15 replies to this topic

[tdgarci]

I created a backup using Backup  MyPC 6.0.  The *.qic file is about 4.6 GB of family pictures and other documents. I had to do a clean install of XP due to a serious Codec issue and when I attempted to restore the backup I keep getting the following error after choosing device view. When I double click the file, it simply opens up Backup MyPC.  

"This media cannot be read or is not properly formatted. Please insert another media to continue."

I did a little troubleshooting and discovered that Backup  MyPC creates a text file which appears to be a report of the backup. It includes, file size, number of files, date created, comparison date, etc. Do I need this text file to restore the backup? Is all hope lost?  Any help would be appreciated in restoring this file. Until then I have a 4 Gigabyte file with all of my stuff.

Tom

[marlinsinger]

I created a backup using Backup  MyPC 6.0.  The *.qic file is about 4.6 GB of family pictures and other documents. I had to do a clean install of XP due to a serious Codec issue and when I attempted to restore the backup I keep getting the following error after choosing device view. When I double click the file, it simply opens up Backup MyPC.  

"This media cannot be read or is not properly formatted. Please insert another media to continue."

I did a little troubleshooting and discovered that Backup  MyPC creates a text file which appears to be a report of the backup. It includes, file size, number of files, date created, comparison date, etc. Do I need this text file to restore the backup? Is all hope lost?  Any help would be appreciated in restoring this file. Until then I have a 4 Gigabyte file with all of my stuff.

Tom

You should not need anything but a fresh install of BUMP. Open BUMP/restore and click on device view. Making sure you point to file on restore from. Then browse to the qic file you want to restore from. It will then create a temporary catalog that will allow you to pick which files to restore. Also select restore to an alternate location as all of your directory structure probably isn't there. Then hit restore. If after doing this, and you still get that it is a corrupt file, then more than likely somewhere along the line it has become corrupted.

[lynn98109]

Also, I wd suggest for next time, burn your data to a data disc using Classic Creator, and close the disc.  It can be read on any computer with an appropriate optical drive (DVD drives can read both DVD and CD; CD drives can only read CDs).

Making a "backup disc" is for doing restorations of programs, etc.  Among other potential problems, it requires the originating program to be installed on the computer in question.  If any compression has been used, it would not be possible to even use a recovery program - you would somehow have to get it back out of the backup or it's gone.

Another thought - making a backup (as data, not as a "backup") to an External Hard Drive (they're pretty cheap these days) would also allow it to be read on almost any computer it can be plugged in to (I think most use USB; someone else would know if some HDs use FireWire these days).

Lynn

[tdgarci]

Also, I wd suggest for next time, burn your data to a data disc using Classic Creator, and close the disc.  It can be read on any computer with an appropriate optical drive (DVD drives can read both DVD and CD; CD drives can only read CDs).

Making a "backup disc" is for doing restorations of programs, etc.  Among other potential problems, it requires the originating program to be installed on the computer in question.  If any compression has been used, it would not be possible to even use a recovery program - you would somehow have to get it back out of the backup or it's gone.

Another thought - making a backup (as data, not as a "backup") to an External Hard Drive (they're pretty cheap these days) would also allow it to be read on almost any computer it can be plugged in to (I think most use USB; someone else would know if some HDs use FireWire these days).

Lynn

OK...get this.  I tried to burn my 4.5GB backup file to a Dual Layer disc (it wouldn't fit on a standard layer) and i get an error telling me that the current file system doesn't support files larger than 4GB and asks me if I want to remove it. If I click yes, it goes through the burning process, but the disc is blank, if I click NO, it takes me back to Creator Classic.

I also reinstalled EMC 7.5 and tried to restore the backup of a test file and it didn't work when I tried to restore it from the hard drive. It worked when i burned the file to a CD accessed it that way....Explanations?

[lynn98109]

Sounds like Joliet limits.  Quoting a post by James_Hardin from the old Forums (pre-2006):

Joliet Standards:

Filename – 64 characters max
Pathname – 128 characters (full path + filename)
8 subdirectories max
4gb file length limit

Nothing is going to change that, not V6, V7 or anything else!

Operating System: NO, Win9x or NT operating system can read past those limits on a CD!

