Client Computer Backups folder - corrupted

[jmwills]

Backups?

[Drashna Jaelre]

Quick questions about WSE12R2 client backups:

 

1.) how do you move a client backup from COMPUTERS to ARCHIVED?

2.) is it still possible to do a bare metal restore of a machine once it's ARCHIVED?

3.) are ARCHIVED computers still impacted by the Cleanup process or are they exempt?

 

Unfortunately I do not have a test box here to play w/ these scenarios.  Just changed jobs; turned in my laptop, want to keep the backup image on my WSE12R2 server but wishing to ARCHIVE it.

 

1. As ikon said, if you remove the computer, it sends it into the archived category.
2. Yes. Absolutely. In fact, it can be a PITA if you have archived computers with the same name.....
3. Yes. They're still in the client backup database, and subject to all of it's issues.

The best way to back up the client computer backup database is to stop the service, copy the files to elsewhere and start the service back up.

 

 

As for the update, I'm not seeing that issue. Try rebooting again?

[Jason]

Yes.  However backups are strange in WSE12.  Just restoring the client backups folder alone doesn't appear to be sufficient.  I need to start making my client backups folder part of my system backup.  They seem to quickly and easily fall out of sync.

[ikon]

Jason, if you recheck my RoboCopy scripts I think you will see that I've always backed up the Client Backups folder. I think it's a good policy although, I grant, it does make for larger external backups.

[Jason]

I saw that -- and I like it.  Your scripts are running great.  Though I recently ran into an issue where I'm unable to REMOVE/ARCHIVE a client computer backup from the DASHBOARD.  Can't quite figure out where to go to troubleshoot it yet.

 

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windowsserver/en-US/a618216c-ef89-4641-bae2-d15acf67f72b/archive-of-client-computer-backup-fails-an-unknown-error-prevented-removal-of-this-computer?forum=winserveressentials#a618216c-ef89-4641-bae2-d15acf67f72b

[ikon]

You know, sometimes I think the scripts run a little too well. I have a habit of forgetting to check the log files daily, as I should. I check them day after day and nothing is wrong, so I get lazy.... it's a character flaw

 

BTW, I typically look for 2 things in the log files. After opening a log file, I first search for "retrying". If I find 1 or more instances, I can check to see which file(s) could not be backed up. After that, I check for "ended :". That takes me to the summary section for each backup command, where I especially check under the "Failed" column, to see if there were problems.

[Jason]

Everything back up and running well on my WSE12R2. However I still have a client PC listed (offline) from which I can still restore files/folders. This is a good thing. But I no longer have this device and wish to archive it. When I attempt to remove/archive wSE12R2 dashboard gives an error. Despite doing a repair of client backup database (no errors), backup cleanup and consistency check via scheduled tasks.

[ikon]

Sounds like there's still a tiny bit of corruption. If it was me, I think I would likely just live with it. I think the only real effect is that it still counts as 1 of the 10 allowed Client Computers - other than the annoyance of it always being in the list.

[Jason]

Ikon, appreciate the advice. Will do. I suspect the client backup cleanup process will just continue to prune it until gone, correct? Provided I don't mark anything as keep this backup?

[ikon]

Hmmm, wish I could recall - it's been a while. I suspect you might be right, but I have this little uncertainty that it might just keep it in the list because it's considered a 'live' client. I know I've had clients in the list for months and months, even though they haven't been turned on in ages.