ArcServe not Restoring properly 3

[cgsrg]

We're running ArcServe 6.61 on NT4. I've setup to backup the server every night (which works fine). But restoring is the problem. I can restore anything from 'Session 0001' with no problem. But all other sessions (0002 and on) won't restore anything even though there is content on the tape. ArcServe runs the tape looking for the session, then eventually (after a long, long time) the Job Monitor says Done, but writes an Error to the logs stating: "E3841 Unable to find session number" or "E3801 Invalid session header signature", then says "Restore operation incomplete". So of course nothing is ever restored from Session 0002 and on. I find it strange that anything in Session 0001 restores fine, but no other subsequent Sessions restore at all and come up with errors. This happens every time. I've changed tapes, reformatted the tape and started all over again, erased the tape, etc. but it still doesn't restore properly. Did I set something up wrong or install ArcServe incorrectly?

For reference, ArcServe is running on the same server as the backup using the same tape drive and the same tape every day. So I doubt it's the tape drive or tape issue.

Thanks

Grant

 

[pepper]

When you do a restore, have you tried switching from tree view to "restore by session" (on the first restore screen)? If so, can you see all the sessions or not? If you can see other sessions, can you drill down into them? Does the same thing happen when you try restoring from there?

 

[cgsrg]

I restore by session. I can see all other sessions, and can drill down into them. So I can see all sessions and their contents just fine, but can't restore anything after Session 1. Anything I try restoring from Session 2 and beyond comes up with errors, even though I can see everything in the other sessions.

 

[Guest_imported]

Hello, I've read you're problems with restoring Arcserve. Since the thread stops on October 30th I wonder you have found a solution for your problem. I have a simular problem, have a lot of backups, can read the contents of the tapes but am unable to restore anything. Can somebody help me with this?

Carel

 

[Guest_imported]

I also have a similar problem, and get the same E3801 message, and mines a mission critical restore...

Anyone still reading this?

JDC

jonathanchallis@byk.co.uk

 

[pepper]

I'm reading it but haven't run into this problem myself and don't have a clue what to do about it. Have you tried searching the CAI web site for E3801?

 

[davemarton]

Hi there

I had the very same problem with TRAVAN drives. The only solution was - HOLD YOUR BREATH: Restore using the Restore - Wizard !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We also tried everything; restore by media (and adding an include filter), skip using the catalog file (by adding DoNotUseCatalogMerge in the Registry) but nothing helped.

Finaly a customer told us, that he was not so familiar with ARCserve and just used the Wizard. We just thought he was kidding. But this was the solution to this problem: Try a Restore using the Restore - Wizard !!!!!!

Please send me feedback if this works with your tape as well.

regards, dave marton

 

[poklat]

Hello,

Next time, check activity log after backup, it should say tape merged to database . or click on database icon and check all sessions are on vol detail. Otherwise, if it says not merged to database, it won't restore. If you discover this is so, probably bounce Arcserve. This seems to solve our problems.

regards.

poklat

 

[frankin]

I also am getting E3802 Invalid File Header Signature. I have successfully restored files in the past, but not for a few months. It doesn't seem to matter if I use Wizard or not and I checked the log for the night the backup was run and have a message saying the session was merged. I am unable to restore any file from any tape at this time, so Arcserve is virtually useless. Need Help soon! Thanks, Frank King

 

[Mitis]

I suggest you first check your tapes to see how many sessions have been really written on it.
Use Utilities, then scan, and check "all sessions".
You will get a report telling you how many sessions are written to the tape.

 

[frankin]

Tried the scan; it shows both sessions. I was able to go back to a 10/31/00 backup tape and recover the file I needed, and the backup that ran last night is recoverable; just seems to be the monthly tapes for the last 2 months with this E3802 Error (We backup daily, then retire one tape per month). I guess we could just pray that we never need any files from those 2 retired tapes. -Frank King

 

[garrett]

After reading this thread it seems to me that I've seen this behavior before... Although it was with ARCserve 6.5 running build 620 and using Exabyte Mammoth drives. Basically, it appeared that the full back up was successfully run, however when the tape was scanned for sessions there was nothing there. It ended up being an incompatibility problem with the firmware and EE code on the drives. We had to rev back the code on the drive in order to have them work properly. This snuck up on us because we had ordered new drives from Exabyte and didn't realize that they had updated firmware versions. I have to say Exabyte was really helpful with solving the problem... CA's support was a joke...

