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Is it working fine, or not working at all?!


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Hey,

 

I have what is hopefully a pretty dumb question... how do I verify that my backups are working properly, without performing a full restore? Logs say the backup is running, and the script looks fine, but all the other indicators really worry me:

 

I'm using Retrospect 6.1.126, trying to backup an XSAN volume to a SCSI Quantum SuperLoader3. Created a backup set on 10/26.

 

In Reports->Contents, I see my set listed as 10/26, and the sessions contained says 4,000 files at 461GB, 10/26. Thing is, I have 67,018 files and 4TB on the volume.

 

Under Configure-Storage Devices, all tapes are listed as "(Erased)".

 

The log doesn't show any useful information, just:

^ Retrospect version 6.1.126

automatically launched at 11/28/2007 8:00 PM

+ Normal backup using EasyScript Backup at 11/28/2007 8:00 PM

To backup set Xsan Backup…

- 11/28/2007 8:00:24 PM: Copying xsan…

 

My backup script is:

Sources: xsan

Destinations: Xsan Backup

Selecting: all files

Verification on, match only same files, never shut down clients, don't backup sparseimages. Scheduled weekly.

 

When I try to browse the volume through Configure-Volumes, it crashes during scanning (Retrospect just vaporizes instantaneously).

 

And btw, when I use Scan (in Storage Devices), it takes about 10 minutes per empty tape. Is this normal? If anything, it looks like this does a full surface scan for each tape, I thought this function only identifies the barcode.

 

Any input will be appreciated.

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Quote:

I have what is hopefully a pretty dumb question... how do I verify that my backups are working properly, without performing a full restore?

 


Strictly speaking, you can't. You need to do a full restore to a spare disk, replace your source disk with that spare disk, see if you get the same results as when the source disk was there.

 

Quote:

When I try to browse the volume through Configure-Volumes, it crashes during scanning (Retrospect just vaporizes instantaneously).

 


This is not normal. What do the crash logs show?

 

You may have corrupt Retrospect preferences from a crash - try moving the contents of

/Library/Preferences/Retrospect

to your Desktop (so Retrospect won't see them, but so you still preserve them in case this isn't the issue) (and delete them from that folder after you've copied them to your Desktop), try again. You will have to re-enter your license code, etc., but it will allow you to test whether the crashing still occurs.

 

Is there a reason that you haven't updated to Retrospect 6.1.138 ? It's a free update.

Is there a reason that you haven't installed a Retrospect Driver Update ("RDU")? It would show up in the logs if it was present. Some of the recent RDUs have problems; you might try about RDU 6.1.9 or so. The RDU are here:

http://kb.dantz.com/article.asp?article=7886&p=2

 

The issue about tapes incorrectly appearing as erased is a known problem caused by Retrospect's odd algorithm for deciding that a tape is erased if there is an error at BOT. Search the forums for this issue. Clean your tape drive's heads, install an RDU, and you might have better luck there.

 

Quote:

Bump

 


You have provided almost no configuration information about your system (type of Mac, version of Mac OS, type of SCSI HBA) so it's really not possible to provide much help.

 

Russ

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