After 10.2 server upgrade, no more autolaunch...

[mfk9000]

I am running Retrospect on OS X *server* and after upgrading to 10.2, Retrospect fails to auto-launch. I re-installed Retrospect but this did not solver the problem.

 

 

 

I checked and the Retrospect preference to auto-launch is checked appropriately.

 

 

 

If I manually launch Retrospect, it begins to run its scripts just fine.

 

 

 

What should I do?

[Mayoff]

Mac OS 10.2 (Jaguar) Support and Retrospect

 

 

 

As backup software, Retrospect requires intimate interaction with many of an OS's subsystems. With Jaguar -- Mac OS X 10.2 -- there are differences in the operating system that affect Retrospect.

 

 

 

Dantz continues to work closely with Apple to complete a free update to Retrospect that will provide excellent support for Jaguar and Jaguar Server. In the meantime, customers who choose to upgrade to Jaguar immediately should be aware of the following:

 

 

 

1. An updated Retrospect client that functions properly under Jaguar is now available from the Dantz website. This new client allows computers running Jaguar to be backed up by

 

Macintosh computers running Retrospect 5.0 under Mac OS 9 or 10.1.x, or by Windows computers running Retrospect 6.0. (Note: Owners of Retrospect 6.0 for Windows already have

 

this client and need not take any action.) The Retrospect 5.0.536 client for Mac OS X is available at the URL below.

 

 

 

ftp://ftp.dantz.com/pub/updates/client_mac_50536_installer.sit

 

 

 

2. Retrospect 5.0 cannot autolaunch because the RetroRun process crashes every time it is launched. This crash will be visible to any user who has turned on crash logging and crash reporting in Mac OS X's Console utility (located in /Applications/Utilities/).

 

 

 

3. Many SCSI card vendors will need to update their drivers in order for Retrospect to access attached SCSI devices under Jaguar. Our preliminary testing has shown that ATTO

 

SCSI cards are well supported under Jaguar, but owners of other SCSI cards, including Adaptec models, will need to contact their SCSI card manufacturer for a driver update. At the current time, we are not aware of any such updates being available.

 

 

 

Dantz is working hard to provide complete support for Jaguar. When we do, it will be with a solid product that offers the very best in reliability for safeguarding data under Mac OS X.

 

 

 

 

[mfk9000]

So there is currently no solution for this, I assume.

[Guest]

This will be fixed when we release a Jaguar-compatible update. Currently, you can run your scripts manually, or try leaving Retrospect open all the time so it doesn't need to launch itself.

[bcmgill]

Using these workarounds is all fine and dandy, but you have to remain logged in. Not secure!

[climberbry]

By using your faithful screen saver lock (see system prefs) you should be able to leave Retrospect open in the background and keep your system secured while unattended.

[courey]

I just posted a long message before I noticed this thread, which pretty much answers all my questions.

 

 

 

I'd like to note the following: when I called dantz earlier today, they tried to sell me telephone help for $69.95. Given the number of people who had already reported the problem, shouldn't the customer service representative have been able to explain the problem to me for free? If I had paid the $69.95, would I have received a refund when the nature of the problem became clear?

[courey]

I tried leaving retrospect open all the time, but discovered that the program automatically quits after a scheduled backup, so this doesn't seem to be a viable option.

[CallMeDave]

In reply to:

---

I tried leaving retrospect open all the time, but discovered that the program automatically quits after a scheduled backup, so this doesn't seem to be a viable option.

---

 

The default setting for Unattended operation is to Quit. This is easily changed in:

 

 

 

Special->Preferences->Unattended

 

 

 

Dave

[Guest]

If you are charged for support for an issue like this (clearly a known bug), we'd certainly refund or credit you for the charge. Our CS/Sales team do not always have the latest technical information. That's another reason we provide the forum.

 

 

 

Irena Solomon

 

Dantz Tech Support

[courey]

OK. The suggested work arounds basically seem to work. I am doing a scheduled nightly backup and I get around the problem of the autolaunch not working by leaving retrospect open. In order to provide some security, I use the screen saver with the option that requires entering the user password to turn off the screen saver.

 

 

 

But last night, I encountered another problem. I need to backup network servers. I followed the instructions in the users guide to tell retrospect to automount the servers. This works fine with the following exception. If I have the network server mounted on the desktop (mounted using the OSX "connect to server..." command), then when retrospect tries to backup it fails to find the volume. If the volume is not mounted in this way at the time of the backup, then automount works fine. Does this mean, I have to remember to unmount my network servers every day in order for the automatic backup to succeed. If I have to do this, then I might as well do the backup manually, since the point of the automatic backup is to have it happen without the user having to think about it.

[CallMeDave]

In reply to:

---

If I have the network server mounted on the desktop (mounted using the OSX "connect to server..." command), then when retrospect tries to backup it fails to find the volume. If the volume is not mounted in this way at the time of the backup, then automount works fine. Does this mean, I have to remember to unmount my network servers every day in order for the automatic backup to succeed. If I have to do this, then I might as well do the backup manually, since the point of the automatic backup is to have it happen without the user having to think about it.

---

 

If the servers are Windows or Macintosh based, Dantz sells a solution that works without any of these issues. Yes, it costs more. But it does more.

