Robin87 Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Hi, I'm running Retrospect on my OSX Server to backup local files. The problem is that while doing this, Retrospect crashes every time and freezes the whole server, I can't do a backup anymore. I can't find any trace in the log (the log stops without a trace of crash). Sometimes the backup discs even get corrupted, where I have to erase the whole drive and start over! How could I debug this? It works fine backing up clients on the server but not with backing up local drivers! Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhwalker Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Could you provide us with some specifics of your configuration? A good starting point would be: (1) Retrospect version (x.y.z - see the Retrospect logs on launch) (2) RDU version installed (see the Retrospect logs on launch) (3) Xserve type and amount of RAM, Mac OS version (4) Are you seeing any ECC errors or other errors in the Xserve's logs? (5) What type of backup set do you have? (6) If it's to tape or optical media, what device? What firmware? How connected to Xserve? And some specifics about the problem: (7) At what point in the server backup does the crash occur? (8) what have you tried to troubleshoot? (9) have you tried booting the Xserve from the install DVD and checking the file systems? (10) Have you tried to narrow down whether the problem is related to a specific volume or portion of a volume by using Retrospect "subvolumes" to restrict the amount of filesystem scanned / backed up? (11) Does the server have ACLs enabled? Is this an Intel Xserve? If both answers are yes, are you aware of this Apple bug and the Retrospect hacked version to work around the bug? http://kb.dantz.com/article.asp?article=9576&p=2 Provide some information and we will try to help. It shouldn't be crashing - ours doesn't on our Xserve. Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin87 Posted October 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 Hi, I'm going to reply right underneath your questions! Could you provide us with some specifics of your configuration? A good starting point would be: (1) Retrospect version (x.y.z - see the Retrospect logs on launch) This is Version 6.1.126 (2) RDU version installed (see the Retrospect logs on launch) I'm sorry, I don't see this version, I see the Device Access Version: 1.0.107 (3) Xserve type and amount of RAM, Mac OS version I'm sorry, I might have confused you, it's actually just a G4 serving as a Mac OSX server, running OSX 10.4.9 Processor: Dual 1.25 Ghz PowerPC G4 1MB L3 cache per processor Memory: 1.5 GB DDR SDRAM (4) Are you seeing any ECC errors or other errors in the Xserve's logs? Not using an Xserve so I don't see any errors, when I reboot the computer (after the freeze), Retrospect shows up with this error message that it was closed improperly, probably due to power failure (because that's the only way I could get back up) (5) What type of backup set do you have? My backup set is a 500 GB Oxford Semiconductor Ltd. Firewire Drive! (6) If it's to tape or optical media, what device? What firmware? How connected to Xserve? Firewire Drive And some specifics about the problem: (7) At what point in the server backup does the crash occur? I'm backing up multiple partitions (all on a RAID 5 system), first I had it crash during the backup of one partition (first one, after about 40%), but then I took that partition out the backup script and it happened then at the next partition it's supposed to backup (8) what have you tried to troubleshoot? That's as far as I've gotten, don't know what more to do, everytime I try things, I have to turn down the server, which causes all my clients to freak out :-) (9) have you tried booting the Xserve from the install DVD and checking the file systems? What would be a good way of checking the partition on the G4? (10) Have you tried to narrow down whether the problem is related to a specific volume or portion of a volume by using Retrospect "subvolumes" to restrict the amount of filesystem scanned / backed up? Always the first volume it's trying to backup! (11) Does the server have ACLs enabled? Is this an Intel Xserve? If both answers are yes, are you aware of this Apple bug and the Retrospect hacked version to work around the bug? http://kb.dantz.com/article.asp?article=9576&p=2 Quote:This problem does NOT happen when the source is using a PowerPC processor, even if they are using 10.4.7/10.4.8. This problem does NOT happen with 10.4.9 of the Mac OS. I do have ACLs enabled though but I have a PowerPC and run 10.4.9 I hope you can help me more with the information provided, if you need more information, please let me know! Provide some information and we will try to help. It shouldn't be crashing - ours doesn't on our Xserve. Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CallMeDave Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 I'll comment right underneath on your replies to Russ' questions : (2) RDU version installed (see the Retrospect logs on launch) I'm sorry, I don't see this version, I see the Device Access Version: 1.0.107 The Operations Log does not display information regarding the RDU. If you see nothing in the LOG about an RDU, then you are not running one. You should be. (5) What type of backup set do you have? My backup set is a 500 GB Oxford Semiconductor Ltd. Firewire Drive! Unresponsive on multiple levels. Retrospect is capable of storing data on various kinds of mechinical devices, so it has names for the different Types of storage you might have chosen. There are File Backup Sets. There are CD/DVD Backup Sets. There are Tape Backup Sets. And there are Internet Backup Sets. So far, we don't know what Type of Backup Set you are using. (6) If it's to tape or optical media, what device? What firmware? How connected to Xserve? Firewire Drive FireWire is a bus protocol. There are FireWire cameras. There are FireWire music mixers. There are FireWire hard drives. There are FireWire tape drives. So far, we don't know what make/model/firmware/driver of media device you _might_ be using. It's actually just a G4 serving as a Mac OSX server I'm backing up multiple partitions (all on a RAID 5 system), Since Apple didn't ship desktop G4 machines with hardware RAID support, we won't know what make/model of RAID you might be using. