Backup MyPC compare (verification) errors

[MaxS]

After taking an ‘all files and system state’ backup’ (with ‘overwrite’ and ‘full compression’ - around 12GB) with BUMP6 (build 6.0.0) on to DVD-RAM disks under WinXP SP2 with NTFS, I always receive compare (verification) errors for a few (4 - 8) files.

 

These tend to be either the same files or files in the same directories. XP Event Manager does not show any disk errors and neither does an XP CHKDSK, and the backup phase itself completes successfully. Even a full restore will complete successfully (apparently…). A repeat backup which backs up just the ‘failed’ files will (usually) have trouble with most (but not all) of the files which failed to begin with, but several repeated backups will usually and eventually sweep up the residue, picking off one or two at a time.

 

This all sounds impossible! HDD and DVD-drive (or controller) and DVD media errors look unlikely: I have changed media, changed media type (to DVD+R), and even used an alternative drive. I reorganise the HDD fairly regularly so bad spots should be shared around (and XP should find and mark them anyway…). It is almost as if the files themselves contain some bit patterns which BUMP doesn’t like (they are always DLLs, EXEs or SYSs – but then XP contains an awful lot of these anyway!)

 

Any suggestions pls?

[marlinsinger]

It is also quite possible, the files have changed since they were backed up. Many system files constantly change. Especially things like the registry files. If you could give us a list of what the file names are, it would be easier to say if that is the case.

You can also look at the files after the backup to see if thy have been modified since you started the backup.

[MaxS]

Thanks Marlinsinger. Files which occur regularly on the 'compare failed' list as does not match the original include:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VBA\VBA6\VBE6.DLL

C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\Ole DB\MSDAIPP.DLL

C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386\helpctr.exe

C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386\msoe.dll

C:\WINDOWS\system32\cfssvradmin.dll

C:\WINDOWS\system32\cic.dll

C:\WINDOWS\system32\mmc.exe

 

The first - VBE6.DLL - fails verification on every (!) 'all files and system state' backup. If I repeat the backup just for it alone, I eventually succeed...

[marlinsinger]

I did some testing, and here is what I found. I do not have some of those file you listed.

 

C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386\helpctr.exe

C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386\msoe.dll

C:\WINDOWS\system32\cfssvradmin.dll

 

And of the remainder, most are listed as system state files, which tells me they may change. Especially if they are resident in memory. If resident in memory, that is where the backup may be getting the data to backup from, which may be different that what is on disk. I know as a programmer, quite often the area in memory that a program resides in, changes constantly, even though what was originally executed from disk has not changed.

 

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VBA\VBA6\VBE6.DLL is not listed as system state, but that does not mean it could not be changed.

 

On my test, I backed up those files that were not system state and the system state with verification to a hard drive. No errors were encountered. I also did a test to a DVD. No errors encountered.

 

Also bring up the help window for BUMP, and search for "busy". Read the info on busy files and how things are backed up. More than likely as I explained above, this is what is happening. No guarantee, but quite probable.

[MaxS]

Many thanks again marlinsinger.

I was slowly coming to the conclusion that it was a quirk of BUMP and nothing to worry about unduly. I will have a look at the Help under 'busy'.