Lion Client Restore Issues :(

[henry-in-florida]

Hello All,

 

Sadly, I am living with recovering from a bad restore to a Lion client for over two weeks now. I had a need for a full restore of a client using the latest OSX Lion (10.7.1) and had massive problems restoring the Library files due to Retro incompatibility and Lion's penchant for hiding User Library files. In the end I was able to restore most, but not all Users' files, all Documents (except the Parallels virtual disks, some files of which were also in the User's Library- Windows Applications), and do it on top of a fresh, newly installed OS.

 

A 'bare metal' install was impossible, as expected. Went pretty much by the 'book' in trying restores first to the target drive, then to another internal drive on the Retro Backup machine when the network machine did not take the restore.

 

I'm left with the files seemingly still on the backup drive- visible via manual selection, but not recoverable to any backup destination either in a manual or scripted restore. I've tried various methods to get the files recovered, specifically they are the archived Mail files in a folder called "On My Mac" (in Users/username/Library/Mail/V2/Mac-username/ ) and all leave me very frustrated because the files do not appear even though I can search for them manually, find them, select them, and restore them to a drive but not see them after 7GB seems to have been transferred. I suspect that they are hidden, even on a machine running SL (Snow Leopard).

 

As to the Virtual OS, Parallels files I gave up on those as by my own hand I tried to save space and chose not to back up those files after a certain date. Space for the backups I do and it sure is getting complicated dealing with the many backups and the crippled functionality of Retro as it is today.

 

If anybody has ideas about recovering files from Lion client that may be hidden due the OS, please let me know. The Retro Sales staff mentioned repeatedly to me on the phone that Lion is NOT supported and the compatibility statement on the website. They say the statement has nothing to do with expecting that Lion clients will be 100% restorable and that an update is imminent in two weeks. Huh?

 

Of course when they hear that I don't have a support contract, the above is all moot anyway. No support will exist for me from Roxio. I still expect to use Retro to restore since I have a valid license. Since I cannot do so reliably, there is a decision to be made. Have discounted the imminent upgrade we've all heard about for so long it's not even funny.

 

Thinking that now that the damage has already been done to one client, I may just close the door completely, and cut my losses to using Retro anymore. Regardless of that, would still like to recover whatever I can before moving on, so would appreciate that help from anyone here.

 

Henry

Edited September 16, 2011 by henry-in-florida

[Guest Steve Maser]

So, is the problem that you restored the user's "Library" folder to another location, but you can't "see" it in the Finder?

 

Apple changed the permissions on the user's "Library" folder so it's not visible (even when you restore it somewhere else) -- that doesn't necessarily mean what you restored isn't there -- you just aren't going to "see" it. This wouldn't make it a Retrospect issue.

 

If you go into Terminal -- are the files there? If so, you could change the permissions on the enclosing "Library" folder -- or move the files/folders within that using a Terminal command.

[henry-in-florida]

So, is the problem that you restored the user's "Library" folder to another location, but you can't "see" it in the Finder?

 

Apple changed the permissions on the user's "Library" folder so it's not visible (even when you restore it somewhere else) -- that doesn't necessarily mean what you restored isn't there -- you just aren't going to "see" it. This wouldn't make it a Retrospect issue.

 

If you go into Terminal -- are the files there? If so, you could change the permissions on the enclosing "Library" folder -- or move the files/folders within that using a Terminal command.

Thanks, Steve.

 

Not sure how to view all the files in the restored folders within Terminal. It seems likely that they should be there, but are not visible, even on a restore to an SL volume on another drive. Obviously, I'd want to check that first. Can you tell me the commands to view/check/confirm them in Terminal? Retro said that files were retrieved, but nothing I tried so far exposes them. Also Retro manual browsing shows them on the backup there but Automatic restores gets nothing. I consider this part, at least, to be a Retro 8.x issue.

 

Also have a problem getting a manual, unscripted restore of these found files to even run now. I was able to do it before, but not now. I consider this to be a Retro issue.

 

I tried searching for the folder (Find File which has found folders with permission changes) even when restored to a new folder, without success I consider the huge time spent for each manual browse of the backup to search for/select files (30-50min per session) locating one folder, that know the address location of, to be a Retro issue.

