Gorbag Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 Reposting this article so it gets noticed. Retrospect 6.0.204, Mac OS X 10.3.6 Linksys NSLU2 mounted using SMB I can copy large files there directly in the finder (10.3.6), including 8gb files. Yet, opening those catalogues with Retrospect will not let me append to them, getting an error because the file is too large! It seems this is a Retrospect imposed limit since Finder can access and create large files, no? The error is: "Can't add that much data to backup set. The limit is 2.0 G." Temporarily, I'm backing up on a host machine, and then copying the files over, but I'd like to just directly backup to the NSLU2 (no ftp is available out of the box; I'm aware of some hacks, but haven't decided to risk them yet). Again, I can backup locally to a 8, 10, even 12 Gig file (the largest the backup has gotten) and then do a simple finder drag and drop to the NSLU2's SMB partition after mounting it. But telling retropect to backup directly to that file at the mountpoint gives me the error. MacInTouch notes that there may be a 2 gig limit on the device when NOT using SMB; note that I am, so I beleive this is somehow a Retrospect imposed limit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CallMeDave Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 This may be a permissions thing. When you mounted the volume, you did so with the effective user ID of the current logged in user. When Retrospect runs, it runs under the user ID of 0 (root). This means the volume was mounted by a different user then the one trying to write to it. The OS might be understandably unwilling to allow that to happen. Although I don't usually recommend it, I would try enabling the root password (from NetInfoManager) and logging into the Aqua Finder as root. Try the whole thing again, and see if you get different results. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorbag Posted November 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2004 I tried this and got the same result; as root, I mounted the NSLU2 (using it's admin account for local permissions), then tried a backup getting the 2Gig limit error. Running a local backup to a cached copy of the 6 gig backup file, I could successfully backup. I then successfully did a finder copy to the NSLU2 directory (using the same mount). Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natew Posted December 3, 2004 Report Share Posted December 3, 2004 Hi Does the error happen if you try to duplicate the 6GB file to the NSLU2 using Retrospect? Thanks Nate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gil Dawson Posted December 3, 2004 Report Share Posted December 3, 2004 It might a disk drive format issue. When whoever originally formatted the drive, she might havehad the choice of HFS or HFS+. Unfortunately, I think only HFS+ allows files over 2GB. It's a drag, but reformatting the drive might fix the problem. --Gil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorbag Posted December 4, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2004 Quote: Hi Does the error happen if you try to duplicate the 6GB file to the NSLU2 using Retrospect? Thanks Nate I just tried, and duplicating works fine. (220mb/sec on copy, which is a bit slow, but may not be Retrospect's fault). I suspect Retrospect is checking the file size and bailing if it is larger than 2gig. Note that I've got separate catalogue and data files, if it makes a difference (that is, I didnt' ask Retrospect to merge them). Since this is v6, I thought the 2gig limit had been eliminated... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorbag Posted December 4, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2004 Quote: It might a disk drive format issue. When whoever originally formatted the drive, she might havehad the choice of HFS or HFS+. Unfortunately, I think only HFS+ allows files over 2GB. It's a drag, but reformatting the drive might fix the problem. --Gil Actually, the NSLU2 formats the drive itself, using neither HFS or HFS+ but, I think, ext3 (since it runs Linux). Access to the NSLU2 is via SMB. At any rate, reformatting isn't an option, the unit formatted the drive in whatever format it required when first installed, I have no option to change the formatting (and still have the drive work with the device, that is). Also note per above, I am able to use the finder to read and write large files without difficulty. Even Retrospect can duplicate large 10+ gigabyte files there. It just refuses to attempt to run a backup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stomptokyo Posted