So where is my NAS?

[bobthev]

I very recently regaled you with the drama, "client unavailable." However the solution created its own problem. The solution meant turning off and then restarting the Retrospect engine.

 

Now my backups are on a NAS and the Retrospect log in to this could not be more obtuse if you tried. I keep my NAS logged in, I am looking at its mounted icon on my desk top right now. Why the heck can't Retrospect log in to the NAS via the methodology afforded by the Finder? It took quite awhile to figure out how to enter the proper information into the "Add a share" dialog box.

 

Back to my story: Once the engine was rebooted none of the scripts had valid paths to their catalogs - the connection was lost. The partition does show up in the "locate" dialog box but clicking the arrow to open the boot level of the NAS reveals but one file: "vbt5." No file tree, nothing else. Gone. How do I get it back?

 

Bob Vandiver

[CallMeDave]

Once the engine was rebooted none of the scripts had valid paths to their catalogs...

 

It's not clear exactly what you are seeing, but Mac OS X will now allow two volumes with the same name, [color:purple]or the same volume with the same name[/color] twice, to be mounted [color:purple]at the same time[/color].

 

That means if user Bob mounts a volume (/Volumes/Foo/), then if user root also mounts the volume, the operating system will append a number to the name (/Volumes/Foo-1/).

 

Since Retrospect expects to see a specific volume on a specific path, this unix behavior prevents it.

 

The solution is to not mount (as a Finder user) a share point you use for Retrospect backups.

 

There are many, many threads here on the Forum on this subject.

 

The partition does show up in the "locate" dialog box...

 

The locate function is for Catalog files, not Members.

[bobthev]

Once the engine was rebooted none of the scripts had valid paths to their catalogs...

 

It's not clear exactly what you are seeing, but Mac OS X will now allow two volumes with the same name, [color:purple]or the same volume with the same name[/color] twice, to be mounted [color:purple]at the same time[/color].

 

That means if user Bob mounts a volume (/Volumes/Foo/), then if user root also mounts the volume, the operating system will append a number to the name (/Volumes/Foo-1/).

 

Since Retrospect expects to see a specific volume on a specific path, this unix behavior prevents it.

 

The solution is to not mount (as a Finder user) a share point you use for Retrospect backups.

 

There are many, many threads here on the Forum on this subject.

 

I am an end user, not a programmer. I think that as a physician who also happens to be a part time sysop for my little home network I expect to find answers quickly in this little item called an [color:red]OWNERS MANUAL[/color] It is more than a trifle disingenuous to suggest that my answers are easily found - by merely pouring through piles and piles of posts, whose thread names may be highly misleading for a simple nugget of wisdom. I do have a life.

 

Anyways.....

 

I always keep my NAS mounted since I use it for more than just backups. However what you report clears something up for me: Retrospect has insisted upon naming my NAS with a number. That is no big deal. Thanks for telling me why.

 

The partition does show up in the "locate" dialog box...

 

 

The locate function is for Catalog files, not Members.

 

I am trying to locate a catalog file. I can't see anything: no folder hierarchy, no files at all except for the one I mentioned before, which is probably a Unix file of some sort. Before I "power cycled" the retrospect engine I could see all that was on the NAS, including member, etc.

 

By the way, should I find an answer to my post I will have one more simple question: what is the proper extension of the catalog file, so I know that I have the right file (don't ask why please, just tell me)?

 

Bob

[rhwalker]

I am an end user, not a programmer. I think that as a physician who also happens to be a part time sysop for my little home network I expect to find answers quickly in this little item called an [color:red]OWNERS MANUAL[/color] It is more than a trifle disingenuous to suggest that my answers are easily found - by merely pouring through piles and piles of posts, whose thread names may be highly misleading for a simple nugget of wisdom. I do have a life.

Glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. Well, the Users Guide should be out "real soon now", as indicated over five months ago:

Where the @#%& is my Retrospect 8 User's Guide?

