Server Stopping/Crashing(?)

[kipouros]

Hi

 

I've been running Retro 8.1 Server on Mac OS X 10.6.3, using Media Set Type "HD" (external Firewire drive) for quite a while.

I noticed, that the server disappears - i.e. stops - from time to time (irregularly, often after a couple of days). The client, running on the same machine, displays, that the server is stopped.

When I try to (re)-start the server from the Retrospect System Extension, nothing happens. The only thing, that works, is to restart the computer. Then after some time, the same...

 

There are no retro-log entries, the system log shows the following:

- first entries probably come from, when is started the client

- then I try to restart the server using the system extension

- then I rebooted the machine..

10.06.10 21:32:22 com.retrospect.RetroEngine[55] dag service: client connected.

10.06.10 21:32:23 Retrospect[97259] Connected to 127.0.0.1:22024, current version = 8

10.06.10 21:53:58 /Applications/EMC Retrospect 8/Retrospect.app/Contents/MacOS/Retrospect[97259] ATS AutoActivation: Query timed out. (elapsed 5.0 seconds. params: queryString = {com_apple_ats_name_postscript == "Lucidatypewriter" && kMDItemContentTypeTree != com.adobe.postscript-lwfn-font}, valueListAttrs = {{type = immutable, count = 1, values = (

0 : {contents = "kMDItemContentType"}

)}}, sortingAttrs = {{type = immutable, count = 1, values = (

0 : {contents = "kMDItemContentModificationDate"}

)}}, scopeList = {{type = immutable, count = 1, values = (

0 : {contents = "kMDQueryScopeComputer"}

)}}.)

10.06.10 21:55:41 com.retrospect.RetroEngine[55] dag service: client disconnected.

10.06.10 21:57:13 /Library/Application Support/Retrospect/RetrospectEngine.bundle/Contents/MacOS/RetroEngine[55] dnssd_clientstub read_all(18) failed 0/28 0

10.06.10 21:57:13 /Library/Application Support/Retrospect/RetrospectEngine.bundle/Contents/MacOS/RetroEngine[55] dnssd_clientstub DNSServiceRefDeallocate called with invalid DNSServiceRef 0x12ab9f80 FFFFFFFF DDDDDDDD

10.06.10 21:57:13 /Library/Application Support/Retrospect/RetrospectEngine.bundle/Contents/MacOS/RetroEngine[55] dnssd_clientstub read_all(18) failed 0/4 0

 

Something must cause the Retro Server to crash / hang, whatever...

Any ideas how I could diagnose the issue?

 

Thanks and cheers

[rhwalker]

I've been running Retro 8.1 Server on Mac OS X 10.6.3, using Media Set Type "HD" (external Firewire drive) for quite a while.

I noticed, that the server disappears - i.e. stops - from time to time (irregularly, often after a couple of days). [color:red]The client, running on the same machine[/color], displays, that the server is stopped.

Could you explain a little more about your configuration?

 

You don't install the Retrospect client on the same machine as the Retrospect engine. Surprised it would crash, but that's not the architecture, if I understand you correctly.

 

There are three parts to the Retrospect 8 suite:

 

(1) Retrospect engine, which does the real work

 

(2) Retrospect console (or the mini-console iPhone app), which chats with the Retrospect engine and is simply a GUI to control the engine and display status, etc. The console may be installed on the same machine as the Retrospect engine, or may be on a different machine, even one on a different continent.

 

(3) Retrospect client - installed on other computers on the LAN, chats with Retrospect engine to supply files from the client to the engine for backup, and to receive files from the engine for restore onto the client. Retrospect client is never installed on the same computer as Retrospect engine.

 

Please explain a bit more about your configuration.

 

Russ

[kipouros]

Hi Russ

 

Sorry that I mixed up the terminology (engine, is what I called server - console, is what I called client...).

Indeed, engine and console are running on the same machine. And the engine stops (crashes?) after some time...

 

I use also other machines (two macbooks, running both the client and being backuped, as well as running the console to connect to the machine running the engine) and I sometimes use the iphone app, too...

 

So, I have following:

- Mac Mini 10.6.3 - running engine & console 8.1, being a backup source

- two MacBookPros - running client & with console installed, being backup sources

- iPhone with Retro.app installed

 

Cheers

Edited June 11, 2010 by Guest

[rhwalker]

Well, you've got several choices.

 

(1) Perhaps the preferences files (config80.dat and config80.bak) are corrupted. If you've saved away copies of these from when it worked, you could stop the engine, replace those, try.

 

(2) If you don't have saved copies but have backed them up using Retrospect, you could stop the engine, move the suspect bad files somewhere away where Retrospect engine won't find them, start the engine (will have to re-enter license info and minimal config stuff), then use the engine to restore copies from your backups from when it worked.

 

(3) If you didn't back them up, then you will have to use step (2), above, and re-enter all of your configuration - scripts, etc.

 

(4) Or, you could try the Retrospect 8.2 beta, which has many, many bugs fixed. See the beta forum. Study the Read Me carefully.

 

Russ

[kipouros]

Hi Russ

 

Thanks for you support.

I'm still trying... ;o) I found out, that the engine crashes / stops, when attempting to backup clients in the network...

 

I guess option 3 would involve to enter all information, since - as far as I understand - there is no way to export/import rules, scripts etc. right?

 

Best regards

[rhwalker]

Right. There never has been in the 17 years or so I have been using Retrospect. Many have made a request for such a feature over the years.