Retrospect just stopped copying ...

[Lance3]

Hi all,

 

Couldn't find another thread that exactly covers this , so starting a new one. Hope that's OK.

 

Using Retrospect since forever through various versions & Mac systems. In December I migrated from G4 macmini running Tiger to macbook running Leopard (10.5.1). It was about the same time that I installed Retrospect update 6.1.13.101. Retrospect made the migration effortlessly and continued right along as before. In January I successfully added two clients on our home LAN. My backup HD is a Maxtor One-touch (first generation - 160G FW400), which I've used continuously for several years.

 

But then - as I only just noticed - something (??) happened after January 23rd, which is the last time my daily backup of my own system actually worked. Since that time one of my two backup sets has reached a scheduled recycle. The script has duly erased all the old data, and replaced it with ... nothing. The file and catalog are empty! .. likewise after several normal backups since! (The other backup set hasn't yet reached a recycle. It just has no new data after Jan 23rd.)

 

I get no error messages, and all the visible signs are that the backup is happening as normal. But I now see that after each "backup" the log reads:

"∆ Retrospect version 6.1.138

launched at 16/2/2008 7:20 AM

+ Retrospect Driver Update, version 6.1.13.101

 

+ Normal backup using System Backup2 at 16/2/2008 7:20 AM

To backup set BackupSetName…

 

- 16/2/2008 7:20:43 AM: Copying MyHDName…" -- and there the log ends until the next activity!!

 

I've tried creating a brand new script with brand new backup sets using EasyScript. But that just produced the same result -- i.e. an error-free "backup" with zero data copied!

 

Further weird bit: the clients I've added are backing-up perfectly, and did so (again) yesterday.

 

Is this another instance of a problem with 6.1.13.101 and needing to back track to an earlier update?? .. But then why would it run perfectly for a month with the latest one - then stop copying the host machine's data but keep copying the clients'?

 

So I now have no data backed up for the past 3 weeks, and can't seem to fix it. Getting serious!! (Fortunately my crucial data is backed up to Mozy, though that's a beta.)

 

Urgent help, please

[CallMeDave]

Quote:

---

I've tried creating a brand new script with brand new backup sets using EasyScript. But that just produced the same result -- i.e. an error-free "backup" with zero data copied!

 

---

 

Forget using a script, and simple pre-flight an Immediate Backup using the same Source and Destination that are causing your problems.

 

Then click on Files Chosen and see if you get the expected Browser window showing the files that Retrospect intends to copy.

 

Then Execute the backup and watch what happens.

 

A step-by-step description of what you do and what you see when you do it might help us to guess what's happening.

 

 

Dave

[Lance3]

Thanks for that, Dave.

 

Well I tried what you said, and now I've finally actually witnessed it with my own eyes (just as well I was looking at the screen at the right millisecond .. ). Retrospect proceeded to scan, and spent several minutes doing it (source was my entire HD). Then the app quit completely .. totally gone, vamoosed, disappeared!! in under a second, without a trace. No error messages, same log entry as in my original post, not even the dialog I normally get when an app crashes, offering me the option of reporting to Apple. Just nothing. The last thing my eyes caught was the same set of windows with the "Scanning ..." one on the top. So whether it was still in the middle of scanning or had just finished, I can't possibly say.

 

I can't figure out how to attach files here, even though I'd have thought my browser (Camino 1.5.4) would have been compliant. So I'll just have to paste below the text of two files - a system log (which is what I got by typing "retro" into the search filter field of Console.app) and a crash log entry. I'm a non-geek, so haven't a clue with that stuff .. hopefully you do?

 

(Oh, P.S. ... I also tried switching to the 6.1.11.101 driver update, but that made no difference.(

 

TIA ...

