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Troubleshooting "Missed Backups"

ocBackup Support Staff
Updated

Summary:

This article covers the typical reasons why a scheduled backup does not occur and the troubleshooting steps.  These missed backups also generate a Reminder email approximately 6-8 hours following with the following the scheduled backup.  The email has the following subject line: "Reminder: Scheduled backup missed > [YourBackupAccount] > [YourBackupsetName]"
 

Applies to:

Software:Backup Manager
Version: All
OS: All Windows Operating Systems
Backup Set Type: All
 

Cause:

There are several potential causes to a "missed backup".  We are listing them in order beginning with the most typical causes.  We recommend you thoroughly check each step in order.

  1. By far, the number 1 reason for missed backups are that the affected machine is switched off, hibernated or in standby mode when the scheduled backup is due to run.  If the affected machine is a laptop that is not always on and connected to an internet connection, try playing with the "Off-Line Backup" settings in the "Extra Backup" settings tab.  You can remove all scheduled backups and rely solely on the Extra Backups settings which will reduce the frequency of the "missed backup" error messages sent via email.
  2. The computer name changed, or someone inadvertently set the corresponding backupset to run on another machine.  To check this, on the machine that the backupset is supposed to run, make sure that the "Run scheduled backup on this computer" option is selected on the Backup Schedule tab in the settings. 

    ScheudleTab.jpg

    Note: make sure you first choose the correct backupset if there is more than 1 on the account, and that you ONLY choose this option on the actual computer this backupset is intended for.
  3. Check that the Online Backup Scheduler service is started.  It should be set to "Automatic" and started.  If it is started, we recommend restarting the service, then proceed to the following
  4. Check the scheduler log for current valid entries.
    1. First, check the C:\Program Files\ocBackup Manager\home.txt file for a list of user profiles the software is being run under.  You should see 1 or more entries pointing to a .obm (or .acb) folder.  These are the profiles that the software has been opened with.  You will need to note each of these locations for the next steps.
    2. Navigate to the .obm folder from step 1 above and then expand the log/Scheduler folder  (example: c:\users\administrator\.obm\log\Scheduler).  There will be a debug.log followed by numerous other sequentially incremented files.  Open the debug.log file and scroll to the bottom.  You should see entries like below with a time:date stamp within the previous 5 minutes.  These entries should repeat every 5 minutes.

      [2011/11/03 12:39:17][info] Loading profile...
      [2011/11/03 12:39:17][info] Loading configuration file ...
      [2011/11/03 12:39:17][info] Loading configuration file ... Completed
      [2011/11/03 12:39:17][info] Loading profile from server ...
      [2011/11/03 12:39:17][info] Loading profile from server ... Completed
      [2011/11/03 12:39:17][info] Loading profile... Completed
      [2011/11/03 12:39:17][info] [OCB-1 - Files (1256359999244)] Next backup will run in 9 hr 56 min 43 sec.
      [2011/11/03 12:39:17][info] [OCB-2 - Files (1304399967710)] Ignore scheduled / server initiated backup on this computer, OCB-1. Should run on computer named 'OCB-2'.

      Note that you should see an entry for the corresponding backupset and it should give the "Next backup will run in ..." message if it is setup correctly.  These entries repeat every 5 minutes. 

      We recommend you scroll to the specific time of day a backup was supposed to be invoked.  You may fine a time gap in the entries indicating that the scheduler was not running at that time (the computer was off, hibernated or sleeping), or you may find a specif error at the time the backup job was scheduled to run.

      Also, remember that the debug.log file is limited to just 256K.  Once the file reached this size, it is rotated to debug.log.1  You may need to examine the contents of some of these rotated logs to go back in time far enough to see the history you are looking for.
    3. If you do not find current entries in the scheduler debug.log (with the previous 5 minutes) from any of the profile paths listed in the home.txt file, check C:\Program Files\ocBackup Manager\log\Scheduler\info.log.  This should show debug info for each time the scheduler is started. Scroll to the bottom and look for  a valid string of entries from the last time the scheduler service started.  Valid entries should like like this:

      [2011/10/07 17:01:04][info] Scheduler Version='6.7.0.0'
      [2011/10/07 17:01:04][info] OS Name='Windows 7' Version='6.1'
      [2011/10/07 17:01:04][info] Java Vendor='Sun Microsystems Inc.' Version='1.6.0_23'
      [2011/10/07 17:01:04][info] Start scheduler. User: 'YourUserName@10.0.0.12' Home: 'C:\Users\Admin\.obm'

    4. If the scheduler does not seem to be running, we recommend you stop the Online Backup Scheduler Service, then check for the "running" file located at C:\Program Files\ocBackup Manager\ipc\Scheduler.  If it exists after the Online Backup Scheduler Service has been stopped, remove it and then restart the Online Backup Scheduler Service.  In rare cases, especially when a computer is abnormally shutdown, it is possible for this "running" file to get stuck.  Simply removing it and restarting the Online Backup Scheduler Service should solve the problem.

Resolution:

See above.
 

See Also:

n/a

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