Archives always corrupted now?

First, have you tried verifying the archive manually from within Windows and from the rescue CD, do they still fail?

The two most likely causes of verification failure are RAM modules going bad or something in the streaming to hard drive - which could be a drive starting to lay down bad bits or (if using USB) something interfering with the bulk transfer or a component about to go bung.

The drive should be checked (as this is the easiest to do) by running chkdsk /r on the drive from a command prompt. Running a program such as Memtest86 will check the condidition of the RAM (run for at least 12 hours).

For question 2, could you expand on exactly how you have a task set up, what size your archives are and what size drive are they being imaged to?

I tried to verify it manually just now, and I'm not sure what the result was. When it finished, it just disappeared without any message.

The way I know the PREVIOUS checks were corrupted is because I have TrueImage set to email me the results after each backup/verify (and that's where it says "archive is corrupted").

Notice (this is the end of the email):
17 Information 12/4/2009 3:34:49 AM Pending operation 3 started: 'Validate Backup Archive'.
18 Error 12/4/2009 4:42:30 AM Operation with partition '0-0' was terminated.
Details:
The archive is corrupted. (0x70020)
Tag = 0xF5F8CBCF76155639
19 Error 12/4/2009 4:42:30 AM Operation has completed with errors.

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For question 2:
The drives being backed up are a 128gb SSD and a 750gb HDD... They are being backed up onto an internal 750gb HDD (second one of that size). The backup is scheduled for twice a week, and runs automatically. Compression is on "High".

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For your manual validation there should be a log entry, it also should have sent you an email, mine does for manual operations. I'm still using 5055, is yours a later version?

Was your verification from within Windows or from the Rescue CD? The CD version won't send you an email or have a log entry obviously.

With Question 2:

On the task Wizard page exactly what selections have you chosen?

If you've chosen FULL and the overwrite option is checked, then you should only be getting a full, it is possible that you'll get a full labelled as follows.

some_image_name.tib
some_image_name1.tib
some_image_name2.tib

The image_1 and 2 will be fulls and not incrementals (confusingly). If you have only selected FULL (the default is always Incremental, which will produce a FULL plus subsequent incrementals), you might need to add in either a time retention or maximum archive size.

Having said that, it is true you shouldn't have to do that if the FULL only option is working properly.

I did the Verification via Windows, and I didn't get an email (tried it again, and still didn't). I'm also using 5055, by the way.

For question 2:
I have "Full" with the overwrite option checked.
Yesterday, I also tried checking the option: "When not enough space in ASZ, delete the oldest archive", but no difference. It still tried to just create a second archive file, and thus filled the drive to 100% before it could finish.

What I'm trying now is the option:
"Automatically consolidate backups when: Number of backups exceeds: 1" (but for some reason, if I close TrueImage and then open it again, that whole field is reset to default (off))

Okay, it still says corrupt. But if a manual Verification doesn't produce any errors or anything (just disappears when done), does that mean it's good?

No, it should report that the operation was successful. As asked earlier, do you get the same resutl from within Win and from U linux (i.e., using the BootCD?).

Thomas,

You mention that only rather recently validation has consistently been failing. As Scott mentions, does validation fail when running ATI from the Recovery CD? Have you ruled out that any virus or malware has infected the computer? Make sure that your AV program and Malwarebytes' Anti-malware both report that there are no viruses or malware on your computer.

Assuming that the computer's hardware and software configuration is the same as before and after you started to suddenly get validation errors, and that there are no viruses or malware infecting your computer, then perhaps its time to look at the hardware:

It could be a memory issue, possibly drive cable issues, or even the computer overheating if any of its cooling fans are going bad. Heck, it even could be the southbridge chipset (which controls I/O) overheating. I actually had this last issue occur several years ago with a cheap SiS motherboard. The computer seemed to work just fine, but around 15% of new files written to the drive or copied to/from the computer would have checksum errors. Replacing the motherboard resolved the issue since it had nothing to do with the drive itself.

If validation fails using the Recovery CD and nothing has changed regarding your computer's hardware and software configuration, and chkdsk doesn't find any errors, then its time to power the computer off, UNPLUG IT, remove the side cover, blow out all internal dust especially from all fans and out of the power supply by sticking a compressed air can's nozzle up to the vents on the power supply, reseat the RAM, and check all hard drive cable and power connectors for good seating. Then plug in the power cable, leave the side cover off, boot into Windows, and do another backup. If the backup validates successfully with the computer's side cover off, then either the computer is overheating or the other steps you did while the computer was off and unplugged fixed the problem. If the problem appears to be resolved, power down again, reinstall the side cover, reboot, and then run a validation on the backup again. If the validation fails with the cover back on the computer, then the southbridge chipset probably is overheating, and you will need to power down, unplug, remove the southbridge chipset heat sink, clean off the old thermal grease with cotton ear swabs and isopropyl alcohol, squirt on and evenly spread a very small amount of new heat sink compound, reinstall the heat sink, and that should resolve the issue unless the chipset has become partially damaged due to overheating. If the latter is the case, add an extra cooling fan to the case such that the fan blows air more or less towards the chipset.

Well, thats all the hardware troubleshooting steps which I can think of, assuming that the computer's hardware and software configuration is the same as both before and after you started experiencing these validation issues and that the computer is free of viruses and malware.