 

---------

Feb 18 00:56:56 LancesMacbook SystemStarter[32]: Skipping disabled StartupItem: /Library/StartupItems/RetroRun

Feb 18 00:58:03 LancesMacbook SystemStarter[44]: Skipping disabled StartupItem: /Library/StartupItems/RetroRun

Feb 18 00:58:24 LancesMacbook com.apple.launchd[1] ([0x0-0x6006].com.dantz.RetroRunSL[148]): Exited: Terminated

Feb 18 01:08:52 LancesMacbook SystemStarter[44]: Skipping disabled StartupItem: /Library/StartupItems/RetroRun

Feb 18 07:00:48 LancesMacbook SystemStarter[32]: Skipping disabled StartupItem: /Library/StartupItems/RetroRun

Feb 18 07:01:06 LancesMacbook com.apple.launchd[1] ([0x0-0x5005].com.dantz.RetroRunSL[126]): Exited: Terminated

Feb 18 07:33:11 LancesMacbook ReportCrash[1120]: Formulating crash report for process Retrospect[796]

Feb 18 07:33:11 LancesMacbook ReportCrash[1120]: Saved crashreport to /Library/Logs/CrashReporter/Retrospect_2008-02-18-073311_LancesMacbook.crash using uid: 0 gid: 0, euid: 0 egid: 0

Feb 18 10:23:26 LancesMacbook ReportCrash[5346]: Formulating crash report for process Retrospect[4633]

Feb 18 10:23:27 LancesMacbook ReportCrash[5346]: Saved crashreport to /Library/Logs/CrashReporter/Retrospect_2008-02-18-102326_LancesMacbook.crash using uid: 0 gid: 0, euid: 0 egid: 0

Feb 18 11:37:38 LancesMacbook MozyBackup[53]: (backup) Uploaded /Users/lance/Library/Preferences/com.dantz.Retrospect.plist

Feb 18 13:24:41 LancesMacbook ReportCrash[9953]: Formulating crash report for process Retrospect[9530]

Feb 18 13:24:41 LancesMacbook ReportCrash[9953]: Saved crashreport to /Library/Logs/CrashReporter/Retrospect_2008-02-18-132441_LancesMacbook.crash using uid: 0 gid: 0, euid: 0 egid: 0

Feb 18 13:57:59 LancesMacbook ReportCrash[10808]: Formulating crash report for process Retrospect[10489]

Feb 18 13:57:59 LancesMacbook ReportCrash[10808]: Saved crashreport to /Library/Logs/CrashReporter/Retrospect_2008-02-18-135759_LancesMacbook.crash using uid: 0 gid: 0, euid: 0 egid: 0

 

---------

 

Process: Retrospect [10489]

Path: /Applications/Utilities/Retrospect 6.1/Retrospect/Contents/MacOS/AuthenticateUser.app/Contents/MacOS/../../../Retrospect

Identifier: Retrospect

Version: ??? (???)

Code Type: PPC (Translated)

Parent Process: launchd [1]

 

Date/Time: 2008-02-18 13:57:59.962 +1100

OS Version: Mac OS X 10.5.1 (9B18)

Report Version: 6

 

Exception Type: EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGSEGV)

Exception Codes: KERN_INVALID_ADDRESS at 0x0000000015800000

Crashed Thread: 0

 

Thread 0 Crashed:

0 translate 0xb80a1f8c 0xb8000000 + 663436

1 translate 0xb8160339 CallPPCFunctionAtAddressInt + 25833

2 translate 0xb816cdf4 CallPPCFunctionAtAddressInt + 77732

3 translate 0xb80df67b 0xb8000000 + 915067

 

Thread 1:

0 ??? 0x800bb8e6 0 + 2148251878

1 ??? 0x800c30dc 0 + 2148282588

2 translate 0xb818b69a CallPPCFunctionAtAddressInt + 202826

3 ??? 0x800ec075 0 + 2148450421

4 ??? 0x800ebf32 0 + 2148450098

 

Thread 2:

0 translate 0xb8152ad4 spin_lock_wrapper + 92328

1 translate 0xb8167d9e CallPPCFunctionAtAddressInt + 57166

2 translate 0xb80bd6fb 0xb8000000 + 775931

3 translate 0xb80b6b77 0xb8000000 + 748407

4 translate 0xb80d4530 0xb8000000 + 869680

5 translate 0xb813d2cf spin_lock_wrapper + 4259

 