 

Retrospect 8 has only been out for over a year now. Perhaps a Users Guide is a bit too much to expect.

 

Before I "power cycled" the retrospect engine I could see all that was on the NAS, including member, etc.

Um, not a good thing to do. Makes Retrospect (and Unix) very unhappy, can cause corruption and data loss. Run Disk Utility upon reboot. Wave the rubber chicken.

 

By the way, should I find an answer to my post I will have one more simple question: what is the proper extension of the catalog file, so I know that I have the right file (don't ask why please, just tell me)?

That's all in the User's Guide. Oh, forgot, there is no manual.

 

Russ

[CallMeDave]

Retrospect has insisted upon naming my NAS with a number

No.

As I described above, Mac OS X has done that, not Retrospect. It's a Darwin thing I suppose.

 

It is more than a trifle disingenuous to suggest that my answers are easily found - by merely pouring through piles and piles of posts, whose thread names may be highly misleading for a simple nugget of wisdom.

 

Gosh, I stand duly chastised for the way in which I attempting to help. This Forum is a user-to-user community where we all try and support each other as best we can. Since the issue has been raised before, directing you to those discussions would have saved me from writing the solution(s) up yet again.

 

I do have a life.

 

You're not the only one, Doc.

 

(don't ask why please, just tell me)

 

You're joking, right?

[bobthev]

I do have a life.

 

You're not the only one, Doc.

 

(don't ask why please, just tell me)

 

You're joking, right?

 

I said what I said in an attempt to avoid some attitude from responders. I see I failed. You win. (shrugs)

[alabay]

Ehm, according to this problem with mounted shares ... as I told before, when they are unavailable, RS goes down. Also I have to use the share for other files ... At the moment I cannot use it anyway with RS, but is there no possibility that RS can access something and close that connection again? If this is totally impossible with AFP ... hm, maybe with FTP? Although this would be a bit strange ... Why there are no such problems with Time Machine and Time Capsule (I don't have one)?

[CallMeDave]

Why there are no such problems with Time Machine and Time Capsule

 

Because Time Machine only backs up a logged in user (even File Vault users get backed up before the log-out process is completed) . The Retrospect Engine needs to mount volumes independently of any Finder user in order to be full featured no matter what the state of the console.

 

It's a feature, not a bug.

[rhwalker]

By the way, should I find an answer to my post I will have one more simple question: what is the proper extension of the catalog file, so I know that I have the right file (don't ask why please, just tell me)?

.rbc = retrospect backup catalog (you can look in the Retrospect Windows Users Guide - that product has a Manual; what a concept!)

 

I really think that users should call EMC support and ask questions like this that could be solved by looking in the manual, if one existed.

 

When the support burden becomes too high, perhaps creation of a manual will receive a higher (or some minimal) priority. It apparently has had little or no priority for over a year.

 

Contact EMC Retrospect support

 

Russ

[bobthev]

Thanks Russ, that was helpful. See how easy that was, "CallmeDave?"

 

Bob

[bobthev]

Ehm, according to this problem with mounted shares ... as I told before, when they are unavailable, RS goes down. Also I have to use the share for other files ... At the moment I cannot use it anyway with RS, but is there no possibility that RS can access something and close that connection again? If this is totally impossible with AFP ... hm, maybe with FTP? Although this would be a bit strange ... Why there are no such problems with Time Machine and Time Capsule (I don't have one)?

 

 

If what you say is true, then RS poses a rather difficult challenge to the reality based community. You have essentially said (if I understand you correctly) that if I turn off the RS engine and then reboot it all linkage to a network share (a NAS in my case) is screwed. That is bizarre.

 

You know, I worked with RS for the Mac back in OS 8 days. Many of my compatriots opined that RS was difficult to work with - not intuitive. I disagreed - I found it to be intuitive enough and I had RS doing all kinds of fun stuff via various scripts - such as duplicating key pref files to all 'puters on my network for various reasons.

