Problems backing up to NFS server

[michaellea]

I've got Retrospect Desktop 6.1.126 on Mac OS X 10.4.10.

 

I'm trying to backup to an NFS server... running the backup script manually works normally, but whenever the scheduled job runs, it fails with the error message "Can't access catalog for backup set Daily NAS Backup, error -43 (file/folder not found)." I've confirmed that the NFS directory is mounted and accessible.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Thanks.

 

- Mike

[CallMeDave]

Quote:

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running the backup script manually works normally, but whenever the scheduled job runs, it fails

 

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Are you leaving anything out here, regarding the state of the machine when the scheduled job time arrives?

 

- Is there still a user logged into the Finder?

 

- After successfully running an Immediate backup, can you trigger the script via the "Run" menu?

 

 

 

- What Type of Backup Set are you using? Is this a File Backup Set stored on the remote share?

Retrospect has specific issues when the user who logged in the share is different from the owner of Retrospect (which is always root). There are ways around this when accessing AFP shares, but those same solutions won't work for CIFS, and I don't have first hand experience with NFS shares.

 

You should provide a more complete description of your configuration, and the steps you are taking. The failure point might be discovered by readers.

[michaellea]

Quote:

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- Is there still a user logged into the Finder?

 

- After successfully running an Immediate backup, can you trigger the script via the "Run" menu?

 

- What Type of Backup Set are you using? Is this a File Backup Set stored on the remote share?

Retrospect has specific issues when the user who logged in the share is different from the owner of Retrospect (which is always root). There are ways around this when accessing AFP shares, but those same solutions won't work for CIFS, and I don't have first hand experience with NFS shares.

 

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There is usually at least one user logged in, although not active at the time the backup runs. This is a home computer... we use fast user switching and usually just let the screen saver run when we're done rather than logging out.

 

I can trigger the script from the "Run" menu. It prompts me to find the catalog file for the backup set, but starts off in the right directory.

 

If I run the "Check" command before triggering the script, it gives me the same "error -43" message. If I run "Check" after triggering the script manually, everything is okay.

 

It is a File Backup Set on a remote share. I'm aware of the issues of share ownership with AFP & CIFS which is why I was trying to use NFS. NFS shares (as I understand it) are at a system level rather than at a user level, so ownership shouldn't be an issue in the same way.

 

There can be issues with root access via an NFS share if it's not enabled properly on the server, but I have enabled root access and confirmed that root can access the share.

 

The NFS share is permanently mounted via NetInfo Manager and the automount daemons.

 

Hopefully this provides a more complete picture. If there are any other details that may be helpful, I'd be happy to share.

 

- Mike

[CallMeDave]

> If I run "Check" after triggering the script manually

 

"Triggering a script manually" really isn't a Retrospect term. Do you mean here setting up an Immediate Backup?

 

When you click Immediate->Backup, you will see a window with your last choices already in place. If you go with what's there, it works without further prompts?

 

I think the fact that Retrospect can't see the catalog _file_ even though it sees the folder containing that file is telling. But I don't know of what...

 

Since Retrospect has never been qualified for remote shares on protocols other then AFP, you're in uncharted territories here.

 

Just for fun, I'd try logging into the Finder as root, disable fast user switching (just to take it out of the testing equation) and see if it behaves any differently.

[michaellea]

Quote:

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"Triggering a script manually" really isn't a Retrospect term. Do you mean here setting up an Immediate Backup?

 

When you click Immediate->Backup, you will see a window with your last choices already in place. If you go with what's there, it works without further prompts?

 

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When I say "triggering manually", I mean either "Immediate->Backup" or "Immediate->Run". Both have the same effect... I need to select the catalog file before the backup begins. If I do one after the other (without restarting Retropsect), though, the backup runs without further prompts.

 

I think the problem is that NFS isn't supported by the "volfs" filesystem (mounted at /.vol). I ran a ktrace on the Retrospect scheduler process (RetroRunSL) during last night's scheduled attempt (while logged in as root, as you suggested) and found this:

 

Code:

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  4436 LaunchCFMApp CALL  getattrlist(0xb7fff628,0xb7fffa28,0xbfffbec0,0x32c,0x5)

4436 LaunchCFMApp NAMI "/.vol/234881026/6115604/Daily NAS Backup.cat"

4436 LaunchCFMApp RET getattrlist -1 errno 2 No such file or directory

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According to the Apple Q&A on volfs (http://developer.apple.com/qa/qa2001/qa1113.html), volfs does support AFP, so I guess I'll reconfigure my system to use that.

 

Thanks for your help.