Thread 3:

0 translate 0xb8152bc4 spin_lock_wrapper + 92568

1 translate 0xb816c7f5 CallPPCFunctionAtAddressInt + 76197

2 translate 0xb80bd6fb 0xb8000000 + 775931

3 translate 0xb80b6b77 0xb8000000 + 748407

4 translate 0xb80d4530 0xb8000000 + 869680

5 translate 0xb813d2cf spin_lock_wrapper + 4259

 

Thread 0 crashed with X86 Thread State (32-bit):

eax: 0x15800000 ebx: 0xb816019c ecx: 0x15728c20 edx: 0xb81d86cc

edi: 0x157fffc0 esi: 0x15800000 ebp: 0xb7fff9e8 esp: 0xb7fff9e8

ss: 0x0000001f efl: 0x00010206 eip: 0xb80a1f8c cs: 0x00000017

ds: 0x0000001f es: 0x0000001f fs: 0x00000000 gs: 0x00000037

cr2: 0x15800000

 

Binary Images:

0xb8000000 - 0xb81d7fe7 translate ??? (???) /usr/libexec/oah/translate

 

Translated Code Information:

Rosetta Version: 20.44

Args: /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Support/LaunchCFMApp /Applications/Utilities/Retrospect 6.1/Retrospect/Contents/MacOS/AuthenticateUser.app/Contents/MacOS/../../../Retrospect

Exception: EXC_BAD_ACCESS (0x0001)

 

Thread 0: Crashed (0xb7fff9e8, 0xb80a1f8c)

0x9147153c: /usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib : _statx1 + 52

0x9147175c: /usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib : _statx_np$INODE64 + 64

0x9141fbe4: /usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib : _acl_get_file1 + 100

0x853c102c: No symbol

0x853c1350: No symbol

0x85363708: No symbol

0x85364254: No symbol

0x852c11d0: No symbol

0x850f9d14: No symbol

0x852bd14c: No symbol

0x8511f8a4: No symbol

0x8511faa0: No symbol

0x852bd764: No symbol

0x850f9d14: No symbol

0x851bc330: No symbol

0x851bd7f0: No symbol

0x850f9d14: No symbol

0x8516ba38: No symbol

0x850f9d14: No symbol

0x85169c94: No symbol

0x850f9d14: No symbol

0x85118334: No symbol

0x8511a298: No symbol

0x850f9d14: No symbol

0x850fc804: No symbol

0x850f9d14: No symbol

0x8514ca0c: No symbol

0x850f9d14: No symbol

0x8514d968: No symbol

0x850e6d5c: No symbol

0x8511f8a4: No symbol

0x8511faa0: No symbol

0x850e7248: No symbol

0x850f25f4: No symbol

0x8511f8a4: No symbol

0x8511faa0: No symbol

0x850f2750: No symbol

0x8511f8a4: No symbol

0x8511faa0: No symbol

0x850f2848: No symbol

0x850f29b4: No symbol

0x853c1f48: No symbol

 

PPC Thread State

srr0: 0x00000000 srr1: 0x00000000 vrsave: 0x00000000

cr: 0xXXXXXXXX xer: 0x00000000 lr: 0x91471570 ctr: 0x914714f0

r00: 0x00000155 r01: 0xbfffc320 r02: 0xa033ba8c r03: 0xbfffc648

r04: 0xbfffc41c r05: 0x15728c20 r06: 0xbfffc35c r07: 0x157fc598

r08: 0x00000005 r09: 0x00000005 r10: 0xe0000007 r11: 0xa0339da0

r12: 0x914714f0 r13: 0x00000000 r14: 0x00000000 r15: 0x00000000

r16: 0x00000000 r17: 0x00000000 r18: 0x00000000 r19: 0x00000001

r20: 0x00000000 r21: 0x00000000 r22: 0x00000000 r23: 0x00000001

r24: 0x001c2130 r25: 0xbfffc35c r26: 0x0000000c r27: 0xbfffc3f8

r28: 0xbfffc41c r29: 0x914714f0 r30: 0x000001ac r31: 0x9147172c

 

