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Everything Else => General Support and Discussion => Zaurus General Forums => Archived Forums => Software => Topic started by: daniel3000 on July 26, 2006, 09:14:15 am

Title: Backup Failed!
Post by: daniel3000 on July 26, 2006, 09:14:15 am
Hello,

every attempt to make a backup with the built-in backup/restore application results in the error message "Backup Failed!" directly at the beginning of the backup process. QTopia is terminated, the backup UI comes up and instantly the error message is shown.

This happens no matter which destination I choose (SD or internal drive).
I have unmounted the pdaXQTrom loop devices before.
There is enough space for a backup on both destinations.

Does anyone have an idea what the reason could be?
Or at least an idea how to debug it (is there a log file for the backup/restore application somewhere)?


Thanks a lot
daniel
Title: Backup Failed!
Post by: dougeeebear on July 26, 2006, 10:04:24 am
I have an SL-C1000 and that happened to me once.
I rebooted and then it worked fine.
I think there was a memory conflict there somewhere.
I've never had it happen since.

Doug
Title: Backup Failed!
Post by: daniel3000 on July 26, 2006, 10:24:36 am
Thanks, but no, even after a reboot the problem does not vanish.

daniel
Title: Backup Failed!
Post by: dougeeebear on July 26, 2006, 10:37:02 am
Then you will probably have to reset it, and then restore the most recent good backup.
Title: Backup Failed!
Post by: daniel3000 on July 26, 2006, 11:16:27 am
Quote
Then you will probably have to reset it, and then restore the most recent good backup.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=136481\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

haha, what a joke! :-) Sorry.
My most recent backup is about 3 weeks old. I had to invest about a full day of work in order to restore the current state from the last backup. Have changed a lot until it finally all works as expected, and now wanted to make a new "good state" backup.

It HAS to work somehow. It worked before! Strange...
daniel
Title: Backup Failed!
Post by: HoloVector on July 26, 2006, 11:29:18 am
Quote
Quote
Then you will probably have to reset it, and then restore the most recent good backup.
[div align=\"right\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div] (http://index.php?act=findpost&pid=136481\")

haha, what a joke! :-) Sorry.
My most recent backup is about 3 weeks old. I had to invest about a full day of work in order to restore the current state from the last backup. Have changed a lot until it finally all works as expected, and now wanted to make a new "good state" backup.

It HAS to work somehow. It worked before! Strange...
daniel
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=136488\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]
Have you tried doing the backup to CF card in the external slot?  I had trouble doing the backup to an SD card and used a CF instead.

How about a NAND backup?  Does that work for you?

If those suggestion don't work; try the trial version [a href=\"http://www.thekompany.com/embedded/tkcbackup/]tkcBackup[/url].  The trial version lets you do a full backups and restores for a limited time.
Title: Backup Failed!
Post by: daniel3000 on July 26, 2006, 12:24:22 pm
Quote
Have you tried doing the backup to CF card in the external slot?  I had trouble doing the backup to an SD card and used a CF instead.

How about a NAND backup?  Does that work for you?

If those suggestion don't work; try the trial version tkcBackup (http://www.thekompany.com/embedded/tkcbackup/).  The trial version lets you do a full backups and restores for a limited time.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=136489\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]


Thanks for your suggestions.

1. CF: I have no CF card at hand currently. Will try once I got home.
But since it doesn't even work to the internal harddisk (which in other problem cases always worked) I suspect it won't work.

2. NAND: How do I do that? What is backed up by that?

3. tkcBackup: I thought the magic of the built-in backup app is that QTopia is terminated and the system goes into single-user mode so that the file system is as clean as possible for backup. tkc does not seem to do that (I'm reading the manual right now). So I could as well use a simple script for backup, couldn't I?
That would have the advantage that I could automate unmounting the pdaXQTrom loop devices etc.

OTOH: Does the built-in backup really change the runlevel or something different?
In another thread initiated my Meanie in Nov 2005 I read that the built-in backup app just created /tmp/backupfile and restarts QTopia. QTopia then detects the tmp file and instead of starting normal operation it starts a backup. So only QTopia apps are terminated at this point. I could terminate the apps manually and start a  script. no problem.


I'd like to be able to create a backup which allows me FAST and EASY restore in one step, so that I can restore in an emergency, or that I can duplicate my setup easily onto the backup Zaurus which has also Cacko ROM flashed.

And the backup should be easily startable, ideally by one icon tap or one command.

Would a script, callable from inside QTopia, be a safe solution?

Would tkcBackup be a better solution? Why?

