Deleted log files may have stopped NTbackup working.

[Stephen Ford]

Win XP SP3

I decided to do some housekeeping and searched for all log files on the
C-drive and deleted all that would delete. NTbackup has been working fine
until now. It now freezes at the dialogue which shows the backup progress.

The program starts OK and I can set files to backup and use all the tabs and
screens as best I can ascertain. But it freezes when backup starts.

I downloaded the MSI files and reistalled it with no change.

 

[db]

you can try to undelete them
with a freeware called:

recuva



--
db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
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- Accountancy
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"share the nirvana mann" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

Win XP SP3

I decided to do some housekeeping and searched for all log files on the
C-drive and deleted all that would delete. NTbackup has been working fine
until now. It now freezes at the dialogue which shows the backup progress.

The program starts OK and I can set files to backup and use all the tabs
and screens as best I can ascertain. But it freezes when backup starts.

I downloaded the MSI files and reistalled it with no change.

The operation of ntbackup.exe does not depend on some log files. What
exactly where the "log files" you deleted? What criteria did you use when
deciding if a file was a log file or something else?

Did you try running the program in Safe Mode?

 

[Stephen Ford]

I selected files matching *.log

Didn't run in safe mode. Will try...

Actually, I have not given all the info. I cleaned the registry too. That
said, I've used Uniblue Registry Booster for ages on a couple of PCs and not
had any issue at all, so I'm still tempted to think this is to do with
deleting the log files. Although I suppose there could have been an
interaction between deleting the log file *and* cleaning the registry.
Probably far-fetched?

S.

 

[Stephen Ford]

Tried running in Safe Mode with the result below. I've never rolled back but
the system is set up with maximum disc space so it could work. Should I
restore the registry with the cleaner or let the roll-back do it?

==============================================
Backup Status
Operation: Backup
Active backup destination: File
Media name: "Backup-PC03-Data-Norm-20090920.bkf created 20/09/2009 at 18:46"

Error returned while creating the volume shadow copy:Catastrophic failure
Aborting Backup.

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

I selected files matching *.log

Didn't run in safe mode. Will try...

Actually, I have not given all the info. I cleaned the registry too. That
said, I've used Uniblue Registry Booster for ages on a couple of PCs and
not had any issue at all, so I'm still tempted to think this is to do with
deleting the log files. Although I suppose there could have been an
interaction between deleting the log file *and* cleaning the registry.
Probably far-fetched?

S.

Deleting .log files will not affect the operation of ntbackup.exe in any
way.

The general consensus (with some exceptions) is that registry cleaners are a
waste of time (at best) and a disaster (at worst). I think yours falls into
the second category. Perhaps running System Restore will repair the damage
done by Uniblue Registry Booster.

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

Since Windows System Restore is fully reversible (guaranteed!), this would
be my preferred option.

 

[Stephen Ford]

I restored the registry from this morning (Uniblue) and rolled back to
yesterday's shutdown and it looks like it's working.

In the process I read up on setting a restore point. Heart-in-mouth but I
think it could be OK. I was worried about loosing data just as much as
damaging the system config.

I discovered to my horror that I can't use NTbackup to restore so can't use
its filename wildcard option. And, I can't use Win Backup to restore files
on a wild card likewise and have to know what files I want to restore. But
if I've deleted on a wildcard I wouldn't know what files have been deleted
so basically I'm stuffed if trying to restore files deleted with a wildcard.
I didn't realise that !

I'm tempted to think this was my fault and not Uniblue, but I am doubly
cautious now. My experience until this incident, and that has been for about
13months of use, has been that the PC appears to run much faster with the
registry clean. I take on board your comment and note that I might be closer
to a problem with cleaning the registry than I realise. Perhaps I've been
lucky so I will keep what you say in mind.

Thanks for your help. Much appreciated.

Stephen

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

Once more I have to say: Deleting ntbackup log files makes no difference to
the operation of ntbackup. The damage was either in the registry or by you
deleting some other files too.

There have been numerous discussions in this newsgroup about registry
cleaners. Some swear by them an all of these, without exception, claim that
their system runs faster. However, none of them, again without exception,
have ever run a benchmark test that could be repeated by other people, to
support their claim. Reminds me of the days when I was young and foolish: I
would swear that my car ran faster and smoother when I added a certain
expensive engine additive/lubricant. It didn't . . .

About your concern of losing data: There are two groups of people - those
who back up their imprtant files regularly and those who don't. Over time
all those in the second group will migrate to the first group. The
transition can be extremely painful. A 2.5" disk in an external USB case is
a low-cost but highly effective backup medium. Time to think . . .

 

[Anteaus]

If backup is to tape, I would suspect a problem with the Removeable Storage
database, which you access in compmgmt.msc

This feature was a Massively Bad Idea when it was introduced in Windows
2000... and nothing has changed. -Well actually it has, Server 2003's
ntbackup is even less reliable.

The best solution is to use a backup program which maintains its own
independent media records.

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

If backup is to tape, I would suspect a problem with the Removeable
Storage
database, which you access in compmgmt.msc

This feature was a Massively Bad Idea when it was introduced in Windows
2000... and nothing has changed. -Well actually it has, Server 2003's
ntbackup is even less reliable.

The best solution is to use a backup program which maintains its own
independent media records.

"Stephen Ford" wrote:

Have a look at what the OP wrote some three hours ago:

Backup Status
Operation: Backup
Active backup destination: File
Media name: "Backup-PC03-Data-Norm-20090920.bkf created 20/09/2009 at 18:46"

 

[Bennett Marco]

If backup is to tape, I would suspect a problem with the Removeable Storage
database, which you access in compmgmt.msc

This feature was a Massively Bad Idea when it was introduced in Windows
2000... and nothing has changed. -Well actually it has, Server 2003's
ntbackup is even less reliable.

The best solution is to use a backup program which maintains its own
independent media records.

The problem wasn't with NTbackup.

You didn't read the OP's later post that says he left out the fact
that he'd used a registry cleaner.