Thread 1: (0xb011cd38, 0xb8152bc4)

0x913cde60: /usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib : __pthread_cond_wait + 1260

0x139dc04c: /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/OpenTransport.framework/Versions/A/OpenTransport : _CarbonOperationThreadFunc + 136

0x9141c39c: /usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib : __pthread_body + 40

0x00000000: /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Support/LaunchCFMApp : + 0

 

PPC Thread State

srr0: 0x00000000 srr1: 0x00000000 vrsave: 0x00000000

cr: 0xXXXXXXXX xer: 0x00000000 lr: 0x913cdfa4 ctr: 0x91395cdc

r00: 0x0000014e r01: 0xf0101a50 r02: 0xf0101a90 r03: 0x00005e03

r04: 0x00005f03 r05: 0x00000000 r06: 0x00000000 r07: 0x00000000

r08: 0x00000000 r09: 0x00000001 r10: 0xfffffc7f r11: 0xa033a898

r12: 0x91395cdc r13: 0xf0101b28 r14: 0xf0101b24 r15: 0xf0101b20

r16: 0xf0101b1c r17: 0xf0101b18 r18: 0xf0101ce8 r19: 0x00000000

r20: 0x00000000 r21: 0x00000000 r22: 0x00000000 r23: 0x00000000

r24: 0x00000000 r25: 0x00000000 r26: 0x00000000 r27: 0xa033d988

r28: 0x00196140 r29: 0x0086e800 r30: 0x001960e8 r31: 0x913cd988

 

Thread 2: (0xb009ad68, 0xb8152ad4)

0x139dae34: /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/OpenTransport.framework/Versions/A/OpenTransport : _BSD_watchevent + 44

0x139dffb8: /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/OpenTransport.framework/Versions/A/OpenTransport : _CarbonSelectThreadFunc + 204

0x9141c39c: /usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib : __pthread_body + 40

0x00000000: /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Support/LaunchCFMApp : + 0

 

PPC Thread State

srr0: 0x00000000 srr1: 0x00000000 vrsave: 0x00000000

cr: 0xXXXXXXXX xer: 0x00000000 lr: 0x139daea0 ctr: 0x913e09ec

r00: 0x00000000 r01: 0xf0080d60 r02: 0x139f8010 r03: 0x000000e8

r04: 0xf0080e34 r05: 0x00000000 r06: 0x00000000 r07: 0x01000000

r08: 0x00000000 r09: 0x01000000 r10: 0x00000000 r11: 0x139f842c

r12: 0x913e09ec r13: 0x139f8010 r14: 0x00000000 r15: 0x139f8010

r16: 0x139f8008 r17: 0xf0080e18 r18: 0x139ffefc r19: 0xf0080e0c

r20: 0xf0080dfc r21: 0xf0080e08 r22: 0xf0080e34 r23: 0x00000000

r24: 0x139ffefc r25: 0x139f8010 r26: 0x00000000 r27: 0xf0080e04

r28: 0xf0080e34 r29: 0x00000000 r30: 0x139f8010 r31: 0x139dfefc

[Lance3]

Hello Dave ... ? Hello anyone ... ? Still looking for help on this one .. getting a tad desperate ...

[rhwalker]

Few things to try:

 

(1) go to Special > Preferences > OS X, turn on the option to not copy ACLs during backup.

 

(2) it's possible that you might have some corrupt preferences; who knows why.

With Retrospect not running, drag the contents of

/Library/Preferences/Retrospect

to the Desktop (so Retrospect won't see them, but you can move them back if needed and if things go badly).

You will need to re-enter your license code and re-configure. Try the test cycle again.

 

(3) define a subvolume of your HD, use that subvolume as the Retrospect source. That will keep Retrospect from scanning your whole drive. Perhaps there's some odd file that is giving Retrospect fits, or some filesystem issue. But this might help you narrow it down, by redefining the subvolume to try to find the bad spot.

