Dantz has to "restore system configuration" --major problem

[elceres]

Can anyone help? The manuals, etc., don't even recognize the existence of the problem I am having. Since upgrading my Media Center software to 2005 using XP Pro, when I duplicate to my external hard drive, I encounter a series of problems. First off, the duplicate comes back as "execution incomplete" along with several error 1017's and one error 41477404. Dantz is complaining about WMI Writer, COM+ Registration Data Base, the Registry, and the Removable Storage Manager. Basically, it says it lacks the "permissions" to complete the process with these features. Then it says the "System State could not be restored." The last one ran said it did 5768 files and 3.9 GB. The reading on the external drive said there were present 148531 files for 77.8 GB.

 

If this weren't troubling enough, look what happens when you restart the computer. You get two dialog boxes. The first is called "Retrospect Helper Service." Underneath there were 3 entries, all of which were checked. They were "Updating Registry," Deleting Temporary Folder," and "Updating Meta Data." The dialog box underneath was called "Retrospect Helper" and read: "System Configuration restored, the computer will reboot when you press OK."

 

None of these numbers or phrases appear anywhere on the Dantz web site or in any of the Help folders. Judging from what the dialog boxes are saying, I think I may have a problem too serious to continue using Dantz unless I can find out what is going on and how to resolve it. Any suggestions? The XP Pro has its own backup which I have yet to use, but could if it becomes necessary to remove Dantz 6.5 altogether. Thanks in advance to anyone who takes on this problem.

[elceres]

Since I can't figure out how to submit a post I'll use reply to my own message instead. My related questions is: does anyone know what Retrospect wants to fill in the Security Preferences on 6.5? I've tried all kinds of combinations for the 3 blanks (User, Password, and Log on to). So far the app refuses anything I fill in and I can find nothing that explains exactly what the app wants to be filled in before it accepts this preference (which apparently is required re 1017 errors which I get wholesale).

[JEtkins]

User and Password are self-explanatory; Log On To should be the name of your PC if you're in a workgroup or standalone, or the name of your Domain if you're in one.

[elceres]

J, thanks for the answer. However, password and user name aren't so obvious to me. I have tried using the Workgroup name, my own name (as Dantz's records have it), and "administrator." As for password, I've tried the router's password and the workgroup password, and an old password I previously used for the computer before I upgraded to Media Center 2005 software. After the upgrade I ceased using a password for the computer. As for the Log On To, I tried using the computer name Microsoft uses and the name I gave to the C Drive. All these combinations have so far gotten me nowhere. I also fooled around with the Retrospect launcher and helper sections with equally spectacularly failed results. Perhaps I need to reset a password for the computer, but have held off on that until the last for reasons I won't go into here. In conclusion, what I need to know is: (1) do I make names up except for the Log On To; or (2) am I required to use User Name and Password that exist somewhere else in some unspecified program? Oh, one other question, if I were to switch back to using Retrospect Express 5 would that help? I ask because I have long since given up on ever getting any backups using the Network, so 6.5 is largely just a malfunctioning pain in the butt as far as I am concerned.

[awnews]

You need an account with a password. If you'd like, you can create a administrator-level dummy one (e.g. user=Retro, password=backup) then include the name of your machine (assuming you're in a workgroup) in the "Log On To" field. The name of the computer is under My Computer->Properties->Computer Name->Full computer name [Change button if you want to change it].

[elceres]

GoAWest, thanks for the reply. I did as you said and got back a dialog box saying "The provided login information is invalid." Bear in mind, I set up the "dummy" profile in Retrospect, not on the computer itself. Did you mean that I should set up a password account for the Administrator, of just in the Retrospect app.? Another possible wrinkle might be that the initial install of Retrospect Express was on the my WinMe computer as well as the initial install of the 6.5. Later I set up the 6.5 on the Media Center computer using XP Pro. Additionally, all this info. is being fed through A Microsoft Base Station (router) using a Workgroup which went through a similar transformation. I mention the latter because in the course of working on the Base Station I noticed it still seemed to consider the WinMe computer as it's home despite my attempts to make it otherwise. Maybe Retrospect considers it's home is also on the WinMe computer. As nonsensical as this may sound, I have encountered even worse logic on my network set up.

[awnews]

Yes, it has to be on the PC first so that Retrospect can use it. BTW, the router login/password has nothing to do with anything.

 

XP can be domain, but unless you have a domain controller it's workgroup. I don't believe that a WinMe machine can actually be true "member" of a domain. You're probably workgroup, "linked" by the fact that you've used the same network name on both machines.

[elceres]

GoAWest, thanks again. Two things: (1) it's definitely a work group; (2) if the account has to be for and on the computer, then that explains a whole lot. However, I am puzzled how one sets up a "dummy" account profile on the XP. Don't know about you, but it is 1:45 am where I am at, so I'm going to bed. Tomorrow I will set up a password profile for the administrator and try to use it. I think that is what you are telling me to do. If I got it wrong, let me know. If it works, I'll let you know tomorrow.

[awnews]

A couple hours earlier in California, still prime 'puter time.

 

By "dummy" I just mean a real admin-level account that you'll just use for Retrospect login(as set under the Security setting tab). You could use a main account that you normally use, but this would require you to set up a password for an account you're using and it sounds like you didn't want to do that. But you'll get the same effect by setting a password for the main "Administrator" login and using that.

[elceres]

GoAWest--now I understand your name. After I signed off I realized what your meant. Nonetheless I decided to use the Admin Acct with a Password as it seemed like it might cause less trouble that way. While I was at it I privatized the files and folders (didn't even realize I could do that). Went back to Retro and the setup worked. When I back up later today I'll find out whether that will stop the 1017's and the "incomplete executions." One other question, now that I've done that, is there any reason to keep the Retro Launcher on in the Administrative Systems, Services? I only ask in case this being on means it is running in the background using up resources.