XP/W2K can read past them but then you have to be able to create a CD without using Joliet…

V6 & V7 can create such a CD but only if you choose UDF for the file system and set NO Bridge for the option. But keep in mind no Win9x/NT machine can read past Joliet limits.

[addition edited in:]


Er ... I overlooked that this came from a far-away place called "Context".

If you are trying to burn a copy of the backup file, that won't make it any more readable than it was to begin with.

Have you tried marlinsinger's suggestion?

Lynn

Edited by lynn98109, 15 May 2007 - 08:11 AM.

[tbrewst]

Also, I wd suggest for next time, burn your data to a data disc using Classic Creator, and close the disc.  It can be read on any computer with an appropriate optical drive (DVD drives can read both DVD and CD; CD drives can only read CDs).

Making a "backup disc" is for doing restorations of programs, etc.  Among other potential problems, it requires the originating program to be installed on the computer in question.  If any compression has been used, it would not be possible to even use a recovery program - you would somehow have to get it back out of the backup or it's gone.

Another thought - making a backup (as data, not as a "backup") to an External Hard Drive (they're pretty cheap these days) would also allow it to be read on almost any computer it can be plugged in to (I think most use USB; someone else would know if some HDs use FireWire these days).

Lynn

Good suggestion.FYI,the drive I use the enclosure can connect to my computer with either USB 2.0 or Firewire.It all depends on the enclosure that the external drive is put into.

[tdgarci]

You should not need anything but a fresh install of BUMP. Open BUMP/restore and click on device view. Making sure you point to file on restore from. Then browse to the qic file you want to restore from. It will then create a temporary catalog that will allow you to pick which files to restore. Also select restore to an alternate location as all of your directory structure probably isn't there. Then hit restore. If after doing this, and you still get that it is a corrupt file, then more than likely somewhere along the line it has become corrupted.

Thanks Marlin...read some of your other posts and was glad to see you responded to mine.  Regarding the corrupted file. I'm leaning in this direction because I created a test backup file.  I was having the same problems, but after burning it to a CD, it worked. (can't explain this one)

If the file is corrupt. Are there any CRC type tools that can check the file for errors to make it readable?  thanks for the replies

[marlinsinger]

Thanks Marlin...read some of your other posts and was glad to see you responded to mine.  Regarding the corrupted file. I'm leaning in this direction because I created a test backup file.  I was having the same problems, but after burning it to a CD, it worked. (can't explain this one)

If the file is corrupt. Are there any CRC type tools that can check the file for errors to make it readable?  thanks for the replies

Not that I know of as the data is compressed. Also I have to ask, what did you burn to, or did you create a file then burned it to a disk. BUMP will span up to 32 disks, so you do not need to worry about file size. It will have a problem I believe with any single file larger than 4GB. But definitely more info on how you did your backup to start and what media your data as written to. I hope not any RW media.

[tdgarci]

I am trying to restore a 4.5GB backup from a file and when i select FROM CATALOG in the restore wizard i get the following error and i can't go any further.

"The catalog is empty for the selected device"

Under that it tells me to select from device, blah blah blah.  

The force is telling me that I'm getting closer to resolving this thing....

Thanks

[tdgarci]

Not that I know of as the data is compressed. Also I have to ask, what did you burn to, or did you create a file then burned it to a disk. BUMP will span up to 32 disks, so you do not need to worry about file size. It will have a problem I believe with any single file larger than 4GB. But definitely more info on how you did your backup to start and what media your data as written to. I hope not any RW media.

The problem has evolved!!!!

[marlinsinger]

I am trying to restore a 4.5GB backup from a file and when i select FROM CATALOG in the restore wizard i get the following error and i can't go any further.

"The catalog is empty for the selected device"

Under that it tells me to select from device, blah blah blah.  

The force is telling me that I'm getting closer to resolving this thing....

Thanks

As I stated in the other thread, because you had to rebuild your hard drive there is no catalog for your restores. That is why you have to follow the directions I gave you on restoring using device view.

[tdgarci]

As I stated in the other thread, because you had to rebuild your hard drive there is no catalog for your restores. That is why you have to follow the directions I gave you on restoring using device view.