 

This version 8 is a non-intuitive turkey that offers the interested user the opportunity to totally screw his network up. And we are expected to wing it without a manual. Christ.

 

I did not tell you that when I first tried to use this version I thought I had created a network share on my NAS but in fact had succeeded in backing up my server to an invisible folder RS created on my SERVER. I was none the wiser until I discovered that suddenly my HD was full. It turned out that a subtle turn of phrase in the intro guide, couple with missing facts that I needed to fill in led me to this very weird outcome. I read and re-read the instructions before I discovered my error. Yep, who needs a manual? Who needs quick answers to questions on this forum when instead I could simply pour over post after post in the vain attempt to pick up a stray factoid or two and be assured that some cryptic phrase posted a year ago will give me my answer. Very efficient? What a frakkin bunch of crap.

 

(standing by for the next round of patronizing bullshit....)

 

Bob Vandiver

Edited January 30, 2010 by Guest

[rhwalker]

(standing by for the next round of patronizing bullshit....)

Bob, we are just as frustrated as you are. We (the other Retrospect users) would like a life, too. I have been using Retrospect since version 2.0 back in 1992, when it had a manual and was reliable.

 

Dave has his good days and his bad days, just like you and I do. He really was trying to help, and his insight is very good. None of us intend to be patronizing. Really.

 

Russ

[bobthev]

You certainly have not been and I appreciate very much the help that you have offered. I know I am coming across as an arrogant prick but it is a reaction to the odd product that is 8.x and the lack of any help. Not acceptable, very unprofessional.

 

Bob

[CallMeDave]

See how easy that was

 

It's not that I [color:purple]couldn't[/color] answer, it's that I [color:purple]chose not to answer[/color] because I became a trifle resentful when my attempts at assistance were unfairly characterized as disingenuous.

 

I never suggested that your answers would be "easily found," I only noted that the subject had been discussed before, and since I didn't have time to do the searching [color:purple]for you[/color], nor the time to re-write information ([color:purple]for you[/color]) that I've provided numerous times before, I simply noted the existence of previous online discussions. Russ seems to have excellent abilities at searching the Forum, and he's only a lawyer. I'm sure a doctor could do it, too.

 

You have essentially said (if I understand you correctly) that if I turn off the RS engine and then reboot it all linkage to a network share (a NAS in my case) is screwed

 

You do not understand him correctly.

 

when I first tried to use this version I thought I had created a network share on my NAS

 

Retrospect doesn't create shares; that's handled by whatever software is hosting your network attached storage device. Why would you think otherwise?

 

(I) had succeeded in backing up my server to an invisible folder RS created on my SERVER

 

Just as with Retrospect Classic, the location of disk based Media Set Members is controlled by the user. If you mistakenly create a Media Set Member on a logical volume that is also used as a Source for backups to that same Media Set, Retrospect won't alert you to your error. Perhaps it could or should, but that would probably add additional complexity to what is already an unstable and overly complex application.

 

As to the contention that Retrospect created an invisible folder, "visibility" is a Mac OS extended attribute, one that I'm fairly certain Retrospect does not use in folders it creates. If you could not see a folder in the Finder there is likely an explanation, but it won't be that Retrospect created an invisible folder.

 

Who needs quick answers to questions on this forum when instead I could...

 

Breathtaking. Simply breathtaking.

 

Sorry we other users aren't answering your questions quickly enough; no wonder you're having such a poor reaction.

 

clicking the arrow to open the boot level of the NAS reveals but one file: "vbt5." No file tree, nothing else. Gone

[color:purple]vbt5[/color] files are created by VirusBarrier X5. If you're gonna run such invasive and low level software on the same machine you're using as a Retrospect Engine host then it's not surprising you might have issues. But put the blame where it belongs.

 

Dave has his good days and his bad days...

 

I resent that remark. What evidence is there that I have good days?