[awnews]

On the PC I'm using at the moment, the Retrospect Launcher service (retrorun) is taking up 3M of memory and almost no CPU time. I can live with that (most of my systems have 512M, 1G or more). That service is required if you want Retrospect to autolaunch itself for scheduled or Proactive backups. If you're going to just be running backups manually and don't want the program to ever launch itself, it's OK to disable it. You can do this from the Prefs->Startup pane within Retrospect rather than the Windows Services panel.

[elceres]

GoAWest--I just completed the duplicate and got back the same incomplete execution stuff as before: - 2/9/2005 1:51:23 PM: Copying HP_PAVILION (C:)

File "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Retrospect\config65.dat": appears incomplete

File "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Retrospect\operations_log.utx": appears incomplete

File "C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch\DLLHOST.EXE-4545F7BD.pf": appears incomplete

File "C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch\MSDTC.EXE-1D9D8668.pf": appears incomplete

File "C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch\RTHLPSVC.EXE-20806002.pf": appears incomplete

File "C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch\VSSVC.EXE-1F033002.pf": appears incomplete

Writer "Microsoft Writer (Bootable State)" duplicate failed, error -1017 (insufficient permissions).

Component "COM+ Registration Database" duplicate failed, error -1017 (insufficient permissions).

Component "Registry" duplicate failed, error -1017 (insufficient permissions).

Writer "WMI Writer" duplicate failed, error -1017 (insufficient permissions).

Component "WMI" duplicate failed, error -1017 (insufficient permissions).

The system state could not be restored.

Can't restore Removable Storage Manager, error 41346332 (unknown)

Can't restore Removable Storage Manager, error -1017 (insufficient permissions)

2/9/2005 2:01:51 PM: Execution incomplete

Completed: 3341 files, 4.5 GB

Performance: 515.5 MB/minute

Duration: 00:10:27 (00:00:12 idle/loading/preparing)

 

I'll get to the Launcher stuff later. I think doing it inside Retro should work OK. My next question is whether you think this 1017 error stuff might be caused by the fact the duplicate file was created before I updated the Media Center software from 2004 to 2005? If so, perhaps the solution would be to delete the entire backup (duplicate) and delete all file backup references on my regular C Drive so Dantz won't be able to see anything old. After that, try another duplicate from scratch (perhaps even after re-installing the 6.5 on a thoroughly cleaned out C Drive, which would I guess require re-registering).

 

Thanks again, you have been very patient with a newbie like myself.

[awnews]

You may be SOL on some of this just based on the fact that you're running on a WinME box. On an XP box, Retrospect will use the Volume Shadow Copy service to do an Open File Backup, allowing you to back up open files. That doesn't work under ME. Also, the definition and privledges of an "Administrator" on an NT (NT, W2K, XP) system is very different than a non-NT OS like ME.

 

I often see the "-1017 (insufficient permissions)" errors on systems where OFB/VSC isn't available or working on XP boxes. That may also be the cause of the the Windows Component errors as well.

 

On the plus side, you probably don't *really* need those Prefech files in a backup. I'm still puzzled by the "system state could not be restored" (what's being "restored" during a duplicate?) and "Can't restore Removable Storage Manager" (can that be disabled by a Preferences or CTRL-ALT-P-P tweak?) messages, so hopefully someone else will chime in.

[elceres]

GoAWest--"Cannot restore the system", I refer you back to my initial forum message. It's so complicated I won't repeat it except to emphasize that what this means is when you start up the computer after doing a duplicate you will be greeted with a dialog box that says in effect Retrospect safely restored the system but you will have to restart the computer to use it. It is this series of messages that made me call this a "major problem" that I felt I could not ignore. I have ignored much of what Retrospect told me, but this one was talking about a dangerous area, i.e., restoring the system itself. As for Win-Me, I duplicate it directly to a separate external hard drive attached to it. I don't hardly ever use the network link between the two computers as it isn't worth the complications. A simple direct dupe to its external hard drive works just fine off the Win-Me. At least it did the last time I used it. I used to use the Win-Me exclusively reserving the XP Media Center for recording TV and like stuff. However, my Win-Me computer started to make strange noises that suggested the hard drive may be going bad. This caused me to transfer everything to the XP computer. Now that I am pushing it, I am discovering what a difficult adjustment it is. Indeed, I am wondering if there was some way to deny Retrospect on the XP access to the Network. Perhaps that might solve something. As I noted previously, I don't use the Network except to reach the internet as using it to transfer info between the two computers proved way to complicated. I simply use external hard drives to transfer info and plug the scanner and printer directly into whichever computer I am using at the time. It is quicker and way simpler that way.

[elceres]

To GoAWest or anyone else re deleting fouled up backup. Since I last contacted GoAWest I have since purchased another external hard drive (a SimpleTech). Many of the problems, especially "permission" problems ceased with the SimpleTech backup. It appears to me the upgrade to MediaCenter 2005 effected the backup on the LaCie Hard Drive rendering it permanently crippled. Neither the backup to DVD's nor the backup to SimpleTech have "permission" problems. Therefore, I tried to delete the backup to LaCie only to find out I could not. If I deleted the crippled backup, perhaps I could start over with a clean slate. I have transferred all the material on the LaCie to the SimpleTech, so even a complete reformat could possibly work. However, I would naturally prefer a simple delete of the Retrospect backup on the LaCie as reformats can be flaky. Any suggestions on how I can delete the crippled backup?