Shadow Protect Boot CD Question 4.0.1

[Bigaldoc]

When the 4.0.1 version came out, I installed it and made the emergency CD as usual. I'm just now getting around to testing that CD to make sure it works, and it does!

However, testing it yielded a question I throw out to my fellow users of Shadow Protect. After booting the CD I did a little "browsing" around to make sure some of the functions were working OK. I was going to browse one of my backup series from the current week and have a question.

When I navigated to the external drive that has my current week backup, it doesn't show that last incremental from yesterday. Here's the scenario. I did a full backup on July 31 and incrementals (six) on August 1 - 6. Today I will start over with another full on the alternate external drive. But when I browse the current week drive it shows the full and the incrementals MINUS the one yesterday (August 6). Has anyone ever noticed anything like a missing backup or know what could have caused this strange behavior? By the way, my story above is repeated for the three "drives" (partitions) that I have.

[BobArch2]

Hi Al,

Couple of questions come to mind.

1. Can you see the August 6th incremental using Windows Explorer?
2. Did you check the Backup Log History to ensure the incremental was created without error?
3. Did you try using the Desktop Edition (not the Recovery CD) to try and mount the August 6th incremental?
4. Are you sure you had the PC powered up on the 6th and there were no power failures around the backup time?

I just tried using both the Desktop Edition and the Recovery CD to see if I could replicate your observations. No issues here.

I'm sure you had performed all the points as mentioned above... just thought I would check!

[Bigaldoc]

1. Can you see the August 6th incremental using Windows Explorer?
2. Did you check the Backup Log History to ensure the incremental was created without error?
3. Did you try using the Desktop Edition (not the Recovery CD) to try and mount the August 6th incremental?
4. Are you sure you had the PC powered up on the 6th and there were no power failures around the backup time?

I just tried using both the Desktop Edition and the Recovery CD to see if I could replicate your observations. No issues here.

I'm sure you had performed all the points as mentioned above... just thought I would check!

Thanks for the reply Bob. Yes, I can see the August 6 files clearly in Windows Explorer AND mount any of the three with the Desktop Version.

I had not checked the log but since you asked, I just did and it shows successful completion on the 6th. Nothing other than the absence when booted from the CD.

Well, I just got finished doing this week's full, so later tonite I'll try another boot from the CD. Mebbe it was just a fluke.

[Bigaldoc]

Hi Al ...

Hey Bob, I found what's goin' on but I don't know why or how to fix it. Even if I can't fix it, I can live with it if I have to.

I did my weekly FULL backup of three "drives" yesterday afternoon at 5 pm EDT. My incrementals run every morning at 1 am EDT. I booted from the recovery CD just now and pretended I want to explore a backup file. When SP gets to the file selection window, the full backup is there as well as this morning's incremental BUT the dates and times are WRONG and I don't know why.

Both the full and the incremental show a date of August 7 but a time that's way out of whack (darn it, I forgot to write down WHAT times it does show but it's off by several hours). But, the clincher is that if I select the incremental and move on to the next screen, it DOES show the correct date and time, i.e. August 8 at 1 am. So, it seems to be something fishy in the first file selection window. I didn't write it down but I think this morning's incremental shows August 7 at like 9 pm, which would make it about 4 hours behind.

Ever seen anything like that, or have a clue how to correct it? Must be something in its boot process that's not reading correctly.

Edited to add: The SP log shows the dates and times correctly and that's where I usually look to check for errors. See attached.

2010-08-08_085425.png

Edited once again: I've made a post over in the SP Forum to see if anyone there has any ideas.

[BobArch2]

Hi Al ...

Hey Bob, I found what's goin' on but I don't know why or how to fix it. Even if I can't fix it, I can live with it if I have to.

When you boot from the Recovery CD, the system does not know which Time Zone you are in. Look for the parameter to change the time zone to GOKT and you are off to the races.
[GoodOldKentuckyTime]

[Bigaldoc]

When you boot from the Recovery CD, the system does not know which Time Zone you are in. Look for the parameter to change the time zone to GOKT and you are off to the races.
[GoodOldKentuckyTime]

Thanks Bob. I don't remember seeing anything about changing the time zone, but I'm gonna reboot now to check that out.

I got a response to my post over there that told me the reason for the problem, but not a solution: Dates and Times From Boot CD - StorageCraft Support Center

[Bigaldoc]

Thanks again, Bob. The reply from the guy in the SP forum was useless, but YOUR post at least caused me to "RTFM" in a manner of speaking.

The answer is to let the CD boot all the way to the GUI, during which time I didn't see anything. BUT, your post prompted me to continue looking.

Sure enuf, under TOOLS, there it is! Got it now...