Lost all my data, RE didn't backup!!!!

[bdarveaux]

I am using Retrospect Express 4.3C.

Because of a reoccurring problem on my internal drive, I needed to back up my

internal drive to an external drive, then erase the internal, then do a

restore. I watched Retrospect zip through all the files, like normal, doing

what I thought was backing up the disk, but when I erased the disk and went

to restore, all I found on the external drive was a Retrospect document with

the name that I gave the StorageSet. The icon for this document is yellow.

When I double clicked on it, it says that it is a File StorageSet with no snapshots.

There were no files in it (contents "empty"). I have sent my hard drive off

to a recovery service because TechTool Pro 3 could not recover the erased

files. I would like to know what went wrong.

 

When I created the storage set, I believe that I chose the option "Macintosh

file" in the Storage Type option pop-up list, although I am not able to see

that option on the computer I am using now (at the moment I can only see two option, "Removable Disks" and "CD". Does that option list change

depending on the configuration of the computer? I think before when ever I backed

up the internal drive I chose "Removable Disks" (even though an external

hard drive is not a removable disk) but this time I didn't. All in all, I find this program quite

confusing. It needs more documentation.

 

Can you tell me why I lost all my data using a program designed to prevent

such a loss?

 

Thanks for your time,

[AmyJ]

Quote:

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When I created the storage set, I believe that I chose the option "Macintosh

file" in the Storage Type option pop-up list, although I am not able to see

that option on the computer I am using now (at the moment I can only see two option, "Removable Disks" and "CD".

 

---

 

Please verify the version of Retrospect you are currently using either through the Operations Log or through "About Retrospect"

 

 

[Mayoff]

Did you have Retrospect setup for a scheduled backup? What does the operations log indicate for the times when you expected the backup to take place?

 

 

 

Retrospect Express includes a User's Guide with about 250 pages.

 

Your post indicated that you are unhappy with our documentation. We would love to hear specifics about what we can add to make improvements.

[bdarveaux]

Good thinking. The version of RE that is on the disk that is off getting recovered may have been updated, and thus different from the one that I just installed from the CD on this alternate computer. You are probably right that different versions may have different options available in the popup list, and thus a source of confusion. When I get the disk back I will check.

 

Thanks,

Blaise

[bdarveaux]

I had RE set for automatic scheduled backup at 8:00PM, but later found that inconvenient. I changed it so that it required manual initiation. This worked good because I usually finished working sometime after 8:00PM and the backup worked great with a single mouseclick. This time, when I went to do a backup up (before 8:00PM), perhaps the program got confused because it wouldn't do it like it does after 8:00PM. For some reason, it wouldn't use the existing storage set. I needed to make a new one. Then when I did, and I selected "Macintosh file" in the Media Type pop up list, it overwrote the previous backups and snapshots and did (what I thought) was a backup. I sat there and watched it zip through the file names like a regular backup. Later, after erasing the hard drive and attempting to do the restore, I found that nothing was backed up. As far as the operations log goes, If I remember correctly, I did look at it and it did say the drive was backed up. But I could be wrong, I am drawing on my memory from a nightmare that occurred about a month ago now. Of course, I can't check it now, the disk is off getting recovered.

 

As a side note, I tried to recover the erased files with TechTool Pro 3, but it could only get back the system folder, but none of my data files. Even though I didn't write any files to the erased disk before sending it off, the professionals are having a difficult time. The say that the files were probably corrupted by TechToolPro 3 during a disk optimization that occured months before. We thought it would be an easy recovery, but they have had it for 2 weeks and are reporting only a 30% recovery.

 

The written manual that I have is 11 pages long. The online help only seems to explain how to perform the operations. Nowhere, in either source, is there mention of what exactly a "snapshot" is. When the program was scheduled for backup, it seemed like sometimes it made a snapshot and other times it didn't. If I had to do a complete disk restore, I just looked at the list of backups and snapshots, and picked the one with the most recent date and time, but I remain confused about what the program is actually doing.

 

In the Media Type popup list, there should be an option for backing up to another hard drive. Perhaps there is now with recent versions of RE, but the one I have, I think I always picked "Removable Disks" or something like that. It seemed to work but it was confusing.

 

Thanks for your help,

 

Blaise

[Mayoff]

In the Retrospect folder (and on the CD) is a PDF version of the Retrospect Express User's Guide. It is about 200+ pages.

[bdarveaux]

Thanks, I will check it out when I get home this evening.

 

 

 

Blaise

 

 

 

Actually, I just checked out the tutorial at the Dantz web site. The only thing that I learned from this document, that I didn't know before, is that if one is backing up to a hard drive (which is what I am doing) you should choose "File" in the "Backup set type:". Actually, I did just this, but now I am wondering if I saw the program do the scan and think that that was the backup. Naturally, there wouldn't be anything in the new storage set if the process was stopped there. But I have run backups dozens of times and (should) know enough to wait for the "Execution Completed" message. It is baffling.

 

 

 

Blaise