the same files or on the same tape. Sometimes it comes when verifying tape 2, now we nearly made it through to tape 5 (only 15 Gigs left ...).

 

Ah, what we're using is AES-128 encryption on the Media Set. But not encrypting our data is no option. Normally, the source data could be changed during backup, but this time we paid attention that no file is changed while the initial backup was running.

 

Can anybody help, please?!

 

Best regards,

Ron.

[CallMeDave]

it does not seem to be hardware related

 

Perhaps you could provide a detailed list of the hardware you've used?

 

 

Dave

[mac.ron]

Hi Dave!

 

Here you go:

- Mac mini Server (2x 500 GByte mirrored HDD) with system, Retro Engine and catalog stored on them. Running MOSX Server 10.6.2

- attached is a Drobo Pro with current firmware 1.1.5 via FireWire 800 (6x 1 TByte HDD to be precise); Here are some favorite folders (marked with tags) which we want to back up.

- attached is an external HP DAT 160 USB (HP article Q1580A) on which we made the initial backup

- also attached is an external HP DAT 72 USB (HP item DW027A) which is switched off so it cannot interfere

 

We also tested with another Q1580A. We do use new and original HP DAT 160 tapes.

 

The backup I mentioned yesterday ended now stating (beginning with the last entry quoted):

 

!Device trouble: "5-CS Bandsicherung", error -212 ( media erased)

!/&OK//&Stop///!Device trouble: "5-CS Bandsicherung", error -212 ( media erased)

- 3/17/2010 11:50:00 PM: Copying media file

3/18/2010 12:50:15 AM: Snapshot stored, 21.0 MB

3/18/2010 12:50:25 AM: 682 execution errors

Completed: 56857 files, 214.9 GB

Performance: 277.4 MB/minute

Duration: 21:16:41 (08:03:35 idle/loading/preparing)

 

- 3/18/2010 12:50:25 AM: Verifying CS Bandsicherung

3/18/2010 1:42:07 AM: Execution completed successfully

Remaining: 973 files, 8.7 GB

Completed: 34548 files, 137.1 GB

Performance: 207.2 MB/minute

Duration: 11:18:21 (00:01:01 idle/loading/preparing)

 

3/18/2010 1:42:07 AM: 682 execution errors

Total duration: 1 08:46:42 (08:14:15 idle/loading/preparing)

 

I will now try to save the remaining 8.7 GBytes with the next run.

 

Attached, you will also find two screenshots of the basic Media Set parameters.

 

Cheers,

Ron.

[mac.ron]

Hello again!

 

Unfortunately, this thread was never answered again and I would have liked to get this solved, so I will try to bring this thread to front again ...

 

Some days ago (new Retrospect version, new luck ...?!) I tried to do the same backup again from scratch: New backup set created with Retrospect 8.2 using brand new tapes, backing up the same data (which of course grew a bit in the meantime ...).

 

The used hardware is the same described in my earlier post (HP DAT 160 USB, which is directly connected to the 10.6.4 Server and which is certified to run with Retrospect). During verification of two tapes (of nine in total) about 120 "Media set format inconsistency" errors were logged.

 

In both cases, before the "Media set format incosistencies" are logged, there is a "Generated MD5 digest for file "..." does not match stored MD5 digest" logged. And at the end of the verification of that respective tape, in both cases I've got an additional "Device trouble: "...", error -212 (media erased)" error. Which actually does not make me feel calm ...

 

So what I would really like to know: What exactly do the masses of errors and the very "alarming" resumee "media erased" in the backup log in consequence mean? Are only two files not backed up correctly, but all other files could be recovered without problems? Is the rest of the backup on the two tapes affected only? Or do I risk all the data on the backup to be unrecoverable when I continue to use this backup set???

 

I am sorry to bother, but this backup should be an insurance and the error messages really do not make it easy to trust in it!

 

Thanks again,

Ron.

 

PS: Updated hardware info:

- Mac mini Server (2x 500 GByte mirrored HDD) with system, Retro Engine and catalog stored on them. Running MOSX Server 10.6.4

- attached is a Drobo Pro with current firmware 1.1.5 via FireWire 800 (6x 2 TByte HDDs); Here are some favorite folders (marked with tags) which we want to back up.

- attached is an external HP DAT 160 USB (HP article Q1580A) which is certified to work with Retrospect under Mac OS X

 

PPS: And an excerpt of the log (the other file looks similar; the file name is removed, but both files were not touched during the backup!):

> !Backup-Set-Format ist inkonsistent (4 bei 416592704)

> *Die für die Datei "/Volumes/core_data/xxxxx/yyyyy/.../" generierte MD5-Prüfsumme stimmt nicht mit der gespeicherten überein.

> !Backup-Set-Format ist inkonsistent (5 bei 416614893)

> !Backup-Set-Format ist inkonsistent (4 bei 417641280)

> !Backup-Set-Format ist inkonsistent (4 bei 418689856)

> !Backup-Set-Format ist inkonsistent (4 bei 419738432)

> !Backup-Set-Format ist inkonsistent (4 bei 420787008)

> !Backup-Set-Format ist inkonsistent (4 bei 421835584)

[...]

> !Backup-Set-Format ist inkonsistent (4 bei 478458688)

> !Backup-Set-Format ist inkonsistent (4 bei 479507264)

> !Backup-Set-Format ist inkonsistent (4 bei 480555840)

> !Backup-Set-Format ist inkonsistent (4 bei 481604416)

> !Backup-Set-Format ist inkonsistent (4 bei 482652992)

> !Backup-Set-Format ist inkonsistent (4 bei 483701568)

> !Geräteprobleme: "7-CoreServices Tape", Fehler -212( Medium ist gelöscht)

[Daniels]

Were the tapes formatted correctly before you tried to use them because sometimes brand new tapes come unformatted?

If this is a brand new set of tapes I would first erase them as blank tapes or use the add members button to add them to your media set? Once this is done try running the backup again and see if you still get these errors.

The verification error of -212 sounds like that the tapes never got written to and so when Retrospect tried to verify them it found no data on them.

I would also check the drive to see if it has any errors and before starting the backup again I would clean the drive at least three (3) times with a cleaning tape just to make sure the heads are positioned correctly.