Cannot backup log files...

[Dennis1508]

Hi
I have the following error message on one of my fileservers while using ArcServe 2000 backup agent :

AW0004 Failed to open file <C:\WINNT\security\edb.log>. RC=32. The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.

I have also the same message for c:\winnt\system32\dhcp\j50.log

These are new messages since a few days back.
Any ideas?

Thank you
Dennis

 

[markshaw100]

Dennis,

Active log files are active. You can't back em up as you're busy writing what you're backing up into them. Why do you want to back them up in any case.

If you need em then use an &quot;after job&quot; command to kick off a batch job to copy 'em or have PKZIP or something ZIP em p on a daily basis to another folder.

That way they'll all get backed up over time if you need to hang onto them.

Cheers

Mark

 

[Dennis1508]

Hi Mark
Thanks for your feedback.
I am backing up the whole Winnt folder as it is one of our policies to do so. The problem is that this error message is new. The backup job has been working for months.
Also, since i am using the agent, i should be able to open open/active files. Right?


Thanks
Dennis

 

[markshaw100]

Dennis

My experience is with the Novell version so I'm not all that sure. However, backups of open files is always a contentious issue. If a file is actively being written to then the contents are changing as its being backed up. This presents a problem for any app trying to access the file. So the app has to either request a lock on the file and sit and wait for it to apply or (if the O/S will permit), try to snapshot it as its being changed by interfacing with the O/S API. However the NT/2k version works you'll probably have issues.

The Agent for Open files is usually an expensive add-on for Arcserve and (to the best of my knowledge) isn't bundled in free. We have considered it but its a costly way to work around known issues.

The reason that the problem may have suddenly appeared is probably more to do with someone modifying a job recently and somehow reverting settings back to defaults perhaps. If similar to the Netware version you should have a tickbox to skip open files. I'd recommend you do this (or go out and buy the BOF agent). This leaves the problem of not backing up actual data that is open. You need to ask users to create separate backups for copies of files that are locked during the backup period. (Or you can use a &quot;before job&quot; command to run a batch file and attempt to copy these into a backup folder or something).

Knowing NT/2k you may have had a system crash and had a left file locked by the O/S. Has the server you are backing up been rebooted recently?? (this usually cures this particular fault).

Hope this helps. Sorry I don't know more about this product.

Regards

Mark

 

[Dennis1508]

Hi Mark
Thanks for your feedback. I have rebooted the server and i still can't back them up. I think i will have to live without these 2 log files being backup.

Rgds
Dennis

 

[markshaw100]

You could try rebooting and seeing if they're still locked before arcserve loads by trying to rename or move them. NT sometimes has a &quot;funny&quot; about leaving files locked (although a reboot usually relases the lock).

Other than that, we've had to do the same where I am with the Novell version. Lotsa stuff we just accepted we can't properly back up!.

Regards

Mark