Job fails: "The directory is invalid" on malformed directory

[Christina_Trace]

My nightly backups intermittently fail with "The directory is invalid" error. The log states the following:

Directory not found. Can not backup directory \Program Files\\60133222.0.1064\\\\\\\\ā붘ǡ Ǧ䈐& Ǧ‌Ǧ⾨Ǧ Ǧ\\䆰&ྠ\⾨ǦぴǦぴǦ\\\ྠ\ྠ\\\\\\ and its subdirectories.
Directory not found. Can not backup directory \Program Files\\60133392.0.1064\\\\\\\\ā\\MAILSRV\\᙮\\ߖ

When the error occurs, the directory path is different, but it's always the same kind of thing -- a bogus directory with funky characters in it. These are, of course, directories that do not exist or have never existed. I read tech notes 266179 and 207001, but because these are directories that do not exist, they are not being specified in the selection list for the backup, therefore I didn't find these tech documents helpful.

I have tried recreating the selection list for this backup job, and the problem still occurs. I also tried recreating and resubmitting the backup job, and the problem still occurs. I'm at my wits end trying to figure out why this backup job, which ran fine for years without any difficulty, is now suddenly trying to back up these funky directories.

I'm guessing that maybe there's an application that perhaps is creating temporary directories while the backup is occurring, and thus the error, but I don't know for sure, and I'm not sure how to get around it. This is a Microsoft Exchange server, and my suspicion is that maybe the Symantec Mail Security software might be doing an update or something that's creating these directories, but I don't know for sure. HELP!

[Gauri_Ketkar]

Hi,

Repair BE Installation and try new backup.

Repairing Backup Exec 9.x and 10.x for Windows Servers.
http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/253199.htm

Also does this happen while backingup local or any other remote server ?

What other applications are running on the server ?


Update us on the same and revert for any further Query



Thank you
Gauri

[Willie_Gillespi]

I too have the same type of error message on one of my backup jobs:
Directory not found. Can not backup directory \Shares\\\\뺤dž뚮둰ǃ숀㕋홢DŽꄭ仌LETTETER and its subdirectories.

The server which is being backed up is local. There are practically no other running applications (besides the defaults) and Symantec Antivirus.

I have tried the suggested Repair installation option that was suggested, but the backup still failed with the same error.

I am backing up about 50gigs of data onto a 50gig tape. After compression and the backup is finished, the available capacity column says I have about 10gigs remaining on the tape. So, at first, I thought that might have something to do with it... but I'm not so sure.

Any thoughts?

[shweta_rege]

Hello,



Kindly refer the follwoing Documents:


Backup of Microsoft Exchange mailboxes fails with error "V-79-57344-65033 - Directory not found. Cannot backup directory ? and its subdirectories."


http://support.veritas.com/docs/276561


Exchange 2000/2003 Mailbox backup fails on specific mailboxes with the error "Directory not found. Can not backup directory ?Exchange User and its subdirectories."


http://support.veritas.com/docs/249714



Thank You,

Shweta

[Willie_Gillespi]

Hello,

I took a look at the suggestions above.

The first document doesn't really apply since I don't get that V-79-58344-65033 error.

Would it make a difference if I am not backing up Exchange mailboxes? So I don't know that the second document really applies either.

I have turned up the amount of logging done during the backup jobs to see if we can drill down a little further on this.

My problem is similar to the one described above in this post and this one here:
http://forums.veritas.com/discussions/thread.jspa?messageID=4361677

In either case the directory doesn't actually exist, so we can't exclude it.

Hopefully the extra logging will reveal a little more information.

[Willie_Gillespi]

I also found this document:
http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/261831.htm

I am not using the Advanced Open File Option (AOFO), but I am wondering if that document may shed some additional light on the strange error message.

[shweta_rege]

Hello,


Kindly refer the following Documents to check the rights to the account that you are using to backup the Mailboxes.


http://support.veritas.com/docs/256537


http://support.veritas.com/docs/243328


http://support.veritas.com/docs/236713



Thank You,

Shweta

[Willie_Gillespi]

Hello,

Please kindly note that I've stated that I am not backing up any Exchange mailboxes.

Here is an extract of the log right where the problem occurs:
Directory \Shares\CorpDocs\MECHELLE\VEHICLES
Vehicle on Job.xls
Directory \Shares\CorpDocs\MECHELLE\WATER
Certification.wpd
Directory not found. Can not backup directory \Shares\\ory_name>\홢DŽꄭ仌LETTETER and its subdirectories.
Directory \Shares\CorpDocs\Nick Clegg
debits 1 estonia.xlr
debits 2 estonia.xlr

The strange, malformed directory name doesn't actually exist on the disk, but it appears to occur right in between the "MECHELLE" and the "Nick Clegg" directory. Alphabetically, there is no other directory that falls between these two... and since Veritas seems to be backing up the structure alphabetically, that's why I make that distinction.

You may note that the directory name has changed somewhat since my inital posts. It now seems to include a "ory_name\" in it, which didn't exist before.

Willie

[Willie_Gillespi]

Ahah, I took a look at the text view of the backup selections as some others had suggested and was trying to back up \Shares\New Folder, which would fall alphabetically in between "MECHELLE" and "Nick Clegg" but that did not actually exist.
I thought that I had checked that list before, but obviously didn't check close enough.

I have removed the entry and expect the backup to run fine tonight.

Hopefully this thread will be useful to any having similar malformed, strange directory problems. I think this thread just about covers it all, from upgrades, to Exchange mailboxes, to directories that no longer exist and therefore you cannot deselect them with the graphical interface.

Thanks for Symantec for looking up all the Exchange mailbox documents -- even though they did not apply to my case in particular.

[Willie_Gillespi]

Yep, seemed to work great.