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Backups duplicate previous backup


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I'm using retrospect 5 on a G3 using OS 9.1. My problem is after a backup into a backup set

(I'm using DVD-RAM), and having it complete sucessfuly, a week or so later after just adding a few MB's of data to the existing files the preview tells me that I have to backup all the earler files as well (many GB's).

Has anyone experienced this or a similar problem.

 

AudioGuy

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I am experiencing the exact same problem. I have a 3.5Gig folder that was correctly backed up. Then a week later, after adding a few files to the same folder, we backed up again. Retrospect backed up the entire 3.5 Gig again, BUT we then realized that the battery in the computer had failed and the time stamp was 1956. So, we have two backups (DLT) with the same info. One dated 1/2003 and one dated 1956. Once we replaced the battery and fixed the date, we tried to back up again. (more files were added to the folder since). Retrospect is again trying to backup all 3.5 gig. We are performing a normal backup. We've been using Retrospect for years and have never experienced this problem before. Any help?

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I haven't updated to 5, I'm still on 4.3. I am also using this with an audio system...ProTools. Have never seen this before. I also rebuilt the catalogue which took a day and a half...3 DLT's that hold about 30Gig each. I hope Dantz responds to this because I need to back up some of these sessions.

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Agus-

 

If you have been having issues with your system clock (battery), and the dates on all your files have changed, Retrospect will behave correctly and backup all files again to each backup set. Retrospect does not know the conditions behind why a file has changed - only that it is different. The time only has to be different by a second for Retrospect to back it up again.

 

Please post results once Retrospect has done a complete backup and then an incremental.

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Here's the best way to see why the file is being backed up again (why it is different) is to compare the file in the backup set against the file as it looks currently.

 

Go to Immediate Backup

Set your source and destination

Click on Preview to see file list

 

Any files (not folders) with a diamond next to the name _exactly_ matches a file already in the set. Any files without diamonds are do not match and will be backed up again.

 

Find a file that should not have changed since the last backup. Highlight and Get Info on the file. Now move these windows aside so you can see the Directory. Go to Reports > Contents and select your backup set and the last session for the source used above. Browse the session to find the file used in the example and Get Info.

 

Compare the two Get Info windows side by side to see what is different in terms of size, date, time, etc.

 

-- Keep in mind that a session shows only the new or changed files backed up in a given session. If you can't find the file you're looking for, start over with a different file (or try the next earlier session until you find the file.

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Thanks Amy, I'm just a bit confused though. The files that were previously backed up have not changed. For example, I have a file called Audio 1. It was backed up to storage set A, once dated 1956 and once dated correctly as 1/2003. (I have hundreds of these files in a folder). Since we have added additional files since the full backup (dated 1/2003) I would expect that Retrospect will notice that Audio 1 has already been backed up...but it wants to back it up again. I will check the get info on the files as you suggested, and I'll get back to you. I too, have been using Retrospect for years and this is the first time I've seen this glitch. Thanks again for the help.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 months later...

I have been having the same duplicate backup issue. We have 150GB+ of data to back up, so it does not complete in one day. When it finally does complete, it just starts over.

 

Using your guidelines I compared several files from a backup set with what Retrospect 5 determined needed to be backed up again. In the several cases I compared the files from the backup set were identical *except* for the backup date. That is, the Created and Modified dates are the same. It appears that the files currently on the server are somehow getting the backed up flag set to the modified date, which does not match the Retrospect catalog. Is there a way to prevent this or is there some other problem here?

 

We're using Retrospect 5 on a G4 running OS 9.2.2 backing up an Xserve running OS X 10.2.5 mounted on its desktop.

 

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  • 1 month later...

Quote:

That is, the Created and Modified dates are the same.

 


 

What about the time stamps? Are you looking just at the date, or are you also looking at the time (to the second)?

 

What are you duplicating to? From?

Are these network drives? Client computers? What is the access method?

Are there any errors in your Operations Log?

Do you use Verification during your Duplication?

 

Try duplicating a few files back to the same hard drive (new folder) and then repeat the proceedure. Do the files get copied again?

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Quote:

AmyJ said:

Agus-

 

If you have been having issues with your system clock (battery), and the dates on all your files have changed, ...

 


 

I don't think this is what happens if the system time changes. I believe file creation/modification dates stored in the filesystem are absolute. Therefore in this circumstance I'm not clear on why Retrospect would infer changed files.

 

Toby

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