Cannot run backup

[kalaroo]

G’day, mates. I used to run PA 10.22 on Win XP SP3 and the backups were fine. When I upgraded to 11.03, the old pbs files will start the process for powerarc.exe, the main window appears briefly, then disappears and the process just sits idle w/ 0% CPU.

If I open the main interface & try to create a new backup file, I type the name into the dialog, then after OK, it returns to the main window. No file is created.

I’ve tried re-install/uninstall several times to no avail. When I return to 10.22, everything works as expected again. How can I fix this? Thanks!

[TBGBe]

@kalaroo:

G’day, mates. I used to run PA 10.22 on Win XP SP3 and the backups were fine. When I upgraded to 11.03, the old pbs files will start the process for powerarc.exe, the main window appears briefly, then disappears and the process just sits idle w/ 0% CPU.

Not sure if PAv10 pbs files are compatible with PAv11 - but if they can’t be run, you should be able to edit them.
By the way, do you have PAv11.03 or PAv11.02.03 :p
@kalaroo:

If I open the main interface & try to create a new backup file, I type the name into the dialog, then after OK, it returns to the main window. No file is created.

Do you mean the name of the pbs script - or of the actual archive? May be a silly question but have you tried different names?

I do not have these problems on WinXP SP3…

[kalaroo]

G’day. I am using PA 11.01.03. I’ll check for an update. Yes, even if the PA 10 pbs scripts aren’t compatible, I should be able to create a new one. I was typing the name of the pbs script in the dialog box but nothing new is created. I tried several different names.

My work computer is WinXP SP2 (not that different from SP3) and was also running PA 10.22. I upgraded that to PA 11.01.03 but it’s working fine there!

I suspect Win has some crud somewhere that’s preventing this update from working but cannot debug it further w/o guidance.

[TBGBe]

@kalaroo:

G’day. I am using PA 11.01.03. I’ll check for an update.

Should be 11.02.03
@kalaroo:

I should be able to create a new one. I was typing the name of the pbs script in the dialog box but nothing new is created. I tried several different names.

Checking basics - Also check that you have write permission on the folder to store the pbs and the Windows\task folder (PA writes here for scheduling).
@kalaroo:

My work computer is WinXP SP2 (not that different from SP3) and was also running PA 10.22. I upgraded that to PA 11.01.03 but it’s working fine there!

I suspect Win has some crud somewhere that’s preventing this update from working but cannot debug it further w/o guidance.

PA settings are stored in windows registry. A bit desperate - don’t do this if unsure (and be sure to backup registry first) - but you could try uninstalling (again); reboot; and then delete the PowerArchiver key/folder from the registry.
[ HKEY_Current_User/Software/PowerArchiver ]
Then reboot and install PA “clean”.

[Tattenbach]

I can confirm that you cannot create the PowerArchiver script files (.pbs) with version 11.02. After you type the name (the name does not matter, short names, long names, names with no spaces, etc) and click OK nothing else happens. Neither the .pbs file is created nor the next window opens, so basically the backup function does not work.

This happens in two different installations in, both, Win XP and Win 2K.

It does NOT happen with version 10 (I have a U3 copy), in the same installations.

Yeah, I have write permissions. This is the PRO version. I paid for it, no trial, etc, etc…

Yeah, this is a bug.

Thanks for fixing this.

PS. SP3 in WinXP / SP4 in W2K

[TBGBe]

I can only repeat that
@TBGBe:

… PAv11.02.03 …
I do not have these problems on WinXP SP3…

Also on two different PCs

[TBGBe]

Until spwolf (or Millie or Ivan) jumps in let’s try to identify the difference between our setups …

1. Both my installs are upgrades from earlier v11 (not from v10) installs.
2. I don’t use ftp (should not matter, but still… ).
3. I don’t have Queue (PAstarter) running.
4. I don’t have networked drives (but do have USB drives).

Anything “jump out” to either of you?

[TBGBe]

Another thought …
On both PCs I use PC Tools Security Suite.
What Anti-virus / Firewall are you using?

[Tattenbach]

• upgrade from previous versions too (version 10.xx and previously version 9.xx and beyond). I have not tried uninstalling and re-installing but OP already said he tried that to no success.
• dont backup to ftp
• dont use queue
• dont have network drives either and I do have USB drives

Use AVG paid in XP and Avast free in W2K (I boot several OSs in this laptop). Use Comodo FW 2.4

Win XP has WinZip 12 and also 7Zip but partition with W2K has just PA.

I repeat, backup feature works well with PA version 10 in both partitions.

[spwolf]

Two questions:

1. how exactly are you starting new pbs (there are several different ways to start new backup)? Step by step please.

2. where are you trying to save those PBS files (full folder path)?

this will help us troubleshoot the issue and deliver solution faster…

thanks!

[Tattenbach]

Thanks for answering. To your questions:

1. how exactly are you starting new pbs (there are several different ways to start new backup)? Step by step please.

A > You can try at least 3 different ways, with the same results:

• File > New > New backup script
• Backup > Create/Edit (CTRL-P)
• From the backup Window

2. where are you trying to save those PBS files (full folder path)?

A > By default PA offers “My Documents” as a place to save the script. You can try saving the new file there or in another folder, in the end they are not created.

[spwolf]

filename doesnt matter either? test.pbs wont work?

Can you try saving test.pbs in C:\test please?

thanks!

[spwolf]

and what language version is this? English, German?

[Tattenbach]

English, OS’es are English too.

Tried uninstalling, cleaning the registry, booting and installing new. Same results, even with version 11.00.

It’s funny but if you uninstall version 11.xx and then right after, install version 10.22 every thing works fine, no reboot needed.

