Cannot restore from a backup

[Alycat]

I am running PA 16.00.56 (01/2016).

I have not had much need to restore from backups, but recently I did, I needed to restore a VM. Part way through, I got a message about a CRC error on a file., and if I continue the VM will not load. The original VM loads ok. Today, I made sure the VM was closed in case that caused a problem, ran the backups, and tried to restore, again got a CRC error, and attempts load generate a dictionary problem.

I have gone back and repeated this on 3 or 4 previous backups with the same result.

I checked the logs from today’s backup, could not see any errors.

So I have no backups???

Any ideas???

[Alycat]

I have checked the host driver for errors, all ok.

[Alycat]

I can copy the VM to another directory and it loads ok.

None of my VMs with Win 10 as the guest will reload from backup. Win 7 VMs work ok.

[spwolf]

@Alycat:

I can copy the VM to another directory and it loads ok.

None of my VMs with Win 10 as the guest will reload from backup. Win 7 VMs work ok.

what VM software? I know vmware asks when open up vm from backup if you moved it (from other computer) or copied it (from same computer).

[Alycat]

VMWare Workstation 12 Player … but it is not getting to there, each time I use PA to backup a VM that is working, then try to restore it I get CRC errors.

[spwolf]

@Alycat:

VMWare Workstation 12 Player … but it is not getting to there, each time I use PA to backup a VM that is working, then try to restore it I get CRC errors.

its running during backup? You should try forcing VSS for those files. I am not sure what kind of exclusive access mode is VMP using when running, but it might doing some tricky stuff thats preventing proper access (however it should work with VSS option).

[Alycat]

See my post above " Today, I made sure the VM was closed "

[spwolf]

@Alycat:

See my post above " Today, I made sure the VM was closed "

i saw both posts, so what does “that is running” refers to? I will have to test it on our lab computer, I dont have Win10 right now only older OSs like Win7, Xp… even 98SE (in VMware)

[Alycat]

“That is running”? Sorry, I cannot see that.

[spwolf]

@Alycat:

“That is running”? Sorry, I cannot see that.

sorry, it says “that is working” not running, I figured out thats what you meant… did you mean simply a VM that works properly when run?

[Alycat]

Yep, I can load from the original and it “works”.

I have taken the external drive out of it, I used PA to back up a Win 10 VM guest (VM not running) to my HDD, then restored to another directory, CRC error.

The file that gives the error varies from restore to restore.

[Alycat]

I would offer to ftp the files … but is 50gigs

[spwolf]

@Alycat:

Yep, I can load from the original and it “works”.

I have taken the external drive out of it, I used PA to back up a Win 10 VM guest (VM not running) to my HDD, then restored to another directory, CRC error.

The file that gives the error varies from restore to restore.

but win7 VM works fine? What is the size of those? Also, what format did you use in backup?

[Alycat]

Ok, a bit of progress. This time, to restore, I used File Explorer, ie Windows, rather tha PA … and it worked !!! I feel a bit happier, I have backups again!!!

Yep, restoring of Win 7 guest VMs work, I have restored them before, this was the first Win 10 - only been using Win VMs for a few months.

Win 10 VM (size on host) is 53.6G, Win 7 is 86.2G

Format? All defaults I think, it says Format ZIP (recommended) Backup Type Normal, Method Deflate, Compression Fast, Use current folder as temp is selected, Spanning No

[spwolf]

@Alycat:

Ok, a bit of progress. This time, to restore, I used File Explorer, ie Windows, rather tha PA … and it worked !!! I feel a bit happier, I have backups again!!!

Yep, restoring of Win 7 guest VMs work, I have restored them before, this was the first Win 10 - only been using Win VMs for a few months.

Win 10 VM (size on host) is 53.6G, Win 7 is 86.2G

Format? All defaults I think, it says Format ZIP (recommended) Backup Type Normal, Method Deflate, Compression Fast, Use current folder as temp is selected, Spanning No

interesting… everything works fine with the backup?

[Alycat]

From memory, the dialog said backup completed ok, I looked through the logs, couldn’t see anything, searched for “error”, nothing.

