Unable to initiate backup on intel imac to usb HD

[Tallowby]

First post hope you can help...

 

Stats: Migrated from Duel G4 to iMac (2Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo, 1 GB Ram, OS X Server 10.4.9, Retrospect 6.1.126)

 

I have tried both entering the script for backup and immediate backup feature and get the same response. Backup starts calculating what needs to be processed then the program crashes. Sometimes I get the error message after crash "Retrospect From Retrospect: Automatic execution unexpectedly terminated (possibly due to a power failure or system crash).

 

There is no power problem and I can find no issues with the OS.

[rhwalker]

Welcome to the Retrospect forums.

 

(1) you don't indicate what RDU you have (see the launch message in the Retrospect Log, or "About Retrospect" under the Retrospect menu) or what type of backup set you are trying to create (file, disk, removable media, tape, etc.)

 

(2) some people have been reporting corruption issues with RDU 6.1.10.100, you might want to try 6.1.9.102 (but I doubt that is your immediate issue). The RDU version history and links to the versions are here:

Retrospect Driver Update version history

 

(3) Because you are running Server 10.4.9, you have ACLs enabled by default. It shouldn't be an issue because you are running 10.4.9 Server, but it was in prior 10.4.x Server releases, that Retrospect would crash because of an Apple bug if Retrospect was used, and a hacked version of Retrospect was provided that would not back up ACLs and thus avoid the crash. You might try that for a test backup, just for grins, to see if any difference, but, once this gets sorted out, revert to Retrospect 6.1.126. Here's the link for the hacked version (be sure to read the release notes carefully and follow the instructions):

Retrospect hack for ACLs on Intel

 

(4) 1 GB is really not enough memory to be running Mac OS X Server and Retrospect on an Intel Mac. Retrospect is not Intel Native (not Universal Binary), and I don't know if it ever will be. Regardless, it runs under Rosetta, which imposes about 1/2 GB or so memory footprint. Mac OS X Server needs about 3/4 GB to run. And, depending on the number of files you have, Retrospect needs about 1/2 to 1 GB. You really need more RAM. Badly. 2 GB is about the minimum for Mac OS X Server and Retrospect on a PPC, and you've got the overhead of Rosetta.

 

(5) by this time, if Retrospect has been crashing, your preference files and catalogs, etc., might be corrupt, and so you might have multiple issues. I suggest that you drag the contents (but not the folder) of /Library/Preferences/Retrospect to the desktop (to save them), relaunch and reconfigure after you've got more RAM and have the hacked Retrospect version to try, and try on a small subvolume. Let's get that working first.

 

Just some suggestions.

 

Russ