It seems that some of you are saying that when you scan the tape using the scan utility the sessions are there, however the sessions cannot be found during a restore. This is different than the situation I encountered. I wonder if it is related. We are slated to upgrade to ARCserve 6.61, anybody think this is a bad idea?

Has anybody been able to get an updated tape drive hardware compatibility list from CA for ARCserve? The one that was up there on their site was really old. But I can no longer even find that one. garrett

 

[garrett]

After reading this thread it seems to me that I've seen this behavior before... Although it was with ARCserve 6.5 running build 620 and using Exabyte Mammoth drives. Basically, it appeared that the full back up was successfully run, however when the tape was scanned for sessions there was nothing there. It ended up being an incompatibility problem with the firmware and EE code on the drives. We had to rev back the code on the drive in order to have them work properly. This snuck up on us because we had ordered new drives from Exabyte and didn't realize that they had updated firmware versions. I have to say Exabyte was really helpful with solving the problem... CA's support was a joke...

It seems that some of you are saying that when you scan the tape using the scan utility the sessions are there, however the sessions cannot be found during a restore. This is different than the situation I encountered. I wonder if it is related. We are slated to upgrade to ARCserve 6.61, anybody think this is a bad idea?

Has anybody been able to get an updated tape drive hardware compatibility list from CA for ARCserve? The one that was up there on their site was really old. But I can no longer even find that one. garrett

 

[aimis]

I am experiencing the same E3802
I am using a Travan drive, but using the Wizard didn't help.
The sessions/files are all recorded correctly in the database - doing a full Restore by Backup Media, or a Restore by Query seems to work fine.
But a Restore by Session produces the dreaded "Invalid File Header" error, every time.
I am using Arcserve 7 build 1050
any ideas??

 

[Mrmoe]

I have tried everything listed on this page and so far no luck. Is there anyone else out there who can help.

 

[Guest_imported]

The problem that I'm having is similar, in the sence that I can't restore either but I can't even see the files, I see all the volumes/sessions but nothing below that level.

I've increased the btrieve settings in the bti.cfg and restarting the server but still no luck.

Does anyone know what could be wrong ?

 

[wamason]

Dave,

Your database could be corrupt. Try replacing the astpsdat file with an empty db file. Actually you could repace ALL the db files with empty DB files and start a new database. The only problem here is that if you need to do ANY restore from tapes created before you will NEED to merge the details back into the database and then do the restore. In yout arcserve folder there should be a folder called emptdb which has all the empty db files so that you can start the databases from scratch. Let me know what happens.

 

[TheLad]

DOn't know if this has been suggested before but try restoring by Media then entering in filters to specify what to restore.

Note: when you are adding a filter, always put a back-slash after the volume name or the job WILL fail.. eg. SYS:\SYSTEM

-----------------------------------------------------
"It's true, its damn true!"
-----------------------------------------------------

 

[mseling]

I had the same problem with only the first session appearing as available, regardless of the number of sessions recorded in the log and database. Placing the tape in a duplicate server, and performing a tape scan, still showed only on session on the tape. Upgrading the software from 6.5 to 2000 did not fix the problem.

Without changing any settings in the ArcServe software, I replaced the tape drive with a slightly older spare tape drive. The firmware version was slightly older, but the tape drive models were the same. After making the change, all of the tape back-up jobs, including all 8 sessions, worked properly. I have performed 5 test restores from multiple sessions, and have had no problems.

I concluded that the tape drive was bad, or that the newer firmware on the drive caused a problem.

 

[Jimr1701]

I backed up my Novell 4.11 server with ARCserve 6.6. The backup ran fine and there were no errors during the job. I had run this configuration for about 6+ months without any problems. I was even able to restore files on this server. This server was retired and replaced with a windows 2000 server. I tried restoring the files with Backup exec 8.6 for Windows NT/2000 (It was supposed to be able to restore ARCserve files). Some of the files came back ok but many were restored yet blank with only the file name restored with none of the contents I then took an old server loaded Novell 4.2 and ARCserve 6.6 with service pack 4. I recreated the tape libraries for the various backups. I was only able to go into the Sys vol (session 1) session media view and select the folders and the files for restoration in that session only. In the other sessions I could browse the folders but none of them would allow me select any files to restore. I then selected an alternate location as the destination for the files to be restored. I submitted the job and open up the job queue to monitor the progress. When the job completed I receive a message that the job completed successfully with no errors. Yet when I go in and look at the destination folder where the files were to be restored the folders were created in all but a few folders and no files and the few that had a different result was that there was a single folder with zipped files were restored. The tape drive used under Novell and Windows 2000 is the same drive.