arcserve 11 back up problem

[stevken]

I am using arcserve 11 with windows server 2003. I have one DAT tape and one DLT. I can back up perfectly using the DAT tape. If I use the DLT to back up the same files I get E6304 error and unable to write to media. If I take DLT tape to another server and use windows back up it works fine. If I use windows back up on the main server it fails instantly.

I have tried various things that I read on forums such as disable the tape device and removable storage service but still the back up fails. Some times it will write 30 or 40 MB and fail using arcserve but nothing is written using windows back up.

I am at my wits end with this - please help!

TIA

 

[vschumpy]

If the tape drive doesn't work with windows backup on the server you are trying to use it on, but does on another, this indicates that there is more than likely a termination issue on the SCSI chain. Check for ID conflicts, check the SCSI card to make sure it supports the SCSI device types of both the drives you are attempting to use with it, and then check that none of the drives have auto-termination set. DLT drives tend to have this set on the jumper blocks inside the case (if it is an external drive).

Another way to test would be to remove the DAT drive from the configuration and try running with just the DLT drive on the machine you are experiencing problems with.

 

[stevken]

Many thanks for this. I had considered this and was intending to try it tomorrow. I will let you know how I get on.

 

[stevken]

One query - if its termination....would this still allow arcserve to write 30 or 40 MB before failing? Thought best ask before I pull the server to bits

 

[stevken]

OK - I have checked termination and its not the problem. I have been in touch with CA helpdesk and they talked me through various DOS prompt commands, checked local security problems all to no avail.

I spent Saturday morning installing patches on their recommendation but again the problem is still there. The drive writes no more than 40MB then fails.

Other problems have surfaced such as no log files are being written to the activity log even when it is set to write full logs.

If you change a setting and apply it then close down arcserve, the changes are lost and you have to reconfigure it all again. I am baffled!!

I am at the stage where I am about to uninstall it and get another licence for veritas.

 

[vschumpy]

Did you try just with the DLT drive attached as I suggested earlier?

What exact changes are 'lost' when you close the GUI?

I don't see what you'd gain by changing software, especially as Veritas is a derivative of Windows backup, which as you've stated previously doesn't work at all.

 

[stevken]

Yes I checked the termination and went through process after process with the helpdesk.

its any settings you change. i.e. set the logs to log all or set the media to over write rather than append. Any change I make doesnt get kept when I reboot the server or restart arcserve.

No logs are recorded so I dont even get error messages now.

You are correct of course about changing software. I am just getting frustrated. I am going to move the drive to another server where I can play around with it.

 

[vschumpy]

You seem to be experiencing a whole bunch of problems here which makes the behaviour difficult to tie down to any one thing.

I'm going to make some guesses based on the info you give in your last post:

1 set the media to overwrite rather than append.

I assume you are talking about the backup job global options here - if you are using a rotation scheme in the schedule tab, then the options in Global options do not apply - so it really doesn't matter if they are reset.

Sorta tied in with this, to save any changes you make to the job you'd have to re-submit the job to the queue - I assume you are doing this right?

2 The logs disappearing could be to do with the logger daemon falling over - usually running cstop then cstart thereby recycling the ARCserve services is enough to flush this out. If not, check in server admin for the information to write to logs (can't remember the exact field), you want it to write information, warnings, and errors.

If support has not already advised you to do so, now would be the time to patch up. If you have r11.0 then patch up to r11.1, if you have r11.1 apply the service pack.

For information on how to find out what version you are at take a look at these documents:

11.0:

http://supportconnect.ca.com/sc/redir.jsp?reqPage=search&searchID=TEC378659

11.1

http://supportconnect.ca.com/sc/redir.jsp?reqPage=search&searchID=TEC378656

If this still doesn't help could you post a little more of the activity log at the time of the failure - ie a few lines before and a few lines after?

 

[stevken]

Your support mate is second to none. Many thanks. At present I have taken the DLT drive out of the server ready to go in another dedicated back up server as they have Arcserve installed on the file server and I cant reboot it at will. I will do this part next week some time when time permits. Understaffed!

The media is set to over write rather than append what I may be getting wrong is mentioned next. Are you saying that if i set it to over write, save the job then this job will over write no matter what the default is? If so - why on earth havent CA told us that when spending 2 hours on the phone with that problem?