December 7, 2004 Report Share Posted December 7, 2004 I'm having this exact same problem with a Snap Server 4500. It's enormously frustrating. I would mount the server via Appletalk but it only supports AFP 2, which also has a 2gb limit. Other specs: Retrospect 6 Mac Graphite G4 running 10.3 mounting the Snap Server via SMB If anyone has an answer to why this is happening with SMB and NAS devices, I'd love to hear it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbizer Posted December 10, 2004 Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 Quote: I'm having this exact same problem with a Snap Server 4500. It's enormously frustrating. I would mount the server via Appletalk but it only supports AFP 2, which also has a 2gb limit. Other specs: Retrospect 6 Mac Graphite G4 running 10.3 mounting the Snap Server via SMB If anyone has an answer to why this is happening with SMB and NAS devices, I'd love to hear it. You're not the only one. I'm having the exact same problem with a Buffalo Linkstation, which is supposed to support files > 2 GB on SMB volumes (which is what I'm using). However, i get the following error: Can't add that much data to backup set. The limit is 2.0 G. So I guess I'm back to ftp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brado77 Posted July 30, 2006 Report Share Posted July 30, 2006 I believe I have found a workaround / solution to this problem. I am using Mac OS X 10.4.7 and bought a SimpleTech SimpleShare 400GB NAS drive which came with Retrospect Express 6.X. When I created a backup set (that was 40+GB) and attempted to back it up to a SMB/CIFS share on the NAS drive, I had the same exact problem -- cannot create a backup set larger than 2.0GB. However, I noticed that my SimpleShare drive allowed configuration of shares to support both cifs and nfs. So I disabled the cifs share ability, and enabled only the nfs share ability. Then I went googling and found this utility called NFS Manager: http://www.bresink.de/osx/143439/download.html This utility will allow you to create NFS mounts (I used IP address instead of hostname). An NFS mount will appear in Finder under These will appear under Network > Servers > Hostname (I used IP address) > share. I then created a backup set in Retrospect which pointed to this nfs share as the destination. Presently, I'm 12.2 GB into my 40.5GB backup without any errors. My conclusion is that it isn't the format of the destination drive at all, but its either a problem with the NAS smb/cifs config or limitation, my local client cifs/smb config or limitation, or the limitation Retrospect imposes on cifs/smb shares. What is for sure is that the problem is not my NAS drive, my client machine drive, or the ability to transfer data. It would be great if someone (like an EMC support tech or someone with expert cifs/smb knowledge) could weigh in and tell us where exactly this problem lies, and the proper way to get around it (such as an SMB/CIFS configuration setting tweak on our local MAC OS X machine). Anyway, I hope this helps. EMC really ought to see this problem to its definitive answer, as I was within about 5 minutes from returning this NAS drive just because of this Retrospect software 2GB limit problem I was encountering. Cheers, Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brado77 Posted July 30, 2006 Report Share Posted July 30, 2006 Here's some more information regarding this problem -- I am able to backup 10GB of data from my Windows PC using SMB/Cifs without any errors. This now strongly suggests that the problem lies *either* in the Mac OS X Retrospect client, or in the default Mac OS X SMB/cifs configuration. Can anyone lend any more information to this? Thanks, Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlh Posted August 22, 2006 Report Share Posted August 22, 2006 I encountered this problem myself. I was using Retrospect Desktop 6.1.126 for MacOS X to back up 30GB+ of my Mac OS 10.3.9 system's hard disk to an NSLU2 file server, mounted as an SMB server from the Mac. I too observed the error message: "Can't add that much data to backup set. The limit is 2.0 G." I did some research. The EMC Retrospect KB article, "Backing Up To or From Mounted AppleShare Volumes with Retrospect for Mac OS X" http://kb.dantz.com/display/2n/kb/article.asp?aid=1144&n=8&s= says, "2GB Limit when writing to a Macintosh destination that does not support AFP 3.1. Apple lifted the 2GB limit with AFP 3.1 and later. AFP 3.1 is available in Mac OS 10.2 Server and later and Mac OS 10.4 workstations. -Error 102 may be reported when you reach the 2GB limit writing to a pre AFP 3.1 Mac volume. .... SMB