 

After these shabby experiences, I am going to go to a larger drive system to handle my expanding world of requirements and Retro will DEFINITELY NOT be part of that. I can't say here what I will be using, but the solution in testing is so much faster and better on an all Lion platform, it is scary that I have been sticking with a LOSER this long.

Edited September 16, 2011 by henry-in-florida

[Guest Steve Maser]

If I remember correctly, the terminal command would be:

 

chflags nohidden <folder>

 

 

So, it depends on where you restored the files to, but assuming you restored the entire Users directory to another folder, you would navigate (in Terminal) to that restored Users\<user> directory and then just type: chflags nohidden Library.

 

 

then the hidden "Library" folder in the users account directory would be visible in the Finder and you could move files from there as you see fit.

 

 

"hidden" folders -- IIRC again -- are not searched by default with Spotlight. Retrospect -- as designed -- restores files/folders with the same permission settings as they were backed up with.

 

 

I'm not saying Retrospect 8.2 doesn't have issues, but in this case, it sounds like your issue is more with Apple's decisions with 10.7 than with Retrospect (which sounds like it *did* restore the folders you initially requested.)

[henry-in-florida]

If I remember correctly, the terminal command would be:

 

chflags nohidden <folder>

From what I'm told the 'chflags nohidden /Folder' command in Terminal does not stick when the system is restarted, so yes, that is an Apple Lion problem. I'm having trouble navigating to the drive in Terminal. The drive name is "LaCie_Backup 5 2". So changing to the proper volume would be what?

[henry-in-florida]

So, is the problem that you restored the user's "Library" folder to another location, but you can't "see" it in the Finder?

 

Apple changed the permissions on the user's "Library" folder so it's not visible (even when you restore it somewhere else) -- that doesn't necessarily mean what you restored isn't there -- you just aren't going to "see" it. This wouldn't make it a Retrospect issue.

 

If you go into Terminal -- are the files there? If so, you could change the permissions on the enclosing "Library" folder -- or move the files/folders within that using a Terminal command.

So, I figured out how to access the folders in Terminal, and guess what they are not there. Just in case you think I'm dreaming here are the screen shots of the manually selected files Note the size of the V2 Folder (Mail 5.x converted) files.

 

Once I manually selected these files, I hit Select button, moved to the Backup Destination. Selected that drive. Then hit the Start button, watched the little yellow arrow icon move to Activities and, OOPS. Nothing shows up in the Activities!!!

 

However, I can't get Retro to do a manual restore (anymore). How is this not a Retro issue?

Edited September 16, 2011 by henry-in-florida

[f30e6e60-a263-4d69-8f60-c92703669308]

I can search for them manually, find them, select them, and restore them to a drive but not see them after 7GB seems to have been transferred.

 

Once I manually selected these files, I hit Select button, moved to the Backup Destination. Selected that drive. Then hit the Start button, watched the little yellow arrow icon move to Activities and, OOPS. Nothing shows up in the Activities!!!

 

Which is it? "seems to have been transferred" or " I can't get Retro to do a manual restore"?

 

How is this not a Retro issue?

 

Steve was responding to a specific set of facts you provided, pointing to your misunderstanding of Apple's new way of handling certain files in Lion. Once you change the facts, his response is no longer relevant; so asking him why doesn't move the conversation forward.

 

I can't see/say why you are not seeing the activity you expect. Readers don't know much about your software configuration, not even what Type of Media Set you are using*, what options you are selecting for Restore, etc. And while we all sympathize with your frustration on the programs limitations and failings, what you are trying to do does work for me, does work for Steve, and might work for you if it's just a case of user error.

 

How about providing some more details about what exactly you are doing; someone might see what's going wrong.

 

 

* does "1TB file/catalog backup" mean you are using File Media Sets? That just happen to currently be 1TB in size?

Edited September 16, 2011 by CallMeDave

[henry-in-florida]

So, it depends on where you restored the files to, but assuming you restored the entire Users directory to another folder, you would navigate (in Terminal) to that restored Users\<user> directory and then just type: chflags nohidden Library.

Here is my next attempt (again) at restoring this time with a scripted restore...

 

Made a script to restore specific files mentioned (since the unscripted, manual restore did not work anymore. See the pictures? Used a Rule as shown to select the same files that would not select manually. This seems to produce a restore of some 7GB to a new folder. After it completes yet again (this is about the seventh attempt) will attempt to reveal the files.

 

It is running.