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin87 Posted October 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 I'm sorry for not being clear enough! Can you please tell me a little more about RDU and where I should get it? Type of backup set is: Disk Backup Set, and actually I didn't get question 6 right, the answer is: HPT DISK 1_0 Media, with a SCSI connection and partition scheme: Apple Partition Map! I don't know where I can find out what RAID system we're using, can you maybe explain on where to find that in the OS? Also, I've been using Retrospect for years and never had problems, it just started happening about 2 weeks ago! Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhwalker Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 The Retrospect Driver Update ("RDU") is an add-on / update that fixes bugs and adds support for additional devices. The whole RDU version history is at the following link, and it goes in the same folder as Retrospect: http://kb.dantz.com/article.asp?article=7886&p=2 If you are using a disk backup set, you should install the RDU but that's probably not your issue. Because of the crash issues, it sounds like your Retrospect preferences may be corrupted from a prior crash and might need to be trashed and set up again. Do carefully so that you don't lose your scripts, etc. One way to do it would be to move the prefs to your desktop, then launch Retrospect and re-enter license code, etc., see if you can do a simple backup. If so, then focus in that direction. Quote: What would be a good way of checking the partition on the G4? As I said - boot the computer from your Mac OS X Server install DVD, use Disk Utility. Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CallMeDave Posted October 14, 2007 Report Share Posted October 14, 2007 Quote: Type of backup set is: Disk Backup Set The Macintosh version of Retrospect does _not have_ Disk Backup Sets. That is a feature only in the Windows product. At this point, the most basic information about your configuration remains unclear. > I didn't get question 6 right, the answer is: HPT DISK 1_0 Media, with a SCSI connection and > partition scheme: Apple Partition Map I guess we're going to have to assume that you are backing up your files to a hard drive of some sort (although a google search of "HPT Disk" suggests the term is used mostly in turbine engines). Imagine that you were writing a classfied ad in an attempt to sell all of this equipment. What would you write to prospective buyers? > I don't know where I can find out what RAID system we're using, can you maybe explain on > where to find that in the OS? RAID 5 systems, especiall SCSI based, can be quite substantial investments. So it would be like saying I drive a pretty nice car, but I have no idea what its make and model are. > I've been using Retrospect for years and never had problems With this same equipment? I'm very curious to know what RAID 5 hardware you've been using for years. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin87 Posted October 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2007 I'm trying to debug it now by having retrospect create new preference files. My problem here is that when I go to configure -> devices, my drives don't show up, when I go to the old preference files again, it sees them again. Am I missing something here? Shouldn't the drives appear automatically? Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CallMeDave Posted October 15, 2007 Report Share Posted October 15, 2007 Quote: Am I missing something here? Yes. You are missing the fact that in order for other people to help, they have to understand what you are doing. So it's up to you to describe exactly what's going on, what equipment is in use, what steps are being taken, etc. So far, you haven't done that, and until you do the help we can offer will be minimal. You have given us a clue about your setup by noting that you expect to see your drives acting as a Device. By default, Retrospect does not treat external hard drives as Devices, but it can be made to do so by modifying the program's preferences. But I'm gonna just sit this one out until the question posed so far have been addressed. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twickland Posted October 15, 2007 Report Share Posted October 15, 2007 Quote: My problem here is that when I go to configure -> devices, my drives don't show up... Shouldn't the drives appear automatically? Retrospect for Mac doesn't normally consider hard drive volumes to be "devices." To overcome this, you need to go to Preferences> Media Handling and select "Use hard drives as removable disks." However, unless you truly need to span multiple volumes with your backup set, I'd recommend that in the future you use a File Backup Set. (Although you haven't yet answered Dave's and Russ's questions about your configuration, your current question suggests you've been using a Removable Disk Backup Set.) In my experience, using a hard drive volume as a Removable Disk backup set can sometimes introduce unexpected behavior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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