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Problems with restore from tape

 
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Kirsten Kn├╝ttel
Frequent Advisor

Problems with restore from tape

Hello,

I've got a problem with a restore and I really don't find the solution. Perhaps, somebody of you has got a hint....

I've got OpenVMS 7.3-1 on an Alpha Server

For tests, I've made of all disks a backup on tape (TZ88) with the following command:

backup/image $1$dua240: $42$mka300:dua240.bck /label=240bck

Now I want to restore the disk on an empty volume (with a TZ89), but the command

backup/image $41$mka400:dua240.bck $1$dga240:

doesn't work. The error message is always file not found. When I mount the tape /over=id I can see the file and when I mount the tape /foreign I can do a backup/list on the file. Everything is no problem.
The onliest restore command, that worked was:
backup/image $41$mka400: $1$dga240:
Even with *.* it doesn't work.

With the restore of the files, it was "no problem" because I had only one file on a tape. Now I have to restore the databases (with 2 or more RBF-files on a tape) and the same error occurs.

I hope, somebody has got an idea, where I can search for the error.

Regards,

Kirsten
25 REPLIES 25
Robert Gezelter
Honored Contributor

Re: Problems with restore from tape

Kirsten,

I do not have a tape drive handy to reproduce precisely what you are doing, but I note that the command line in the posting did not include the /SAVE_SET or /REWIND qualifiers for the tape.

As far as I know, you can only restore one saveset at a time.

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com
Jon Pinkley
Honored Contributor
Solution

Re: Problems with restore from tape

Kirsten,

Your backup to tape didn't include /rewind, so it is possible that you have multiple savesets on the tape with the same name, specifically dua240.bck, since the "default" action of backup (post v.5.5?) has been /norewind, and this appends a saveset to the end of the tape.

I would suggest creating a complete backup listing of the tape.

$ mou/for $41$mka400:
$ backup/list=240bck.lis $41$mka400:*.*
$ search/nowindow 240bck.lis "save set:"

If you have multiple savesets on the tape that have the same name, you will need to either position the tape to the correct location using set mag/skip=fil=xxx (note that xxx is not the save set number, but you can derive the correct number of filemarks to skip given the save set number. See replay dated Jul 14, 2007 02:21:58 GMT in thread http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1144759

Alternatively, you can list all preceding savesets with backup to position the tape, then issue your backup command to restore.

It isn't clear to me whether the tape you have was created with backup or with the RDB backup utility. It have been over 12 years since I used RDB, but if I remember correctly, it was possible to write RBF files directly to tape, and these have to be restored with the RDB backup utility.

Doing a backup listing of the tape will tell you whether what you have on tape is a VMS backup saveset or not. If it isn't a VMS backup saveset, then VMS BACKUP won't help in the restore.

If on the other hand, the RBF files were written to a disk, and then those files backed up to tape using VMS backup, you are on the correct track, but you may be selecting the incorrect saveset on the tape.

Good luck,

Jon
it depends
Jan van den Ende
Honored Contributor

Re: Problems with restore from tape

Re Robert,

Kirsten, essentially Robert is correct, but (lucky to you!) those qualifiers ARE the default.
So, unless you did define symbol BACKUP that changes those settings, you ARE OK in that respect.

Proost.

Have one on me.

jpe
Don't rust yours pelled jacker to fine doll missed aches.
Jon Pinkley
Honored Contributor

Re: Problems with restore from tape

See

$ help backup/rewind
BACKUP

/REWIND

/REWIND
/NOREWIND (default)


This has been the default for about the last 15 years. Originally it was /REWIND, but that was a dangerous enough default that it was changed even though it had the possibility of breaking existing command procedures. I am not sure when it changed, but it was definitely before V6.0, I think it was in the 4.4 or 5.5 release.

Note that when restoring, if you mount a tape, and don't do anything to cause the position to be changed, either /rewind or /norewind will read the first saveset on the tape.

The help has more details, which you can read directly.

Jon
it depends
Kirsten Kn├╝ttel
Frequent Advisor

Re: Problems with restore from tape

@Robert:

I've tried it with a /REWIND before and within the command. The /SAVE_SET command is not used with a tape and with the /IMAGE.
My problem is, what can I do when I've got more than one saveset on the tape. At the moment it was easy, because I only had one file on the tape. When I had to specify a saveset I couldn't do the restore

@ Jon:

I have the problems with the normal backup operation and with the RMU/RESTORE. My description was for an image backup of a normal disk with normal files.
The second phase is now for me, to restore databases from the tape to the disk (with the RMU command) and here I had the same error.
Jon Pinkley
Honored Contributor

Re: Problems with restore from tape

RE: "My problem is, what can I do when I've got more than one saveset on the tape. At the moment it was easy, because I only had one file on the tape. When I had to specify a saveset I couldn't do the restore"

The short answer is: Make sure you use unique saveset names, and remember there is a 17-character limit (including the dot) for file names on ANSI tapes.

So I would suggest something like DUA240.F071105 as a saveset name for a full image backup created on Nov 5, 2007.

The previous thread I referenced also reported that save sets couldn't be found.

I have not had problems specifying backup savesets with any version of VMS backup in 6.2, 7.1-2, 7.2-2 or 7.3-2. I always explicitly mount/foreign the tapes, i.e. I don't allow backup to do it implicitly.

I can't be of any help with RMU backup, since I don't have it available.

Good luck,

Jon
it depends
EdgarZamora_1
Respected Contributor

Re: Problems with restore from tape




Jon gave you the answer previously. If you have multiple savesets on the tape use the SET MAGT/SKIP=FILES:n to position the tape to the saveset you want to restore.

For example, if I wanted to restore the 3rd saveset on the tape:

$ set magt/rew $41$mka400:
$ set magt/skip=file:2
$ backup/image $41$mka400: $1$dga240:

highly unlikely, but if you don't know what savesets are on the tape, use backup/list= as Jon mentioned above to get a listing of the savesets.


Jon Pinkley
Honored Contributor

Re: Problems with restore from tape

@Edgar

My experience with set magtape/skip=files=n is that n is not the saveset number.

If the tape has the following savesets:

1.BCK
2.BCK ! set magtape/skip=file=2 (but this may not use fast skip)
3.BCK ! set magtape/skip=file=5
4.BCK ! set magtape/skip=file=8
5.BCK ! set magtape/skip=file=11

i.e. if ssn is save set number (starting with 1) then files to skip, n = ssn*3-4

See http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1144759 reply dated Jul 14, 2007 02:21:58 GMT
it depends
Jon Pinkley
Honored Contributor

Re: Problems with restore from tape

More examples of using $ set magtape/skip=file in following thread: http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1143795 reply dated Jul 21, 2007 05:26:07 GMT. It has a log of usage showing how to position a DLT tape.

Jon
it depends