If I can restore with Explorer, doesn’t that mean the backup is ok?

And the one that started it all, normal weekly backup to an external hard drive, that kept coming up with crc errors … just restored it ok with explorer, VM loads it ok.

[spwolf]

@Alycat:

From memory, the dialog said backup completed ok, I looked through the logs, couldn’t see anything, searched for “error”, nothing.

If I can restore with Explorer, doesn’t that mean the backup is ok?

And the one that started it all, normal weekly backup to an external hard drive, that kept coming up with crc errors … just restored it ok with explorer, VM loads it ok.

if VM loads it ok, then it is fine.

[Alycat]

There is a file Development.vmsd (Development is the name of the VM). Using Explorer it shows in the zip as 0 bytes. It restores ok as zero bytes. Using PA, it shows zero in the ZIP. Attempting to restore generates a crc and a file with 467KB. If an attempt is made to restore that file and it already exists, the warning says it is 4,294,967,295 bytes … hhmmm where do I know that number from? :)

[Alycat]

Win 7 VMs do not seem to have zero length files, at least none of mine seem to, but Win 10 VMs do … and that seems to be the problem in PA.

Also, try opening up a zip file in PA, drill down a few directories, then keep clicking the up arrow to go to the parent directory … one too many and PA hangs.

[spwolf]

@Alycat:

Win 7 VMs do not seem to have zero length files, at least none of mine seem to, but Win 10 VMs do … and that seems to be the problem in PA.

Also, try opening up a zip file in PA, drill down a few directories, then keep clicking the up arrow to go to the parent directory … one too many and PA hangs.

Please try latest update:
http://dl.powerarchiver.com/2016/powarc160063.exe

This should fix the fake CRC error bug. Thanks for reporting it in!

[Alycat]

CRC problem is fixed … but VM will not load, the old dictionary problem. Good but no cigar!

The Development.vmsd file, shows in Ex in zip as zero bytes, PA restored it as 467K.

Trying a restore using Ex …

[Alycat]

Restore using Explorer worked.

[Alycat]

Copied vmsd from Explorer restore to PA restore, VM loads ok.

Your turn!

[spwolf]

Please check with this latest release:
http://dl.powerarchiver.com/2016/powarc160064.exe

We didnt have much time to test it, seems fine so far in my testing.

[Alycat]

Looks good … restores without a crc, destination file is zero, VM loads.

Thank you.

Ken

[spwolf]

Let us know via email to extend your Select plan (if you dont have one, we will create it for you), this was definitely bug find of the month!

Pretty tricky, everything was compressed fine but extract did not work on 0 byte files if they were stored after 4 GB position in the zip archive (if they were saved before 4 GB in 100 GB archive it was fine). Thanks a lot once again!

[Alycat]

I could not find an email, so I sent a PM a while ago.

[spwolf]

@Alycat:

I could not find an email, so I sent a PM a while ago.

we extended it as soon as you sent the PM…. thanks!

[Alycat]

Why didn’t I think of this post earlier … :(

Yesterday I needed to restore a VM … restored would not load … dictionary error, so do research, nothing works … :(

Then I find a file Development.vmsd, which should be zero in size, is restored as 4,294,967,296 bytes … hhmm I remember that :(

Running PA 16.10.14.

Rest of info as per the top of this thread :)

[spwolf]

can you quickly try with older release again?
http://dl.powerarchiver.com/2016/powarc160064.exe

thanks!

[Alycat]

Installed old version, restored whole VM from backup, file is zero, VM loads perfectly.

[spwolf]

Please try with this release:
http://www.powerarchiver.com/test/release16/powarc161018.exe

And let us know. Thank you!

[Alycat]

Been away, then a new server …
Should be trying thus tomorrow.

[spwolf]

there is later version (.21):
http://www.powerarchiver.com/forums/showthread.php?p=35188

thanks!

[Alycat]

Downloaded and installed new version, ran a backup of VM files, then did a restore … 0 file is zero! VM loads ok.

Thanks.