Thanks a lot
daniel
Title: Backup Failed!
Post by: bluedevils on July 26, 2006, 03:05:47 pm
tkcbackup has helped me many times (especially when playing around with different roms).  If you have the basic rom installed and installed tkcbackup, this app can do the restore you want.  It is all gui and flexible to allow you to pick a single file to restore or the whole backup.  Your backups can also be stored with a password too.  Out of all the tkc apps (pims,mj,shopper) I have, I think this one is worth the most.  I also do tar pipe backups to desktop, but tkcbackup works at any time because it backs up to cf or sd.
Title: Backup Failed!
Post by: Cresho on July 26, 2006, 04:22:52 pm
I do have a solution but i need to see what you typed.  I expirienced those problems before.  I have a solution but I need to see exactly how you do yours before I post my suggestion.

then again, you are running cacko lite....I have expirienced tons of problems with that.  Perhaps you should use full cacko 1.23.  I noted the lite versions to give me very wierd problems so i voted never to use it.
Title: Backup Failed!
Post by: HoloVector on July 26, 2006, 09:33:17 pm
Quote
Thanks for your suggestions.

1. CF: I have no CF card at hand currently. Will try once I got home.
But since it doesn't even work to the internal harddisk (which in other problem cases always worked) I suspect it won't work.

2. NAND: How do I do that? What is backed up by that?

3. tkcBackup: I thought the magic of the built-in backup app is that QTopia is terminated and the system goes into single-user mode so that the file system is as clean as possible for backup. tkc does not seem to do that (I'm reading the manual right now). So I could as well use a simple script for backup, couldn't I?
That would have the advantage that I could automate unmounting the pdaXQTrom loop devices etc.

OTOH: Does the built-in backup really change the runlevel or something different?
In another thread initiated my Meanie in Nov 2005 I read that the built-in backup app just created /tmp/backupfile and restarts QTopia. QTopia then detects the tmp file and instead of starting normal operation it starts a backup. So only QTopia apps are terminated at this point. I could terminate the apps manually and start a  script. no problem.


I'd like to be able to create a backup which allows me FAST and EASY restore in one step, so that I can restore in an emergency, or that I can duplicate my setup easily onto the backup Zaurus which has also Cacko ROM flashed.

And the backup should be easily startable, ideally by one icon tap or one command.

Would a script, callable from inside QTopia, be a safe solution?

Would tkcBackup be a better solution? Why?

Thanks a lot
daniel
[div align=\"right\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div] (http://index.php?act=findpost&pid=136493\")
You're welcome.  Let's try this again since NetFront seems to have eaten my previous post.

1) I suggested using the external CF because the Zs seem to have the least amount of trouble with it.

2) A Nand backup (and restore) is done from the Diagnostic Menu on the Z.  Trisoft has directions for entering it on this [a href=\"http://www.trisoft.de/en_c3100howto.htm]page[/url] under the In case your backup doesn't work section.  Some Zs (like my 1000) need to have the battery completely removed before plugging in the AC for the DM entry procedure to work.

3) tkcBackup's main advantage is that it allows selective file backup and restore in addition to complete ones so, that means that severely messed .conf or an accidentally deleted file can be restored leaving the rest of your setup alone.  I don't currently own tkcBackup but, I was impressed with my trial and it is at the top of my next goodie to buy list.

I'm not qualified to answer your scripting questions since I am a Linux newbie.  Perhaps someone else can help you there.

For me, I use a Nand restore for recovery since it backups the entire flash so, I am sure that nothing is missed.  Unfortunately that means that my backups are 128MB in size.  I was messing around with OZ/GPE the other day when an issue came up that required me using my configured Cacko setup.  In less then five minutes I was back in Cacko and the issue taken care of.  Nands are great for disaster recovery but, entering the DM is not trivial and requires you have you AC adapter with.  That isn't a problem for me since I have three ACs so, I have usually have one near me.
Title: Backup Failed!
Post by: bam on July 27, 2006, 03:12:39 am
only 128mb, mine are like 300MB+
Title: Backup Failed!
Post by: daniel3000 on July 27, 2006, 06:51:26 am
Quote
I do have a solution but i need to see what you typed.  I expirienced those problems before.  I have a solution but I need to see exactly how you do yours before I post my suggestion.

then again, you are running cacko lite....I have expirienced tons of problems with that.  Perhaps you should use full cacko 1.23.  I noted the lite versions to give me very wierd problems so i voted never to use it.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=136523\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

What do you mean with "what I typed"?
I simply started the Settings / Backup Restore app, then chose "SD" or "Internal HDD" and started the backup. Directly after the backup GUI comes up, it gives me the error "Backup failed!".
I have the full Cacko installed, not lite.

You sound quite mysterious  

If you are afraid that someone might try your suggestion and break something, could you post it to me by PM? I have a backup machine with  almost identical setup to the main one, so if it's dangerous I can try it there first.

Thanks!
daniel
Title: Backup Failed!
Post by: HoloVector on July 27, 2006, 07:42:55 am
Quote
only 128mb, mine are like 300MB+
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=136572\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]
Huh!?  

Why are they so big?  Does the Nand backup on a C3100 also include some or all of the files on the MD?  If so, that is news to me.  I was under the impression that only the flash was backuped up on the the C series Zs.