MasterCard MarketPlace™
Retrospect 6.1: Slow-down, failure to backup clients from Retrospect server; FileVault problems; more
Slow-down, failure to backup clients from Retrospect server Several users have reported a problem where Retrospect 6.1 fails to backup clients from the server, in some cases generating a "Net Retry" error. The issue may also result in extreme performance issues.
The cause of the problem appears to be large retropds.log files. These log files reside in the /var/log/ directory.
Dantz has now posted a workaround for this issue, and says it is also working on a permanent fix that should be available as an update to Retrospect 6.1 early this week.
As of now, the two workarounds are as follows:
Delete the retropds.log file located in the /var/log folder on the client machines. /var/log is a hidden folder which can be accessed thru the Finder menu "Go." Select "Go to Folder" then type /var/log and click Go, then move the "retropds.log" file to the Trash (you will be prompted to enter your Username and Password).
Alternatively, Dantz Technical Support has created an AppleScript that will perform the steps listed above to delete the "retropds.log" file. Download and execute this script to remove the retropds.log files.
Either of these workarounds must be performed on each client machine.
Problems backing up FileVault-protected data MacFixIt reader Zach Benz reports an issue where he is receiving "File not found" error messages when attempting to backup FileVault-protected files and directories.
Zach writes:
"Recently I've started getting a 'File/folder not found. Error -43' message whenever Retrospect tries to backup one of my FileVault protected home directories over the network. It appears there is some file or folder Retrospect is choking on during its scanning to search for files to back up. Unfortunately, it provides absolutely no information about what the actual problem is (i.e. the file or folder causing the problem), so there is no way for me to fix it or to even begin investigating it. This is an extremely frustrating and critical bug that is effectively stopping me from backing up my data with Retrospect. I received no resolution by contacting EMC/Dantz."
Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.
Previous coverage: Resources
Retrospect which we never had before. We have now migrated away from
Retrospect and my feeling is that Dantz's days are numbered for Mac
hosted backup. It's a shame that this happened but the software we once
learned to trust blindly has cost us dearly and we have no intention to run a risk
again. We are very happy now with Chronosync backing up to multiple hard
disks and we are hopeful to employ CS in a mixed (Mac - Win) environment
also. First steps are very promising.
on a Mac Xserve, Mac OS X Clients are version 6.1.107, Windoze Clients are
version 6.5.136. Doesn't seem to have anything to do with any file being
deleted or not, but rather whether clients come and go to and from the
network (e.g., notebook goes to sleep at lunch time or someone unhooks and
goes home in the evening). Can't seem to find a setting in Retrospect to kill
these endless "net retry" messages and so nothing else gets backed up all
night. Tried setting the speed threshold to 340 KB/s in the script(s), a speed
chosen to block out people away from their desks using 802.11b wireless,
but which has had no beneficial effect with regard to the "net retry" problem.
Any suggestions anyone (besides changing programs)? IMHO the
programmers at EMC should not be allowed to go home until they add a
setting for a backup to time out after a specific interval. This customer's
purchases will certainly time out after a certain interval...
- by bwright November 1, 2008 7:39 AM PDT
- Deleting this log file solved a recurring problem with backing up one of
- Like this Reply to this comment
-
(3 Comments)my Mac clients. I was always having backup 'stall' with the Net Retry
popup window and now way of getting it to continue regardless of
what I tried to do with sleep/network settings/etc. I was desperate
because the initial failure occurred during a recycle backup so my
only backup was deleted (I only have disk space for 1 backupset per
client) and I couldn't get the replacement recycle backup to complete...
until I tried this fix. Thank you, thank you, thank you.