I followed your instructions, but I get the same error.  I shouldn't have this many problems with friggin backup software. After this situation, I am really reluctant to even use it for backups.  What's the deal?  There's not way to CRC the file for consistency and apparently, it relies heavily on a header type of tag (called a catalog) in order to restore the dang file.

[marlinsinger]

What did you burn to, or did you create a file then burned it to a disk.

You still did not answer this question. How did you do your back up. To what media, dvd? file? what?

[tdgarci]

You still did not answer this question. How did you do your back up. To what media, dvd? file? what?

Sorry, missed that one.  I backed up to a file. BUMP created a .qic file. I pointed the software to create the file on my external hard drive.

[marlinsinger]

Sorry, missed that one.  I backed up to a file. BUMP created a .qic file. I pointed the software to create the file on my external hard drive.

The "list" of files backed up is stored in 2 places. The first is the catalog in the documents and settings directories. This is there for normal restores. In cases of having to rebuild your C: drive the data is also stored within the qic file. Every backup software I know of does it this way. All also do compression to save space. Just like when data is put into zip files. If any part of the qic or zip file becomes corrupt, especially the "catalog" then it becomes pretty much unusable.

What format is your external drive formatted in. FAT32 or NTFS. If you never formatted it, it would be FAT32. Also how large is the qic file. If it is right at 4gb and you never formatted to NTFS, there might be another smaller file there with another name. That might be the file you need to point at to get the catalog. Not sure as I have never backed up to a FAT32 drive with an output of larger than 4gb. This smaller file would have a name with a number of 1 higher than the large file. ex large file is I:\BUMP Files\Singers Files Backup 00001.qic, smaller file is I:\BUMP Files\Singers Files Backup 00002.qic

If none of this helps, then I get the feeling the file is truly corrupted. I do backups to files on external hard drives all the time. And as a test just restored from one of them.

Just an FYI. I have learned in the past to do multiple backups, using different products, to different media. Right now my C and E drive is backed up by BUMP and Norton Save & Restore (similar to Ghost, but at this point I don't think as good) on DVD's. I also keep 3 versions of my back ups so that maybe if a file or backup was corrupted that I can go back to earlier versions if needed.
As an old mainframe programmer, I know Murphy's law very well.
There is also I believe a Singer's law. Murphy says if it can go wrong, it will. Singers law states that if you plan for all contingencies and are sure that nothing will go wrong, it is going to be so screwed up you will never see daylight.

Sorry I can't be more help, but there is very little that does go wrong with this software that isn't normally created by corrupted data or some other software, including Windows itself. In your case, I am leaning towards corrupted data. I have been using this software since it was Seagate Backup Exec. Probably somewhere around 1998 or 99 and have never had any real failures or surprises except for corrupted data. That being the data I backed up was corrupt, not the backup. It may not be the end all to backup software, but has been reliable for me for a lot of years. It is due for improvements though, including the requirement of needing floppies for a disaster recovery.

I would definitely look into the FAT32 possibility, a many do not know that externals come in FAT32 so they can be used with the Windows 95 line of OS's.

Edited by marlinsinger, 16 May 2007 - 05:02 PM.

[tdgarci]

The "list" of files backed up is stored in 2 places. The first is the catalog in the documents and settings directories. This is there for normal restores. In cases of having to rebuild your C: drive the data is also stored within the qic file. Every backup software I know of does it this way. All also do compression to save space. Just like when data is put into zip files. If any part of the qic or zip file becomes corrupt, especially the "catalog" then it becomes pretty much unusable.............

I just found this software from some dude who is a backup expert (apparently from his whitepapers on his website.)  It's called MSQIC.  I have not idea what it does but it's a command line program that apparently displays the information of a qic file.  I ran it against my corrupt file and here is what I got


error reading VTBL region
error finding file length
start data 0x0  start dir 0xffffffff
failed to find a valid vtbl, try using -sc and -sd?
Continue with invalid VTBL? (Y/N)


I also created a test backup and ran the same software and it actually had a value for the START DATA and START DIR.  It also didn't give an error for the VTBL.  

So common sense would tell me that something called the VTBL is corrupt therefore making my file useless....unless someone has some answers to this scenario.

Thanks.