 

 

 

If the servers are running on operating systems that are not yet supported by Retrospect under Mac OS (Linux or Solaris) you could use a Windows machine for your backups and get Retrospect 6 + client software for them.

 

 

 

If you prefer to backup mounted AFP volumes then you will have to deal with how Apple implemented file sharing in OS X.

 

 

 

If the remote volumes are mounted on your Aqua Finder's Desktop as the current logged in user, then Retrospect will not be able to access them since it's running as a different effective user (root). That's necessary so that Retrospect has access to all the files on the computer, since the point of backup is to make copies of all the files you want to have copies of.

 

 

 

Even when Dantz releases an update to Retrospect that can autolaunch in 10.2 you will still need to be sure that volumes you want to back up are not mounted before the script starts.

 

 

 

You _could_ log into the Aqua Finder as root, in which case volumes you mount during the day would be accessable to Retrospect at night. But we all agree that this isn't a very good idea...

 

 

 

Dave

[courey]

"If the servers are Windows or Macintosh based, Dantz sells a solution that works without any of these issues. Yes, it costs more. But it does more. "

 

 

 

Can you please elaborate on the above. Are you talking about the Client stuff? Could you tell me briefly how this would work.

 

 

 

Sorry I'm such a dummy.

 

 

 

Thanks!!

 

 

[Guest]

Client software is installed directly on the machine that you wish to back up to and allows the Retrospect application to get the data (including permissions) on your source much more completely and reliably.

 

 

 

Clients are available in quantities of 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 and are an add-on to the product that you have. For pricing, see:

 

 

 

http://www.dantz.com/index.php3?SCREEN=buy_order_license

[courey]

I guess I'm still not sure from your reply if this will do what I want.

 

 

 

1) With the Client software, will I be able to back up Mac network volumes (some running under OS9.2 and others running under OSX 10.2) regardless of whether or not the volumes are mounted on my desktop at the time the backup beings? The backup would be executed by a Mac running OSX10.2 with retrosect Desktop.

 

 

 

2) Will the autolaunch problem still be relevant?

 

 

 

Thanks so much for your indulgence!!

 

 

 

 

[Guest]

The client software creates its own, Retrospect-only, connection between the machines. You can install the application on your Mac, and back up any machine on your network running any Mac OS later than 7.6 and any Windows OS from 95 through 2000 and XP. The only requirement is that they have TCP/IP communication between them. They do not need to be mounted on the desktop -- whether or not they are will make no difference to a Retrospect client backup.

 

 

 

The autolauch problem is specific to 10.2. If you installed the application on a machine running 10.1.5 or prior, it would not apply. The other option is to leave Retrospect open at all times so that it doesn't *need* to auto-launch to run a script.

[pmacleod]

OK so the auto-launching thing is busted under 10.2, which I found on my system (G4/933) On my machine the automatic administrator login function is also busted, I have to put my password in when Retrospect launches despite un-checking the box asking me if I want to authenticate every time. Is this part of the same auto-launching issue ?

 

 

 

Thankfully I don't have any issues with my Adaptec 2930CU SCSI card under 10.2 even though I thought I would. Retrospect quite happily writes to the tape drive connected to it without me loading any additional Adaptec drivers, SCSI Helper etc. Much easier than getting it going with previous versions of OSX :-)

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

Paul.

[ravedog]

here is a simple and perfect workaround for the auto run prob:

 

 

 

this is a 9 line applescript that is autorun on a schedule by a freeware program called Youpi Key.

 

 

 

this will require u to download an app called Youpi Key (get it from version tracker if the link doesnt work).

 

- launch it. you will see a new icon on your menu bar.

 

- select launch editor

 

- in the Shortcuts menu, select run script

 

- give it a name (like run retrospect)

 

- check in menu

 

- check timer

 

- click set time

 

- run each day (or whatever interval u want)

 

- repeat ever

 

- moment in the day at the time in 24 hour format (ie 22:00 - no seconds required)

 

- click ok

 

- paste the following code into the script window (make sure u replace YOUR SCRIPT NAME with the exact name of your script in Retrospect)

 

NOTE: u might want to open up script editor and test to make sure u have your script syntax right. if u run the script and it launches retrospect and it runs your script then paste that code into youpi key. for those of u who know applescript the error trapping routine was neccessary bec ause for somereason when u launch retrospect and then issue a command it will give an error because it isn't finish launching. so it sees if the error is -609, if it is, then it tells the script to wait 15 secs, then proceed with running your script:

 

tell application "Retrospect"

 

try

 

activate

 

on error errMsg number errNum

 

if errNum = -609 then

 

delay 15

 

execute "YOUR SCRIPT NAME"

 

end if

 

end try

 

end tell

 

 

- click OK

 

- command U (for update the menu now - u want to do this after any changes u make)

 

- quit

 

 

 

now, look under the Youpi Key menu item and u will notice your script that u created. u can either launch your script manually by selecting it here, or it will launch by itself according to your timer settings mentioned above.

 

 

 

NOTE: make sure u tell retrospect to quit after a backup if u dont want it to keep running. and youpi key will launch auto the next time. also, make sure u turn off the always allow auhtentication or retro will just sit there and wait for u to enter a password

 

 

 

by the way, this youpi key is awesome for lots of things. read the manual and let the autor know its awesome especially since its FREE.

 

 

 

good luck and hope this helps.