Version 11.xx has a key in the registry called Scripts which is empty but version 10.22 does not have this key.

PS: Tried German version (11.02) and the issue remains. Also nothing changes if I try saving the script in c:\test (file its never created)

[Tattenbach]

I installed PA 2007 (after uninstalling version 2009) in another folder. Then installed PA 2009 in the default folder. Both programs run apart from each other but the Backup function works only in PA 2007 (10.22)

[spwolf]

So this is on English XP, with PA 2009 11.02 installed in C:\Progream Files\PowerArchiver?

We will try to reproduce it on our test setup in the lab tomorrow…

[spwolf]

this is on 32bit Vista, right?

[Tattenbach]

@spwolf:

So this is on English XP, with PA 2009 11.02 installed in C:\Progream Files\PowerArchiver?

We will try to reproduce it on our test setup in the lab tomorrow…

As I explained in one of my first posts, this happens in both English versions of Windows XP and Windows 2K (installed in the same computer). In both cases PA is installed in C:\Program Files\PowerArchiver

I have been looking at the entries in the registry, comparing 11.02 and 10.22 but cannot find any significant difference. I also wanted to use 10.22 dlls with 11.02 but I have to unregister (and then register) these libs and I do not have the time to further mess with the system.

Will try to test it in another computer later.

[Tattenbach]

This must be an issue with another program (s) currently installed or that was once installed in the system.

I tried version 11.02 in a Win XP SP2 relatively new installation and the backup feature works well, it even creates the script in a deeply nested folder and also using very long file names (with blanks).

Or perhaps a service that is not running. Do you need any service for this feature? Or which dll deals with it?

[spwolf]

if you are talking about simply creating pbs script and not even getting wizard interface, then it really does nothing but create an file and then starts editing it… as simple as that…

do what are the differences in software installed? Maybe turn off everything you have running on computer with issues and then see what happens?

thanks!

[Tattenbach]

I don’t have much running, antivirus and firewall. I will switch them off and let you know, later, because I am at work now.

I shut down services that I do not use all the time and have scripts that start them up when I need them, this is why I asked you if the wizard needs any specific running service.

As I said, and also the other poster, the script file is never created and the wizard dialog box never opens. I noticed that with version 10.22 the script file is written to disk even if you do not proceed further with the wizard, so it must be a function calling “create a file” or something similar.

PS: Anyway I decided to revert back to PA 10.22 in W2K to be able to run the backups. WINZIP has a wizard too, so I can live without this.

[spwolf]

hm, in Comodo, if yo use proactive security, when you click on New Backup, screen will pop up asking you if you want to allow program (PA) to launch another process from itself (or something like that)… if you blocked this, creating new PBS will not work…

Thats the only way we could reproduce this… so check out your Comodo firewall settings… in our case, it pops up big notice every time it blocks something so it would be hard to miss.

[kalaroo]

To help answer some questions about my system, I posted some details at the bottom. I actually wiped my system yesterday b/c I noticed that the monitor power-off hadn’t been working in a couple of months.

The monitor problem previously occurred about a year ago which coincided w/ my computer not understanding how to use a USB external hard disk. It kept having a problem until I re-plugged it in after Windows booted. The Windows re-install fixed that too…

So now the backup screen appears fine in PA 11.02.03 and I will try to run a backup tonight. I apologize that we won’t be able to get further information from my system about this but until I saw Tattenbach’s reply today, I didn’t know that anybody else had this odd problem.

• Windows XP SP3 - English 32bit
• ZoneAlarm firewall (latest as of today)
• Avast 4.8 anti-virus
• PA queue disabled
• full admin rights to all drives & folders

No anti-virus or firewall alerts were seen when this problem occurred, so I agree that it’s probably related to the registry or some dll roaming around.

[Tattenbach]

@spwolf:

hm, in Comodo, if yo use proactive security, when you click on New Backup, screen will pop up asking you if you want to allow program (PA) to launch another process from itself (or something like that)… if you blocked this, creating new PBS will not work…

Thats the only way we could reproduce this… so check out your Comodo firewall settings… in our case, it pops up big notice every time it blocks something so it would be hard to miss.

There is no alert form Comodo about PA (or any part of it) when I click on create new backup. In fact there is no alert either for PA 10.22 and this version works well. This does not mean that I had not previously blocked a popup and checked the ‘don’t ask again box’ for a particular component only present in version 11.xx.

I could not test anything yesterday, sorry did not have the time. I will try again tonight.

It seems this is going to be difficult to solve, because there are not many users having this issue (kalaroo is free from it now, after reinstalling). Again, it is not a big issue for me for the reasons I mentioned yesterday.

[spwolf]

yeah, lets try turning it off and see what happens (Comodo)… it might be something else so we would like to solve the issue.

thanks

[Tattenbach]

No positive results shutting Comodo Firewall down (program and service).

[spwolf]

@Tattenbach:

No positive results shutting Comodo Firewall down (program and service).

There is great program called DLL Show:
http://www.gregorybraun.com/DLLShow.html

Run it and check what runs under powerarc.exe. We can see what dll’s are attached there and thats pretty much the only way we can troubleshoo this.

You can send the log in txt for via email or attach it here as zip… email support at conexware . com.

[spwolf]

thanks!

[Tattenbach]

@spwolf:

There is great program called DLL Show:
http://www.gregorybraun.com/DLLShow.html

Run it and check what runs under powerarc.exe. We can see what dll’s are attached there and thats pretty much the only way we can troubleshoo this.

You can send the log in txt for via email or attach it here as zip… email support at conexware . com.

Sorry for the late response, I have been very busy. I will have a look at DLL Show tonight. Process Explorer should also work. I will reply asap.

[Tattenbach]

OK, sent the e-mail minutes ago