transferring between backup sets quits on faulty media

[tomm.tdm]

We have a particularly nasty problem. Our company has been using Retrospect (currently 6.1) since ages. First all back-ups were done on tape (we've got about 80 tapes comprising 14 different backup sets (ver 5). This was followed by DVD as backup media (78 discs, one back-up set <- not my doing!). Now we're in the process of transferring all the backups to a NAS to facilitate access to the data using the Tools > Copy > Transfer function.

 

The problem is that in many of the backup sets, there seem to be corrupt the odd media. And annoyingly Retrospect always terminates the transferal instead of carrying on with the next good medium in the set.

 

We have started to create backup copies of the original catalogues, then forget all the media up to the corrupt one, then re-start the transfer into a new back-up set so that in the end we have two (or more) backup sets that we merge into one on the NAS.

 

This is extremely time consuming and I wonder whether there is an easier way to recover what is recoverable out of old backup sets.

 

Surely there is a way... isn't there? (I mean, if Retrospect is okay with flagging media as "lost" it should be able to carry on with the next tape/DVD if there's a faulty one in the set...)

 

Any hint would be greatly appreciated!

 

Cheers,

Tom

 

 

[Lennart_T]

Surely there is a way... isn't there? (I mean, if Retrospect is okay with flagging media as "lost" it should be able to carry on with the next tape/DVD if there's a faulty one in the set...)

That is exactly what you should do: Go to Configure-->Backup Set. Double-click on the backup set in question. Then click on Members. Select the faulty member and click "Set Missing".

[tomm.tdm]

First of all thanks for the reply.

 

I take it I have intuitively done the right thing. But how do I find out whether a particular backup member is faulty? I suppose I would have to run through the repair process first? Is there a way to test individual members of a backup set?

 

But what really intrigues me is that Retrospect cannot proceed with the next good member. Any idea why that is?

 

Again, thanks for the reply! Greatly appreciated!

 

Cheers,

Tom

 

P.S.

I just tried to set a member in one of our old backups as missing, but I can't (buttons grayed out). It probably has something to do with the backup set being created by R5 whereas our current system is R6.1.

 

 

[rhwalker]

P.S.

I just tried to set a member in one of our old backups as missing, but I can't (buttons grayed out). It probably has something to do with the backup set being created by R5 whereas our current system is R6.1.

Well, that adds a new twist to the facts, and wasn't originally given in the problem statement.

 

Retrospect 6 can read older backup sets (well, even that is a point of controversy - see:

Retrospect 6.1.230 can't restore older version backup tapes?) but, if you carefully read the release notes:

Retrospect 6.1 Read Me

you will see:

Older Backup Sets: Starting with Retrospect 6.0, the format that Retrospect uses for backup sets' catalog files was changed to support some new features. Users upgrading from a version of Retrospect earlier than 6.0 will need to create new backup sets in order to back up data. The new backup sets will not be recognized with previous versions of Retrospect. Older backup sets will be treated as read-only. While users will not be able to append to pre-existing backup sets, they will be able to restore data from them, and will be able to recreate the older backup sets' catalog files from their media if necessary.

I think, when you are trying to mark a member as missing, that involves modifying the backup set, so you will have to recreate the catalog from the media and mark the member as missing during that process.

 

Is there a way to test individual members of a backup set?

Well, you can run a "Verify" operation on the backup set, but not on individual members. However, during the verification process, when another member is requested, you can make appropriate "Choices" to move past a bunch of members to the desired member.

 

Russ