 

(4) Is Time Machine turned off? If not, Retrospect may get confused. See this from the Read Me for Retrospect 6.1.138:

Quote:

---

Time Machine: Backing up or duplication on Time Machine data is not supported. If Retrospect detects Time Machine data during a local or client operation it will add an entry to the log. Backups and duplicates using previous versions of Retrospect would stop when Time Machine data was encountered.

 

---

Perhaps the "fix" in this release is not complete.

 

(5) Just for curiosity, how many files on your hard drive? You may be hitting some limit of Retrospect in Rosetta. One way to test this possibility is the subvolume test (#3, above).

 

Good luck.

 

Russ

[Lance3]

Thanks, Russ. Your option 1 seems to have done it - yippee!

 

But meantime I've ended up deciding to switch to Time Machine for my own BU. (Will keep using Retrospect for the clients.)

 

Anyway, what is an ACL? I know it's something to do with permissions, but I'm not a geek so even knowing that doesn't tell me much ..

 

And more to the point: Any ideas why this would suddenly start becoming a problem in the middle of nothing?? It can't be the upgrade to Leopard, since I'd been using that a month when this problem appeared. So what ... ?

[rhwalker]

But meantime I've ended up deciding to switch to Time Machine for my own BU. (Will keep using Retrospect for the clients.)

Time Machine has its own issues. I'm not a Retrospect fanboy, and I think I understand its strengths and weaknesses; it's not perfect, but it's a much better product for our needs than Time Machine. I am hopeful that a new version of Retrospect will address the weaknesses.

 

Anyway, what is an ACL?

Unix permissions have their ancestry in the original Unix that Dennis Ritchie and Ken Thompson did years ago as their research project, and don't have the flexibility needed in modern enterprise environments. ACLs ("Access Control Lists") are just another permissions paradigm. Apple uses their own variation of ACLs that coexists alongside standard unix permissions. If an ACL exists, it will control; if not, the unix permissions will.

 

Details: in terminal, type "man acl" (without the quotes) for the manual page.

 

I don't have access to the Retrospect code base (guess I should consider myself lucky on that) because I am just a Retrospect user like you are, but it's my understanding that what you are seeing is caused by an Apple bug in the MacOS that was introduced about MacOS 10.4.8 or so. There are mistaken legends floating about that this is only seen on the Intel platform, but that's not true; it's a function of whether ACLs are enabled on a volume, and whether the version of MacOS 10.4.x or 10.5.x is the Universal Binary version, which was built from a different code base than the MacOS 10.4.x PPC version. ACLs are turned on by default in Leopard (MacOS 10.5.x) because Apple wants to encourage (read force) developers and users to adopt the ACL model rather than the unix permissions model, but were not turned on by default in MacOS 10.4.x unless you had MacOS 10.4.x server. They could be turned on with effort using Terminal commands in MacOS 10.4.x non-server.

 

Anyway, it's an Apple bug, and EMC has just provided that preference to cause Retrospect to not make the syscalls to get and save ACL metadata; by changing that preference, you are not preserving ACL metadata, but are still preserving the unix permissions data and all of the file metadata (modify date, time, etc.) and all of the file data for backed up files. Perhaps someday Apple will fix the bug; perhaps it's only a bug that surfaces with PPC code that is emulated under Rosetta, in which case Apple could care less, and might intentionally delay fixing the bug to encourage developers to come up with a universal binary version of their program.

 

Glad you were able to use this workaround to get going. As to what caused the problem now, well, Apple has released software updates and security updates that might have changed one of the underlying libraries or system code that caused this bug to surface for you. Perhaps one of the updates caused some filesystem path to get the ACL settings that trigger the bug. Perhaps you installed some software that uses one of the problematic ACL settings. This is one rare instance where it's not Bill Gates' fault.

 

Russ

[Lance3]

Thanks for the explanation, Russ. I'll file it somewhere ....

 

Guess that's the end of that topic.