BU 2012 - cardridge disk has no data but is "full"

[ttlop]

I have installed Backup Exec 2012 to test in trial mode.

It is installed on a Windows Server 64bit that has no connected storage.

Since the "backup-to-disk" folders have disappeared, i attached a usb-thumb-drive to test with.

Just small tests with little data. So i took a 4Gb disk.

When trying to backup, Backup Exec claims that the device is out of space.

Even though is was completely empty before initializing with BU 2012.

Why does it say this?

What are the limits on how much empty space is needed on a device? (i see no way to configure this).

I could accept that it warns when it only has 20% space left, or only X Gb left, but here it just refuses to do anything.

(i can add that now i have tested with a 16Gb, and then i am allowed to do backups. But still havent put much data

on it so i dont know when BU2012 will tell me its full).

Attaching some screenshots.

  wbr / Alex

[AmolB]

Backup Exec does not support USB Thumb drive.

Check the 2nd attachment, capacity of the device is 3.73GB and the max file size is set as 50GB.

Its like you are trying to create a 50GB file on a 3.73GB drive.

[pkh]

Backup Exec does not support USB Thumb drive.

Since when?  There is no such restriction.

In BE 2012, when you have a thumbdrive with sufficient capacity.  The Storage Wizard will show the Disk Cartridge Storage definition and there thumb drives are specifically mentioned.

Check the 2nd attachment, capacity of the device is 3.73GB and the max file size is set as 50GB.

The user has enabled the allocation increment parameter, thus not all 50GB will be allocated at once.

[pkh]

@alex - I don't know how you managed to allocate a Disk Cartridge Storage on a 4GB thumbdrive.  When I plugged in a 4GB thumbdrive, the Storage Wizard does not even show the definition for Disk Cartridge Storage.  See my Idea below

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/ideas/issue-warning-if-usb-thumb-drive-too-small

However, I did managed to define and use a Disk Cartidge Storage on a 8GB thumbdrive.  One difference is that I did not enable the allocate max size parameter.  Maybe you can try either disabling the allocate max size parameter or use a bigger thumbdrive.

[ttlop]

Yepp exactly, the BKF-files should grow as needed. 50Gb is merely the maximum, not the minimum.

And the "disk cartridge" option specifically mentions "usb thumb drives that are appear as removable storage".

Backup Exec 2012 does not seem to create much overhead data in the Disk Based storages.

I did a backup of those 2 servers, summing up to around 3Gb, and thats basically the amount of data that Windows says there is on the (16Gb) thumb drive.

So i'll just assume that "Using disks as small as 4Gb is simply not a valid use case, and restrictions (dare i say bugs?) may pop out that were not deemed significant enough to document."

With this specific case, such a small thumb drive, i'll say... fair enough:)

[ttlop]

Well, let me tell you, it was pure luck:) But this is how it came to work with both (4Gb and 16Gb) thumb drives.

1. plugged in the drive - cartridge option does not show

2. formatted (quick, vfat) drive in windows - cartridge option still doesnt show

3. unmounted the thumb drive in windows (that little icon in the bottom right of the screen)

4. unplugged and then plugged the drive back in - cartridge option is now available!

When it comes to enabling/disabling the max files size parameter, i think that that is done _after_ the storage has been initialized.

In my installation it seems to be on "enabled to grow" by default, and with those small drives i left it at the of course.