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I'm trying to retrieve some files from earlier backups which I can see from the logs have been successful, but when I reach the screen requesting Restore file from which backup? the list is completely empty. :(

 

When I set up the scripts I set the catalogue files to also be saved to the removable drives outside the backup data store directories. The catalogue files are present and are being updated but it appears they are not being picked up by the Retrospect program for the purposes of restoring any data. :huh:

 

System Information:

Retrospect 9.0.2 running on Mac Mini (OSX 10.7.4, 2.3GHz Intel Core i5, 8Gb RAM)

The scripted backups are targetted at two separate removable firewire hard drives which are swapped each week (wk1bkup and wk2bkp) in accordance with the scripts.

 

Any advice on how I can successfully recovery the files needed would be greatly appreciated.

 

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If you go to Media Sets, highlight the media set in question, and select the "Backups" tab, do you see any backups listed there? If not, try quitting and relaunching the Retrospect console app. Sometimes the console doesn't fully populate with everything that the Retrospect Engine knows about.

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Hi twickland,

 

Many thanks for your reply.

I tried rebooting the Mac Mini but that made no difference. I've also tried manually stopping and restarting the Retrospect engine - same result.

I'm not using the Retrospect Console, btw.

The folder <Mac HD>/Library/Application Support/Retrospect/Catalogs was and is empty.

I tried creating a symlink to the catalogue file stored on the top level of the installation media and rebooted the Mac Mini. That didn't work either. :mellow:

When I check the Past Backups the list is still empty.

When I check the Media Sets they are both listed and locked (- to stop tampering!) If I then click on the Backups button associated with the media that list is empty too! :huh:

 

Question:

Is there a way to manually select a catalogue file (- e.g. restored from an archive or backup) and use it to run the restore?

 

Thanks again

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Question:

Is there a way to manually select a catalogue file (- e.g. restored from an archive or backup) and use it to run the restore?

Yes. Once the catalogue has been restored or you otherwise know where it is located, go to Media Sets in the Retrospect console app, click on "Locate," and navigate to the appropriate catalogue.

 

If you no longer have the catalogue or if it is damaged, you will need to recreate it from the media, which can take a long time, depending on how much data is in the media set.

 

Your original post seems to suggest that you've been able to perform backups, which would mean that Retrospect knows where the catalogue is. However, it also seems to suggest that you may be storing the catalogue on the same volume as the backup data. This is what you want to do with a File media set, but it's not a good idea with a Disk media set, especially if you perform grooming, but also if your media set spans multiple volumes. The complete catalogue needs to be present whenever you're backing up to or restoring from the media set.

 

I'm curious as to whether your issue is only with the absence of the expected backup snapshots. Are you able to restore files by using the Search option? 

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when I reach the screen requesting Restore file from which backup? the list is completely empty. 

What exact steps are you taking to get there?

 

When I set up the scripts I set the catalogue files to also be saved to the removable drives outside the backup data store directories. The catalogue files are present and are being updated

The folder <Mac HD>/Library/Application Support/Retrospect/Catalogs was and is empty.

 

 

While /Library/Application Support/Retrospect/Catalogs/ is the default location to save newly created catalogs, if you configured your Media Set to keep its catalog file somewhere else, then the state of the default folder is unrelated to the discussion.

Oh, and you don't need to specify <Mac HD> if you use the root forward slash; the path is quite specific and complete without it!

 

I'm not using the Retrospect Console, btw

 

Yes you are; it's the Retrospect application, and without it you wouldn't be doing anything. Twickland is using "Console" to differentiate between the Retrospect "Engine".

 

I tried creating a symlink to the catalogue file stored on the top level of the installation media

 

Huh? A link "to" the Catalog file located where? Why? You don't need to do any *nix magic; Retrospect will expect to see the Catalog file on the path specified in the Media Sets window; what does that path show?

 

Is there a way to manually select a catalogue file (- e.g. restored from an archive or backup) and use it to run the restore?

 

Why are you talking about restored Catalog files; you state early on that "The catalogue files are present..."

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Hi twickland,

Thanks for your helpful feedback again. :)

 

I now know why Retrospect cannot see the catalogue files - albeit I'm not quite sure understand why. :huh:

When I go to Media Sets and click on the Location button, I scroll down to /Volumes but there is nothing listed under that directory.