[henry-in-florida]

Which is it? "seems to have been transferred" or " I can't get Retro to do a manual restore"?

 

 

 

Steve was responding to a specific set of facts you provided, pointing to your misunderstanding of Apple's new way of handling certain files in Lion. Once you change the facts, his response is no longer relevant; so asking him why doesn't move the conversation forward.

 

I can't see/say why you are not seeing the activity you expect. Readers don't know much about your software configuration, not even what Type of Media Set you are using*, what options you are selecting for Restore, etc. And while we all sympathize with your frustration on the programs limitations and failings, what you are trying to do does work for me, does work for Steve, and might work for you if it's just a case of user error.

 

How about providing some more details about what exactly you are doing; someone might see what's going wrong.

Happy to, Dave.

 

I enclose pictures of the set up and the restore... It's both of the conditions you mention, but done sequentially. First I tried a manual restore selecting the files shown and got no restore. Second I tried a scripted restore, the results of which are shown in the screen shots below. The restore completed putting back 7GB in files as shown (only the Library>Mail Folder) was apparently restored. As shown in the next screen no Library File is visible or findable in Terminal, however. I've tried that operation several times with the same result. Retro seems to think there is something there and when it does something akin to a restore of the right size, turns out there isn't a file there that is findable in Terminal or the Finder, just a structure of folders-- empty.

 

As to the Media I'm using, have you looked at my signature? All the media, the retro version, and the source machines are fully described there.

 

I don't discount the fact that I'm frustrated and that I may have made a mistake. That is why I posted here, and would appreciate the help if you are seeing something not mentioned or incorrect.

 

Henry

[Guest Steve Maser]

So, assuming the activity finished and 7G of files were restored...

 

If you go to the janeseiden directory in terminal

 

And issue this command: ls -la

 

 

Does it show the Library folder,i.e.:

 

drwx------+ 45 admin staff 1530 Sep 17 00:07 Desktop

drwx------+ 12 admin staff 408 Aug 29 20:24 Documents

drwx------+ 4 admin staff 136 Aug 26 07:45 Downloads

drwx------@ 53 admin staff 1802 Sep 13 07:08 Library

drwx------@ 4 admin staff 136 Apr 10 12:44 Movies

drwx------+ 6 admin staff 204 Oct 10 2009 Music

drwx------+ 7 admin staff 238 Jul 25 22:48 Pictures

drwxr-xr-x+ 5 admin staff 170 Jun 6 2009 Public

drwxr-xr-x+ 5 admin staff 170 May 4 2005 Sites

drwxrwxr-x@ 3 admin staff 102 Apr 25 22:22 TEMP

 

 

 

Or if you move all the *visible* folders out of "janeseiden" -- if you do a get info on the janeseiden folder -- how much data is shown?

Edited September 17, 2011 by Steve Maser

[henry-in-florida]

So, assuming the activity finished and 7G of files were restored...

 

If you go to the janeseiden directory in terminal

 

And issue this command: ls -la

 

 

Does it show the Library folder,i.e.:

 

drwx------+ 45 admin staff 1530 Sep 17 00:07 Desktop

drwx------+ 12 admin staff 408 Aug 29 20:24 Documents

drwx------+ 4 admin staff 136 Aug 26 07:45 Downloads

drwx------@ 53 admin staff 1802 Sep 13 07:08 Library

drwx------@ 4 admin staff 136 Apr 10 12:44 Movies

drwx------+ 6 admin staff 204 Oct 10 2009 Music

drwx------+ 7 admin staff 238 Jul 25 22:48 Pictures

drwxr-xr-x+ 5 admin staff 170 Jun 6 2009 Public

drwxr-xr-x+ 5 admin staff 170 May 4 2005 Sites

drwxrwxr-x@ 3 admin staff 102 Apr 25 22:22 TEMP

 

 

 

Or if you move all the *visible* folders out of "janeseiden" -- if you do a get info on the janeseiden folder -- how much data is shown?

I did the latter and saw the ~7GB in the folder. I gave on the command chflags and looked using the app Find Any File. Lo! There it was. Not only that but I was able to see that Retro HAD RESTORED also a previous version. As you said Retro had done its work but the OS was somehow hiding it. I was then able to copy the Mail Folder across to a visible folder and move on... Whew!

 

Thanks for your advice.

 

Henry