Backup error message

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

This night during backup we had an abnormal error message.


$ Backup/Nolog/Assist DSA1:[SYBASE$ZIP...]*.*;* /Block_Size=65535 SPVMX$MKC500:SYB_PJ_ZIP.Bck/Save_Set
/Label=V82064 /RECORD/IGNORE=INTERLOCK
/Media=Compac /Journal=Bck_tmp:SYB_PJ_ZIP.Jnl
%BACKUP-W-READATTRRETRY, 1 READATTR error occurred reading DSA1:[SYBASE$ZIP.EIE
%BACKUP-I-STARTRECORD, starting backup date recording pass

Anyone has seen this before ?
Anal/rms didn't see anything abnormal.
A subsequent backup didn't fail.
Was something locked ?

[Guillou_2]

Hi,

For me it's the first time that i've seen this kind of message...
a beginning of explanation with help from Openvms:

READATTR, error reading attributes for 'file-spec'

Facility: BACKUP, Backup Utility

Explanation: The Backup utility encountered an error during an attempt to
read the file attributes of the specified file.

User Action: Take action based on the accompanying message.

The magic gurus of this forum should give us more information...

regards

Steph.

[Lokesh_2 · Accepted solution]

Hi Wim,

You have to install latest backup eco kit .

Here is an abstract from eco kit VMS731_BACKUP-V0100 summary:


________________________________

BACKUP/IGNORE=INTERLOCK command could result in intermittent
READATTR/NOSUCHFILE errors.

When using a /IGNORE=INTERLOCK switch with BACKUP, files are
accessed with NOLOCK since the use of the qualifier implies
target files will be open. A read operation with NOLOCK
access (which causes the windows to be created/completed) will
force the XQP to re-build the FCB chain. In order to do so,
the extension FCB chain is deleted and then rebuilt. If, at
the same time, another process comes along with a read
attributes call, the XQP will find that the extension FCB
chain is missing and not find the extension FCB for the
header. The XQP assumes that the caller is trying to get to
the extension header directly and returns a NOSUCHFILE error.
There is nothing that the XQP can do in this case. Another
process is forcing the FCB chain to be rebuilt and because of
the nolock access, the XQP cannot trust the chain.

BACKUP attempts recovery (retry) from a READATTR error, when a
"no such file" error is returned from the XQP when reading an
extension header, with open, fragmented files (/IGN=INTERLOCK
is used).

The fix is to retry the same extension header 3 times. If any
of those access attempts are successful, continue to move
forward through the file while logging the number of attempts.
If the retry count is exhausted the file is no longer
considered a target and the READATTR/NOSUCHFILE error will be
reported. A new message has been added that reports the retry
count.

Following are a few examples of possible message sequences:

o Success example 1: Recovered from the first and only
error.

%BACKUP-W-READATTRRETRY, 1 READATTR error occurred reading
$4$DKA310:[READATTR]1XQPXR_FRAGMENT.DAT;1


o Success example 2: 17 retries to save the file, though it
was saved successfully.

%BACKUP-W-READATTRRETRY, 17 READATTR errors occurred reading
$4$DKA310:[READATTR]1XQPXR_FRAGMENT.DAT;1


o Failure, example 1: A failing sequence where no
successful retries occurred before eventually failing on
the same extheader 3 times.

%BACKUP-E-READATTR, error reading attributes for
$4$DKA310:[READATTR]1XQPXR_FRAGMENT.DAT;1
-SYSTEM-W-NOSUCHFILE, no such file
%BACKUP-W-READATTRRETRY, 1 READATTR error occurred reading
$4$DKA310:[READATTR]1XQPXR_FRAGMENT.DAT;1


o Failure Example 2: A failing sequence of 3 successful
retries while moving forward through the file on different
EXTHDRS, but eventually, unable to recover from the fourth
READATTR detected.

%BACKUP-E-READATTR, error reading attributes for
$4$DKA310:[READATTR]2XQPXR_FRAGMENT.DAT;1
-SYSTEM-W-NOSUCHFILE, no such file
%BACKUP-W-READATTRRETRY, 4 READATTR errors occurred reading
$4$DKA310:[READATTR]2XQPXR_FRAGMENT.DAT;1


The larger the size, more fragmented and interactive the open
file, the lesser the chance of success. Use of
/IGNORE=INTERLOCK implies open files are to be processed. If
messages for files are paired (both READATTR/READATTRRETRY are
reported) then the file did not get saved completely. Success
is a READATTRRETRY message only.

Images Affected:[SYSEXE]BACKUP.EXE
[SYSLIB]BACKUPSHR.EXE


\ CLD(s):70-3-1113,70-3-1210,70-3-1820,70-3-1834


o BACKUP may fail with BACKUP-F-GETCHN/SYSTEM-I-IVIDENT error
while performing a /IMAGE operation on a disk that is mounted
/FOREIGN. For example:

SYSTEM>BACKUP/IMAGE/IGN=NOBACK DR8015 DR8016
%BACKUP-F-GETCHN, error getting device characteristics for
$1$DGA8016:
-SYSTEM-F-IVIDENT, invalid identifier format


Images Affected:[SYSEXE]BACKUP.EXE
[SYSLIB]BACKUPSHR.EXE

\ CLD(s):70-3-5530,70-3-5568,70-3-5832,70-3-5870,70-3-5953


o A BACKUP-F-CLUSTER error message can be received during a
BACKUP/IMAGE/NOINIT operation. Particularly after
pre-initializing a large output device with a small cluster
value and a large/max header/ number of files.

Images Affected:[SYSEXE]BACKUP.EXE
[SYSLIB]BACKUPSHR.EXE
______________________________________

HTH,
Best regards,
Lokesh
__________________________________________

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

Thanks, the patch is already installed. It only did the retry once. So there is no problem. Only the exit status must be considered as normal.