"The catalog is locked" error

[CharPatton]

I am having issues with locked Retrospect catalog errors when attempting to backup. Retrospect seems to run just fine (although slow) if I just duplicate. Attempts I have made to fix the solution include:

 

1) Checking that the catalog file is not locked, which it is not

2) Going to the Dantz Knowledge Base page and accessing the article on this problem.

3) Using DiskUtility to repair permissions, and then both TTPro and DiskWarrior (current versions of both), to attempt to repair any errors on my drive. No problems were found. I ran each several times.

4) Recreating the catalog file from Retrospect's “Tools” command

 

No luck after all of these. The final step in Dantz’s support article is to reformat my hard drive. Understandably, I am leery of doing this since my backup software is not reliable!

 

System details: G4 867MHz with 512MB RAM, OS 10.3.5, Retrospect 6.0.193, Device Access Version 1.0.105, and Driver Update Version 5.6.102

 

Any help in getting a functional backup program would be most appreciated. Thank you!

[CallMeDave]

Quote:

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I am having issues with locked Retrospect catalog errors when attempting to backup.

 

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Can you be more specific regarding exactly what you're doing, and what you see when you do it?

 

For example, do you see the error during both scripted, auto-launching backups and Immediate backups?

 

Dave

[kimbieler]

I had the same problem and finally fixed it by downloading the Retrospect 6.0.204 upgrade for Mac.

[mangoman]

I've got 6.0.204 loaded and I'm still getting the same error that CharPatton is describing. Not sure what steps to take next. *Really* don't have time to reformat and reinstall the contents of the hard drive...

[natew]

Hi

 

Did you run the Retrospect uninstaller before you applied the 6.0.204 update? If not please do so, reboot and run the installer again.

 

If you have ever dragged Retrospect to the trash or another location on disk make sure you delete that file completely.

 

Thanks

Nate

[CallMeDave]

Quote:

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I've got 6.0.204 loaded and I'm still getting the same error that CharPatton is describing

 

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He really didin't describe it very well.

 

Can you perhaps take the time to provide some specific information?

 

It's unlilkely that reformating anything has anything to do with this, no matter what a Dantz tech note implies.

 

The error appears to be caused by Retrospect launching more then once at the same time; doesn't happen for most people, and the only way to find out why it's happening to _you_ is to learn more about your specific hardware/software configurations.

[nemoinis]

I have seen the same error too, occasionally (with various Mac OS 10.3.x, Retrospect 6.0.x & driver versions). It is indeed caused by Retrospect auto-launching twice for the same scheduled event. Why that is, I haven't figured out. Deleting prefs, retrorun file, RetroRun startup program, etc... does not affect this.

 

However, looking closely at the log & backup set sessions, it appears that the "catalog is locked" error is issued by the second-launched copy of Retrospect, which then quits after issuing the message while the first-launched copy does complete the backup successfully. So for the cases I've seen at least, while the error is unsightly in the log it's not fatal. Your mileage may vary so check your backup set sessions and log.

[Guest]

Using Version 5.1.175...

 

I get this error reliably and consistently with one backup set, but not with another.

 

My computer has two internal drives. I have two Retrospect scripts. Each copies everything (except cache files and Retrospect files) from one disk to a backup file-pair on the other disk. Both scripts are scheduled to run Normal backups daily and Recycle backups weekly.

 

One of my two scripts works as expected.

 

The other doesn't. I run my script off the Run menu, and it gets the error immediately:

 

"not ready: Can't add to backup set xxx: The catalog is locked."

 

There is no entry in the log. There is nothing I can figure out regarding permissions and such having to do with MacOS X to justify this message.

 

I have "solved" this problem in several ways:

 

1) I have recreated the script with a new backup set.

 

2) I have trashed all of Retrospect's preferences and recreated both my scripts.

 

Both of these methods worked, in that I could run both of my two scripts one time, and sometimes more than once. But, ultimately, the one script has failed in exactly this way. When it has been run from the scheduler, I get an entry in the log. When I run it from the run menu, I get an immediate alert box and no entry inthe log.

 

I see no indication that Retrospect is runing "twice". There is only one icon in the Dock, and I am running the script manually.

 

This is exasperating, and I would really appreciate some suggestions as to how to research this further.

 

--Gil Dawson

Gil@Gil.Dawson.name

[Guest]

For those who may have this problem, a likely solution has been found on another thread.

 

Simply:

 

Lauching Retrospect under OS X by double-clicking one of your destination files is a no-no.

 

To do so launches a hidden process that owns that file until you log off. If a script launches and tries to use that file, it can't: "The catalog is locked." If the file resides on a removable disk, you can't eject that disk: "File is in use." If you eject it anyway, you get a warning, "Data may be lost," which could possibly be true. Scripts do not start on time for <some related reason>. The only way to stop this madness is to log off and then promise NEVER AGAIN to launch Retrospect by clicking on one of its destination files.

 

"Recent Items" is OK.

 

--Gil

[natew]

Hi

 

I have also seen a similar problem when a copy of Retrospect has been dragged to the trash rather than properly uninstalled with the uninstaller. Doublecheck your hard drive that there are no old copies of Retrospect lying about.

 

Thanks

Nate