I had already ran cstop and cstart to no avail with the logs.

We have 11.1 and I patched it up to date at the weekend on CA's recommendation. Still the problems persist.

I used older versions of Arcserve in previous jobs and never had any issues at all apart from an odd media pool issue but this is beyond a joke LOL

 

[vschumpy]

If you're using a rotation scheme then the options for overwrite, append, etc in the global options screen don't apply (I think it actually says that in a footnote in the bottom of the GUI in r11.1 - it never used to previously).

Check on the other stuff I mentioned with regard to server admin too and let us know how it turns out.

If you're still having problems with settings not being saved in job scripts, then try to provide a step by step of what you open, what button you click etc and we'll narrow it down.

 

[stevken]

OK!!

We have purchased a new HP Ultrium Drive and installed it and Arcserve now back ups fine. Well almost!

The back up runs but when complete. its starts again, when complete it starts again.

I have set up a custom back up doing a full daily back up for now. I have told it to eject the tape after back up is complete but still it continues.

 

[stevken]

Further to the above. I cancelled the back up as it wouldnt stop. Now when I click on back up, restore or any other option the program hangs. I can get in to these things if I stop the database engine but as soon as I start the engine, arcserve hangs again.

I am really losing faith with version 11 as it is just one thing after another. previous versions did not give us these sort of issues.

Can anyone throw any light on the above?

 

[sandyboy]

Hi,

I think here you have 2 issues ,One backup jobs running in loops and the arcserve hangs.

Please do the following:

Server Admin->Admin- Configuration -> Job Engine Tab-> "Retry crashed jobs after Job Engine Restart".It should be unchecked

Do a cstop to stop all the services.
Go to task manager>>check if any process RDS is running.If running kill that process

Also I assume that the database is VLDB

Delete all the files in the ARCserve\Database folder that begins with the letter 'r'.Also delete the contents of ARCserve\Temp folder.

Click on the Operation menu,select 'Initialize database'.Next,select 'The database to be initialized' option .Scroll down the list of databases,select ASTPSDAT & click on Initialize.
(Initialization of ASTPSDAT would delete all records from this database & make it an empty database.If you need to restore some data from used tapes then you need to Merge them.).....This step is performed as i think database is corrupted

Do the cstart to start all the services

Also make sure it is patched to the latest level

cheers

 

[stevken]

Sandyboy

firstly I found an entry you made for another user and did the following

Delete all the files in the ARCserve\Database folder that begins with the letter 'r'.Also delete the contents of ARCserve\Temp folder.

This fixed the hanging problem and the back up no longer loops. I am at present running my third test back up to ensure all is well but if need be will follow your other instructions. Can you tell me what the above is actually doing please?

The only problem we still have is that the job logs are still empty so if an error does occur we dont get to see what it is. The option is ticked to record logs. I have tried all options but with no success.

Many thanks mate - appreciated

 

[sandyboy]

Hi

I think here the the log folder is corrupted.

Just stop all the services>>>rename the log folder>>create
a log folder>restart the services.This should create a new log folder

Check whether you are getting the messages in the activity log

Good Luck!!!

 

[stevken]

OK I will give this a go and let you know how I get on.

It would be really helpful if you could give me a brief explanation as to what the routine below did to reolve the problems.

Delete all the files in the ARCserve\Database folder that begins with the letter 'r'.Also delete the contents of ARCserve\Temp folder.

The powers that be like explanations to what we do to resolve issues.

 

[sandyboy]

Hi

1) Do the Cstop

2) Delete the R files in the databse folder

3) Delete the contents inside the arcserve\temp folder

4 )rename the log folder

5) Restart the services

good luck!!!

 

[stevken]

Sandyboy

you misunderstood me. I have done the routine and it worked a treat - again thank you for this. What I really would like to know is what these files start with "R" were and what the temp files were that I deleted so I can explain to the bosses what I have done to resolve the problems and why.

Cheers

 

[stevken]

Arcserve is still misbehaving Had to delete the temp files three times today and cannot rename the logs folder. It say read only but change it and cascaded but still cant rename it even with all services stopped.

Activity logs are still blank

 

[speshalyst]

HI,

Check if caloggerd.exe is running.. if so .. KILL it
CSTOP
try renaming the log folder
CSTART




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