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Jason_Eisel's avatar
Jason_Eisel
Level 4
18 years ago

Imported media reallocated as scratch

Here's my issue:  We've used BE 10d for about a year, and I recently upgraded to 11d build 7170 and no patches / service packs applied.  Now when I import media allocated by 10d to the 'Media Set 1' media set, 11d moves this media to 'Scratch Media'  When I inventory the tape in question, it then moves the tape back to the correctly allocated media set ('Media Set 1').  BE 11d then creates duplicate entries for this media in the database...one entry has the tape allocated to the 'Media Set 1' media set (which is correct), and the other entry allocates the media to the 'Scratch Media' media set.
 
Last week I was on the phone with Symantec Advanced Support for about 10 hours, without finding a resolution.  The only workaround they suggested was to basically start over: use a blank database, re-create all jobs, but keep the existing catalogs; um...no.  I have performed all database utilities through "beutility.exe" on our media server, but to no avail.  Also, I have tried all of the basic support tasks: rename the catalog folder, restart services, etc.
 
Since I've pretty much exhausted all support options when I called Symantec last week (for which we pay GOOD MONEY for, but they still couldn't tell me what's wrong), I'm not expecting anybody from Symantec to be any help here, so if there are any users out there who are having the same problem, please post any resolutions or questions here.
 
Thanks!
-jason
11.x and Earlier
Backup and Recovery
Backup Exec

6 Replies

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  • YosemiteSam's avatar
    YosemiteSam
    Level 4
    17 years ago
    I am experiencing the same issue.  Any media we import into our Tape Library unit is immediately listed as scratch unknown media, even if I just ran a backup job to the tape, exported and reimported it immediately.  I am forced to run an Inventory on the tape to get its true condition to show.  We did not have this problem with 10d, only after moving to 11d. 
     
    The only solution I've been offered is to change the Import job to automatically inventory every time it imports, but I don't really want to have to do that.  I can always click the option when I start the import. 
     
    This is a very unwelcome feature.  If anyone has a fix, please post it here. 
     
    Thank you,
     
    Andrew
  • Jason_Eisel's avatar
    Jason_Eisel
    Level 4
    17 years ago
    It's glad to see somebody else is having the same problem.  I've found out a couple more things about this issue.  If you move a piece of media to a Backup Exec vault location, which is to say any place other than "offline" or your tape library, export the media, then re-import the media, Backup Exec will create a duplicate entry for that media.  One entry has the media in the correct media set at the time you exported it.  The second entry has the media set in the "Scratch (Overwritable)" media set.  This pretty much renders useless the vault feature, which I think is essential, especially if you send tapes to an offsite facility.  At this point, you must delete one of those entries.  If you delete the wrong entry, you'll have to re-catalog that piece of media for the next time you want to use it.  It's a hassle, and something that never occurred in v9.1, v10.0, or v10d.  If there is anybody that has any input regarding this, I would appreciate it!
     
    Thanks!
    jason
  • jbambauer's avatar
    jbambauer
    Level 2
    17 years ago
    I think I'm experiencing the same problem.  I'm evaluating BE11d now and experimenting with archiving data, making a duplicate of the backup media, and moving one copy offsite.  When I tried to restore the data and imported the tape from the other vault, I got a duplicate that was put in the Scratch Media set.  I exported the media again, so right now I have one version of the tape showing as "offline" and another in our vault "offsite vault."   Is there any way to rectify this?

    To further complicate things, it looks like when my initial batch of LTO3 tapes was scanned it created mislabeled duplicates.  So, for each properly named tape I have another phantom tape, sometimes two.
    In the case of 000201L3 in Scratch Media I also have a "000201L3 0" in Scratch Media, and a "000201L3" in Blank Media. I seem to be unable to delete the errant media.

    I'm running BE11d, fully updated, on a Windows 2003 server with a Dell TL4000 LT03 library.

    Any help would be appreciated.



  • YosemiteSam's avatar
    YosemiteSam
    Level 4
    17 years ago
    I spoke to a Symantec Support Rep who suggested I delete the Unknown Media versions of my tapes in the Media tab, but I wasn't able to delete the media from there at first.  However, I was able to drag the Unknown Media versions to the Retired Media folder in the tree on the left side of the page, and then delete the media from there.  This did not affect the "real" alternate versions still in the Media tab, and my problem has not returned so far.  Now I can export and import media and they retain the correct information.  Whoopee!
     
    (Our problem began when we upgraded from BE 10d to 11d.  If you are having a similar problem but not related to an upgrade to 11d, this solution may not help.)
     
    Good luck to all...
     
     
    Sam
     
  • jbambauer's avatar
    jbambauer
    Level 2
    17 years ago
    Thanks Sam, retiring and deleting the phantom media seems to have fixed the problem.
    I believe, but still need to check, that I didn't import the media properly (ie an import job) when I did the restore.
    That's why it created a second version of the media.  I find it disturbing that BE didn't recognize the media and put it
    in the proper set on its own, but I think as long as I'm diligent about properly exporting and importing media this won't happen again. I need to prove this, though.

    I'm also confident that the duplicate set of all my tapes was a result of installing a newer set of drivers for the library after having BE discover all of the media inside. I was having SCSI timeout problems so I installed a newer driver pack, and soon after saw the multiple sets of the same media.

    James