Since a couple of weeks each backup run has marked red entries in the protocol log, telling me a base file is corrupt.
But it can be repaired (?).
For details see a snapshot of the protocol run yesterday.
This is the same for all of my three backup scenarios.
Two weeks ago I decided to make a full backup manually to have a new base, where the following differentials can work on.
Same result.
What's wrong?
Regards,
Headless.


Context:
Windows 7 64bit, German.
Macrium 6.1.936
Backup target drive is an external USB 3.0 drive.
Backup tasks acc. to strategy setup by Macrium in Windows Task Scheduler. 

Protocol:

Backup Summary

---

	Backup Definition File:	c:\users\root\documents\reflect\Files_LW_D.xml
	Auto Verify:	N
	Maximum File Size:	Automatic
	Compression:	Medium
	Password:	N
	NTFS Permissions:	Y
	Folder Reparse Points:	Follow user reparse points, do not follow system reparse points
	Backup set matching:	Similar - Match on backups with at least one matching folder
	Power Saving:	N
	Comment:	Files on drive D:

Retention Rules
		Rules will be applied to all matching backup sets in the destination folder
	Incremental:	Retain 30 incremental backups
		Create a Synthetic Full backup if possible.
	Incremental Backups:	42 found
	Consolidation:	Merging '3F1E12249A56ABE1-00-00.mrbak' with '3F1E12249A56ABE1-30-30.mrbak'
		Failed: Failed to load 'R:\WinDRichy\3F1E12249A56ABE1-00-00.mrbak' MD5 Checksum Failure - file is corrupt An error has occurred when reading file 'R:\WinDRichy\3F1E12249A56ABE1-00-00.mrbak' Process failed
		Successfully recovered from failed consolidation

Destination:
	Backup Type:	Incremental
	File Name:	Append to recent backup in directory 'R:\WinDRichy\'
		R:\WinDRichy\8886CA047BAA4195-01-01.mrbak

Hi Headless

Thanks for posting. Sorry you are having problems.  

The error indicates that your external USB Drive/Data path has problems and data cannot be Written to and Read back reliably.  With USB 3.0, a common problem is using cheap/thin USB cables that can't handle the high data transfer rate when imaging. USB hubs are also  a weak link in the chain, especially un-powered hubs.  If you are using a USB hub then please try a direct connection to see if that resolves the problem. 

Kind Regards

Nick

Macrium Support

See our reviews on

Thanks for trying to help.  ;-)

You are right - USB 3.0 w/ hub are potential source of trouble.
On the other hand - the backup processes are working fine every day.
Except for trying to access to this (shown in protocol):

Failed: Failed to load 'R:\WinDRichy\3F1E12249A56ABE1-00-00.mrbak' MD5 Checksum Failure - file is corrupt

Why MR is using that constantly?
This file is of Oct 9th, 2015.
51 incrementals were created since this date,
     named like '3F1E12249A56ABE1-18-18.mrbak' to '3F1E12249A56ABE1-59-59.mrbak'

On Dec 5th, 2015, I created a Full Backup manually again.
It is named '8886CA047BAA4195-00-00.mrbak'.
7 new incrementals were created till today,
   named '8886CA047BAA4195-01-01.mrbak' to '8886CA047BAA4195-07-07.mrbak'.
But still the above message in red will be shown in everyday's protocol.

@Headless

Thanks for getting back. 

The Full backup in the set '3F1E12249A56ABE1-00-00.mrbak' cannot be open as it appears corrupt.  Your backups are set to create a 'Synthetic Full' retaining '30 Incrementals' and this cannot complete because the Full in the previous backup set cannot be opened. It doesn't matter that you've created a new Full because the consolidation logic is constantly trying to merge backups from the older backup set to leave you with 30 Incrementals.  

I suggest that you delete all backups from your external drive that begin '3F1E12249A56ABE1' and ensure that you create a direct USB connection to your backup drive.  You may also want to turn on 'Auto Verify' in the backup definition Advanced Properties, at least for a while to establish that the data path is trouble free. 

http://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/KNOW/Advanced+Options

Kind Regards

Nick

Macrium Support

See our reviews on

@Nick
Sounds reasonable.

I moved the 3F1E12249A56ABE1-xx-xx0.mrbak files away.
Let's see what will happen on next scheduled start in a couple of hours.
A direct USB connection to my backup drive is not possible, because of having not enoough USB 3.0 ports available, hence the (power supplied) hub.

BTW: 
I opened '3F1E12249A56ABE1-00-00.mrbak by double-click in Explorer, assigned a drive letter X: and could see any files on X: without any issues.
Isn't it strange?

Another idea:
Could it be, that the external HD is in still in sleep mode, when the PC woke up for the scheduled back up task in the morning?
And thus the access to the file is not possible for a while? 

Headless.

@Nick

Eventually I got an operation without errors by removing the wrong files. Thanks for the hints.

BTW:
I opened '3F1E12249A56ABE1-00-00.mrbak by double-click in Explorer, assigned a drive letter X: and could see any files on X: without any issues.
Isn't it strange?

Another idea:
Could it be, that the external HD is in still in sleep mode, when the PC woke up for the scheduled back up task in the morning?
And thus the access to the file is not possible for a while?

Do you have any answer to those two issues?

Headless

@Headless

Thanks for getting back.

Browsing a backup in Windows Explorer does not verify the integrity of the backup file. This is by design to potentially allow recovery of files from corrupt archives.

Please can you verify '3F1E12249A56ABE1-00-00.mrbak' by using either the Reflect User Interface or by using the command line verifier:

http://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/KNOW/Verifying+image+and+backup+files
http://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/KNOW/Verifying+image+and+backup+files+from+the+command+line

Kind Regards

Nick

Macrium Support

See our reviews on

@Nick

Did the verify.
Took 2 secs.
Result:




That won't enlight is?

Headless.

@Nick
The above picture shows, that the file is considered to be corrupt after a very short time.
On the other hand I am able to browse within the file after have been mounted as a drive.
And the verification gives no detailed information what is the real cause (MD5 is only the symptom).

Any ideas how to get more information?

Browsing a backup in Windows Explorer does not verify the integrity of the backup file. This is by design to potentially allow recovery of files from corrupt archives


The MD5 check failure is the confirmation of a problem in the first few data blocks. 

As previously mentioned, the error indicates that your external USB Drive/Data path has problems and data cannot be Written to and Read back reliably. With USB 3.0, a common problem is using cheap/thin USB cables that can't handle the high data transfer rate when imaging. USB hubs are also  a weak link in the chain, especially un-powered hubs.  If you are using a USB hub then please try a direct connection to see if that resolves the problem.  

More information on understanding verification failures can be found here:

http://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/KNOW/Understanding+Image+Verification+Failures

Kind Regards

Nick

Macrium Support

See our reviews on