Note: The computer is setup with an Administrator account and a User account. All the backups are run from within the User account.

 

If I open Terminal in the User account type: ls /Volumes I get a full list of the connected servers and external backup drive, as expected.

If I check the permissions on /Volumes they are as follows: drwxrwxrwt@. I've no idea why Retrospect can't access the disk unless it has to do with the disks having been configured for Retrospect backup use, which may preclude it from accessing the disks other than from within backup scripts.

 

I take your point about the catalogue files being stored on the backup media. I wanted to make sure they were automatically copied to the media as a backup off the computer. The solution was simply to move the catalogue files to the /Library/Application Support/Retrospect/Catalogs directory and use Media Sets > Locate to access them. I hope this also updates the backup scripts.

 

I'll build a shell script to backup the catalogue files after the backups are completed so that a backup is on the disk media as well.

 

Thank you for all your assistance. Much appreciated. :D

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Hi CallMeDave,

 

Thank you for your reply. As you will see from twickland's help I have been able to resolve the issue and restore the files.

 

To answer your questions:

 

What exact steps are you taking to get there?

I was trying to restore via:

Restore > Restore selected files and folders

Restore > Search for files in selected media sets

 

While /Library/Application Support/Retrospect/Catalogs/ is the default location to save newly created catalogs, if you configured your Media Set to keep its catalog file somewhere else, then the state of the default folder is unrelated to the discussion.

Oh, and you don't need to specify <Mac HD> if you use the root forward slash; the path is quite specific and complete without it!

 

Yes, I configured the Media Set to store the catalogue file at the root level of the disk media. I thought that if the catalgue files were stored elsewhere links would exist to that effect in the /Library/Application Support/Retrospect/Catalogs directory. Clearly, this is not the case.

Point teaken regarding the path decription.

 

 

Yes you are; it's the Retrospect application, and without it you wouldn't be doing anything. Twickland is using "Console" to differentiate between the Retrospect "Engine".

 

I clearly misunderstood the manual. I read it that the Retrospect Console was the application installed on a remote computer to remotely manage and control backups.

 

 

Huh? A link "to" the Catalog file located where? Why? You don't need to do any *nix magic; Retrospect will expect to see the Catalog file on the path specified in the Media Sets window; what does that path show?

 

The catalogue files are located at the root level of the disk media. As I explained in my previous reply to twickland, Retrospect cannot access the directory

/Volumes for some reason. I have no idea why. :unsure:

 

Why are you talking about restored Catalog files; you state early on that "The catalogue files are present..."

 

The answer to that question from twickland helped me to access the catalogue files to restore the data. ;)

 

Thanks again for taking the time to reply. :)

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When I go to Media Sets and click on the Location button, I scroll down to /Volumes but there is nothing listed under that directory.

 

Correct. The Locate drop-down sheet will display all directly attached volumes and all volumes that have been configured as a Source.

 

Retrospect does not use /Volumes to display anything in this window.

I've no idea why Retrospect can't access the disk 

 

If these are FireWire disks connected to the machine HOSTING THE RETROSPECT ENGINE, they should just show up in the drop-down sheet you get when pressing the Locate button in the Media Sets window. Not nested anywhere, just listed along with the boot drive.

 

The Engine runs as a root process, so it doesn't matter under what account the Console is running. As long as the disk is physically connected you should see it listed in the Locate window.

 

Swear the Engine and the Console and the FireWire drive are all on the same Macintosh computer??

 

unless it has to do with the disks having been configured for Retrospect backup use, which may preclude it from accessing the disks other than from within backup scripts.

 

A Member of a Disk Media set is unique only by the presence of a Retrospect folder; the disk remains unaltered in every other respect.

 

I read it that the Retrospect Console was the application installed on a remote computer to remotely manage and control backups.

 

The Console can be run either on the same machine or on any other machine with access to the Engine host.  The Engine can't be configured without using the Console application (AFAIK; I don't think they've added any CLI tools; they should).

 

Retrospect cannot access the directory /Volumes for some reason. I have no idea why.

 

Answered above; because it has no need to.

 

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