error -108

[sbken]

I receive the error -108 message (see below for complete error message) and I have read the available information on this error, honest!

 

 

 

I’ve allocated 25,000K to Retrospect 5.0.205 (with Driver update 2.8.103). I’m using a 300 MHz iBook, OS 9.2.2, with 320 MB RAM and Virtual Memory of 321 MB. The largest unused block of memory is 236MB and I’m backing up to a USB 40GB external HD. The backup file is being stored as a split catalog file. I’ve tried backing up twice today and have received the following message both times. All the foregoing memory settings would lead me to believe I have enough memory allocated but apparently this is not so. Suggestions and help would be most welcome.

 

 

 

- 8/22/2002 4:25:49 PM: Copying Macintosh HD…

 

Can't save catalog, error -108 (not enough memory).

 

8/22/2002 6:51:52 PM: Execution incomplete.

 

Completed: 66991 files, 2.6 GB

 

Performance: 20.0 MB/minute

 

Duration: 02:26:03 (00:17:39 idle/loading/preparing)

 

 

[AmyJ]

25 meg may not be enough memory when you are asking Retrospect to scan a volume with 67,000 files. The program does not use the 'Largest unused block' when writing to a File backup set so it is important to allocate as much memory as possible to the actual program.

 

 

 

Is this dual boot OS 9 / OS X? The file count would seem to indicate this. If so, please keep in mind that Retrospect 4.3 _cannot_ backup your OS X system, and should you need to do a full disk restore, your OS X will not be bootable.

 

 

 

 

[sbken]

AmyC:

 

 

 

Muchly thanks for your reply! I don’t know how much your answer ishould be modified since I’m using Retrospect 5.0.205 (see my original post.) I’ll try allocating 50,000K to Retrospect and see if that helps.

 

 

 

I rue the day I decided to install OS X along with my OS 9.2.2. Removal means reformatting my HD according to my sources. I’d rather find some information/guidance on what it makes sense to back up with a dual-boot system. Although I mainly use 9.2.2, in the near future I’ll be getting a new Mac which will undoubtedly have 9.2.2 and 10.2 on it. It appears that a whole new philospohy is needed when backing us such configurations due to the horrendus number and size of the files. Previously (before OS X) I’d just use Retrospect to back up my entire HD. It starting to look as though that is not the way to go in the future. Backup media isn’t big enough and possibly I possibly won’t be able to restore a bootable OS X anyhow, although this is unclear since your response referred to Retrospect 4.3.

 

 

 

Do you know of any guidance of what a good backup strategy with respect to selection of files/folders that should be backed up and which should be ignored? Also, what’s the idea medium - within a reasonable price range -for backing up Macintosh 9.2.2/10.X? Looks as though my fairly new DAT DDS-3 tape drive isn’t such a good idea and that hard disks are not the best way to go.

[sbken]

Thanks to AmyC:

 

 

 

I managed to eliminate my -108 error message by increasing the memory for Retrospect to a monsterous 50,000K! This is way beyond the values suggested in the Dantz chart for the number of files backed up versus memory allocation to Retrospect.

 

 

 

I am still searching for a better backup media than my current 40GB external HD and have not eliminated the idea of still using my APS DDS-3 DAT SCSI drive with an Adaptec SCSI PCI card. This means I need to buy a new G4 “Mirror” Mac rather than an eMac or iMac. A rather high price to pay for a suitable backup device solution.

[AmyJ]

This is not overly surprising when you are backing up OS X, which contains 10's of thousands of very small files. It takes a lot of memory to track and process this many files.