Incorrect "failed to open backup" error message on successful backup
OK, I am really not sure what to make of this particular error message. I have a backup set that runs on a schedule. It is a Full backup, with automatic cleanup, on all drives on my system except the one that is being backed up to (5 in total).
This particular backup used to work fine. I have tweaked it so many times, and have recreated it more than once and nothing seems to help. It actually DOES write the backup, and it seems to work fine (validation is turned on) because even though it says that it has failed, I can mount the backup and have never had a problem pulling files from it.
In fact, if I click the "little x" in the main interface near where it says "View Log",and then close the log viewer, the small status icon on the name of the backup changes from a red x to a green checkmark. I almost wonder if the issue is that the validation process can't get a handle on the file for some strange reason.
Any thoughts and help would be appreciated. On top of that, I found out today that the status message that I set it up to send, never sent :( Of course, the "send test message" works fine... go figure.. major ghost in the machine here.
See the attached image for the log entries.
Hi GroverH,
Do you mean the Edit Settings dialog? If so, here you go... If you need any other settings from other dialog windows let me know and I will get them to you.
Thanks!
Mike
Open TrueImage and visually observe the the data inside "complete system backup" backup task as per this link example
GH57. Assorted task features.
Confirm
(Lower left) Your task should show versions=2
(Lower left) Total size= the size of b3 and b4 added together.
click on the destination F:\Acronis Backups\Complete system backup\
You should have only two tib files in this storage folder and these would be B3 and B4--according to your scheme
Questions:
Have you made changes to your the "Complete System BAckup" since it became in use with backup B1?
Either to the scheme numbers or storage location?
Your you restored your Drive C during the creation of B1 to B4?
The error involves backup B3. Is it still listed in the storage folder?
Have you manually deleted any tib backup files involved in this task such as B1 or B2 or B3?
If yes, how were these deleted. via Windows Explorer or via the Trueimage Backup explorer?
GH5. How to delete backup files using Acronis Backup 'Explorer'
You might be interested in this next link as you are performing partition mode backups.
GH58. Difference between Partition Mode & Select Disk Mode backups.
You may also have an interest in my signature linke 2-A.
Hi,
Well, first of all let me thank you for your extremely thorough and detailed response! I will say that this is clearly a matter of user-created problem. I never figured out how to properly purge the older copies of a backup, for example, when the hard disk became full, so I just removed them from the hard drive and didn't do *anything* about it from the UI. So, at this point, my Complete Backup shows 15 versions, not 2.
I clearly need to use your article details to figure out how to purge all the older versions of the backup - there are quite a few, and I have recently noticed this problem on other backups. Some house cleaning is definitely needed!
I will go through the detail you have provided and hopefully that will get all the pieces cleaned up that no longer exist. Thank you again very much for all your assistance!
I will say that without your diagrams I don't believe I would have ever even known that those menus or interfaces were even there! They really should put some more obvious menu links to this stuff...
I thought that this cleanup might be easier than it is proving to actually be. I decided to remove that "Complete System Backup" from the list and create a brand new one using the Disk Mode, with a separate destination folder so I don't need to worry about cleaning up the old one so much. I thought I would use what you provided here to clean up an Incremental backup set that I previously created, which is plagued by similar problems.
First I ran a Validate on the backup set and it came back as valid.
I thought I would go through the steps to you provided in the delete-backup-file.jog screenshot, and immediately I get an error when the Restore Backup dialog appears which says "The backup cannot be found. try to restart the program.". See attached screenshot. I have also attached a bunch of other settings screenshots so you can get a better picture of what I am dealing with here. Clearly it thinks that there are a bunch of other backup files around that I don't actually have...
Any thoughts on what might be causing this latest problem, and how to get around it?
The settings you are using and the manual deletions has caused your Acronis history file to get out of sync. The best solution to your combination of problems is to start over with all new tasks and let TrueImage start with zero counters.
This link will show you how to delete the history file.
What this will do is to remove all task or backup entries from you main menu.
YOu will need to recreate all new tasks but using different settings that before.
GH55. Delete Database History Archives.xml.
Review again (even several times) my signature link 2-A. At the end of this guide is a listing of program functions labelled as "GH##". Each of these is an example of a particular function. Look at the examples for a better understanding of what and how.
My personal comments regarding your captures:
1. Automatic-consolidations:
This involves consolidation and I avoid that like the plaque. I won't use any of these settings. Instead I use automatic cleanup as indicated by the 3 preceding examples. Tell the progrm how many chains to keep and let the program do the keeping and the automatic deletion. No merging or consolidation as I do not want my data being blended together like a 10,000 piece puzzle when all the pieces look alike.
2. Backup cannot be found
Caused by the user not deleting from within the program.
3. Detailed incremental backup
The setting is open ended. Additional setting should have been enabled. Compare this to my GH12 for a complete setting of options for a custom scheme with automatic cleanup.
4. incremental backup settings
The number of filew out of synce --possibly due to manual deletion
5. Whats actually on the
The most recent June 22 backup has a out of synce backup number (1-2). It should have been a b4 as it is a full.
I don't know for sure which type backup you wish to use Full only; or full with incremental; or full with differential so I have listed examples of all 3.
Choose which type you wish to use and set you your new backup scheme
accordingly.
GH11. Create Custom Full Backup Scheme.Keep 4 versions (chains). The 4 is user choice.
GH12. Create Custom Incremental Backup Scheme. 6 Inc, Keep 4 chains. The 6-4 is user choice.
GH13. Create Custom Differential Backup Scheme. 2 Diff, Keep 2 chains. The 2-2 is user choice.
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Once you delete the archives.xml history file, you can then create all new tasks using one of my examples GH11 or GH12 or GH13. YOu can change the number of files to keep but all your other settings should match my examples.
These examples sets up the program so the program will keep the number of backup chains you tell it to retain (store x numher of recent version chains) and will begin deletion of the oldest chains which was created by this new task. You will not need to delete any files manually (but if you do, do it from inside the program using my GH5 as your guide.
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My comments are too view to provide complete detail but this will get you started on the right path.
The mistake most frequently made by the user is that the user edits or makes changes to the backup task and this is a definite "no no" in my book. The program does not restrict this option but more often than not, any changes make it all fall apart--such as your posting. Set it up and leave the task alone. If new changes needed, stop using the old task and start a new task. Schedule changes can be made if made within the main menu as descriged in GH1, GH2, GH3 AND GH4.
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As for your existing backups, you can keep them if you wish (and if you have the storage space) as they will not interfere with your new settings as your new tasks should point to a new empty storage folder anyway. Your deletion of the xml history file will not delete these tib files. When you want or need to get rid of them, you will need to deete them using Windows Explorer and not TrueImage.
If you delete any Inc file from that group, ALL inc files will need to be deleted as the sequential chain has been broken by the deletion of its parts. Only the full backups can be retained once any deletion of old occurs.
Wow - than you SO MUCH for all the time and effort you put into helping me figure this out. It's pretty clear that my way of thinking about how to use this program has not been correct, and I think Acronis could improve their interfaces a bit, because I am a programmer and still have obviously not used the tool the most optimal way :)
I'll have to take a few reads through your email and links, but I do think that whacking the existing setup sounds like a great start :)
Thanks again for all your hard work and effort getting me straightened out!