Error when doing automated backup

[Joshua Goi]

Hi all,

My system was trying to perform automated backup but it wouldn't work like it usually does.

I get the following message from the system:

Full backup failed on hp3070b: Thu Mar 31 01:11:48 CST 2005.
For more information, see the log file / var/sam/log/br_log.

Output from fbackup:

br_backup: Invoking fbackup. See /var/sam/log/br_log for details.
fbackup(1004): session begins on Thu Mar 31 01:00:01 2005
fbackup(1517): /net/hp3070c/hp3070/boards not backed up - 'n' option (NFS) not specified
fbackup(1517): /net/hp3070d/hp3070/boards not backed up - 'n' option (NFS) not specified
fbackup(3205): WARNING: unable to read a volume header
fbackup(3024): writing volume 1 to the output file /dev/rmt/c1t3d0BEST
fbackup(9999): I/O error
fbackup(3120): write error on a record in the index
fbackup(3025): write error at the beginning of the volume
fbackup(3316): enter 'yes' when volume 1 is ready on /dev/rmt/c1t3d0BEST, or 'no' to discontinue;
fbackup(3004): writer aborting
fbackup(1002): Backup did not complete : Reader or Writer process exit

?

Upon that, I checked my /var/sam/log/br_log and found the corresponding entry:

Full backup started on hp3070b : Thu Mar 31 01:00:01 CST 2005 (Scheduled Backup)
{ fbackup -0 -u -g /etc/sam/br/graphXBAa26826 -I /var/sam/log/br_index.full -c /etc/sam/br/fbackup_config -d /var/adm/fbackupfiles/dates -f /dev/rmt/c1t3d0BEST } 2>&1
Full backup failed on hp3070b : Thu Mar 31 01:11:50 CST 2005 .
Exit code = 2

I don't understand. I didn't change anything and now I am seeing all these errors. Does anyone has a clue on what could be going on and what I can do to fix it?

Thanks a million!

[Steven E. Protter]

If its an nfs volume you wish to back up then add the recommended parameter.

Its possible permissions or configuration changed at the remote mount point to cause this failure. Check the permissions and /etc/exports configuration.

SEP

[Patrick Wallek · Accepted solution]

Your biggest problem appears to be a bad tape. fbackup tried to find an fbackup header on the tape and couldn't. Then when it tried to write a header record on the tape, it couldn't do that either.

I would run a cleaning cartridge through the drive a couple of times and also try a new tape and see what happens.

[Joshua Goi]

Hi guys,

Thanks for your replies.

Steve,
I noticed the errors when it trying to backup the NFS volumes. It's actually fine. What i really wanted is to backup my local system.

Patrick,
I verified my tape drive is working. Since then I have tried 3 new tapes. Incidentally, the first 2 new tapes that failed came from the same box. I am now trying the 3rd new one from a different box. 30 minutes later it is still running backup. But I have check if it really completes without any errors.

Keeping my fingers crossed!

[Joshua Goi]

Problem solved! Cause is a bad batch of tapes.

Thanks for your help guys!

[Bill Hassell]

The important message was the I/O error...that is always a tape failure (in your case, bad tapes). Unfortunately, the WARNING: message should be classified as info, not a warning. The reason the message is displayed is that fbackup wants to manage the backup tapes it produces by writing a usage count, verifying that this is not the wrong tape, etc. So fbackup tries to read an fbackup header, doesn't find one (on a new tape or one written by any other backup method) and displays the message. The -n option is self-explanatory. You can eliminate the -n messages by change the scope of the backup to exclude /net/... directories.