Destination: Retrospect 6.1 with Driver Update 6.1.1.101 and later has greatly improved the ability to write more then 2GB of data to a file backup set stored on SMB volumes and should be the minimum version when using SMB destinations." Aha! The NSLU2 is an SMB destination, and I didn't have the Driver Update installed. I also found this discussion list, "appleshare_filesize", apparently run by Retrospect support: http://list.dantz.com/mailman/listinfo/appleshare_filesize It's information contains some but not all of the information from "Backing Up To or From Mounted AppleShare Volumes with Retrospect for Mac OS X". It looks like it hasn't stayed current, which is a pity. I downloaded the most recent Driver Update (now version 6.1.6.100) http://kb.dantz.com/display/2n/articleDirect/index.asp?aid=8136&r=0.7618067 Voila! The same Retrospect 6.1.126 is now able to back up more than 2GB from my existing Mac to my existing NSLU2 file server. So my recommendation is: get the latest Retrospect Desktop update and Driver Update, and try again. I was not able to find any Apple tech note about which version of AFP is on my OS, or how I can check the version number. However, I did not need to upgrade my Mac to Mac OS 10.4 to fix this problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brado77 Posted August 22, 2006 Report Share Posted August 22, 2006 Jim, Thanks for the reply. I too found the reference to: "AFP 3.1 is available in Mac OS 10.2 Server and later and Mac OS 10.4 workstations", but I'm running OS X 10.4.7, and it was still failing. I also couldn't find any information on AFP versions or upgrading. One question for you -- were you using the full-blown version of Retrospect, or one that was bundled with a drive, which I believe is an "Express" or "LE" version? I don't know if this would make any difference, but I started getting the feeling after sinking hours into trying to get this to work that I might be the victim of a clever marketing technique where the intended support answer to problems was "upgrade to the full version". Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CallMeDave Posted August 22, 2006 Report Share Posted August 22, 2006 Quote: I too found the reference to: "AFP 3.1 is available in Mac OS 10.2 Server and later and Mac OS 10.4 workstations", but I'm running OS X 10.4.7, and it was still failing. Those version numbers refer to the machine providing the sharing services, not the machine that's connecting to it. In your case, AFP is being provided by the NSLU2's software, not by the Macintosh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmeade Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 I have the same 2.0 GB limit issue when trying to run a Retrospect Express backup to a Western Digital 'My Book' 250 GB external drive. I'm on a Mac running OS 10.3.9 - and I've installed the latest Retrospect driver (6.1.7.101) but to no effect. This is enormously frustrating! Can anyone help?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhwalker Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 Quote: I have the same 2.0 GB limit issue when trying to run a Retrospect Express backup to a Western Digital 'My Book' 250 GB external drive. I'm on a Mac running OS 10.3.9 - and I've installed the latest Retrospect driver (6.1.7.101) but to no effect. This is enormously frustrating! Can anyone help?? Perhaps, if you posted in the correct forum and didn't hijack a thread that is unrelated to your problem: (1) You've posted in the wrong forum (this is not the Retrospect Express forum) so it's unlikely that people with a solution will look here for your post and, if your problem is solved here, no one will see the solution when looking for their problem/solution in the proper forum. (2) You have attempted to hijack a thread that has nothing to do with your issue. This thread concerns Network Attached Storage ("NAS") drives communicating via AFP - you seem to have a directly-attached external drive. Anyone looking to the thread topics in the forum list won't look here for a problem like yours, and thus won't find the solution to their problem. (3) You have not provided sufficient details for us to help you. I have a suspicion, though, what your problem is. (a) what version of Retrospect Express do you have? ( what type of connection do you have to your drive? Firewire? USB? SCSI? © (and this, I believe, is the critical one): What type of filesystem is on your drive (i.e., how is it formated)? (Get Info on the drive, what is the Format?) Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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