AAAARRRGGGG! AIS Backup deleting files?

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timjon
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2002 11:01 am

AAAARRRGGGG! AIS Backup deleting files?

Post by timjon »

Hi,

I just had something astoundingly annoying happen - AIS Backup deleted a bunch of files without any warning.

I have a standard backup script, which I set up when I purchased AIS Backup a couple of weeks ago. It worked fine the first time I ran it (as a test), butt was using C:\Backup as a staging folder, and I try to keep things fairly tidy, so I changed the script to (instead) point to C:\Incoming\Backup. I use C:\Incoming as a "general" dumping box for things I haven't got around to filing yet.

This morning, when I ran the script, it promptly started to delete everything in around C:\Incoming - including all the other folders! After a few seconds I managed to kill it with Task Manager, but not before it had managed to wipe out over 5Gb of files. Not funny. :( I don't think it got anything irreplacable, but obviously I'm not going to run it again until I know what went wrong - for all I know, it would have continued and wiped out the whole disk!

Any ideas how this could have happened? I'm guessing my files are toast, and not just moved to somewhere out of the way, as my disk "free space" has gone up by 5Gb or so. I'm running XP, fully patched, and AIS Backup 1.6.1.150.

Cheers,

Tim.
Barry
Site Admin
Posts: 1529
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2002 3:16 pm

AISBackup staging area

Post by Barry »

Hi Tim

AISBackup totally clears the staging area prior to backup as only files that belong to the current backup script (job) should be using this folder.

In your case only files from folder C:\Incoming\Backup should have been deleted and not C:\Incoming, please send me the <script>.buz file so that we may shed some light on what went wrong.

Please also let us know how you changed the backup destination from c:\backup to c:\Incoming\backup.

We will put a check in the next version of AISBackup to ensure that a folder which already contains files is not selected as a new destination folder. If you insist on using the folder you will have to manually delete the files before AISBackup will let you use it.

Barry
timjon
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2002 11:01 am

Post by timjon »

Hi, thanks for replying.

I'll send you the .buz file when I get home - I'm at work at the moment. Relating to the various points below...

I changed the staging area to C:\Incoming\Backup - but one of the directories deleted was C:\Incoming\Downloads, for example. ie - it looks as though the parent directory (C:\Incoming) was being cleared, instead of the directory itself.

I changed the directory from with AISBackup itself, I wasn't doing anything dim like changing the .buz file with a hex editor! :) So I'm not sure what went wrong.

Hmm... does the directory path have to have a trailing slash? IE - was my mistake typing in "C:\Incoming\Backup" instead of "C:\Incoming\Backup\"? Just a thought... that would explain why it wiped the parent directory...

Cheers,

Tim.
timjon
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2002 11:01 am

Post by timjon »

I've just been testing this again (with a certain amount of trepidation, obviously!) and it's repeatable, at least on my system. Here's a quick test:

1. Create a test folder on C: - eg C:\TestFolder

2. Create some junk files and folders within that folder - ie C:\TestFolder\Test1, C:\TestFolder\Test2 etc

3. Load a backup script, and then use Manage Backup / Change Backup Destination to point to any of the subfolders you created in step "2" - ie, C:\TestFolder\Test1.

4. Run script. Watch as everything else in C:\TestFolder gets wiped. :(

I'd appreciate someone else verifying this, as I can't help thinking that I've either got something wrong with my system, or I'm doing something wrong...

Cheers,

Tim.
Barry
Site Admin
Posts: 1529
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2002 3:16 pm

Moving a backup staging area

Post by Barry »

Hi

We have identified this as a problem, so please DO NOT try this option. We will produce a fix and e-mail everybody who has registered AISBackup with us as soon as possible.

Please note that the Manage Backup / Change Backup Destination functions correctly for all other backup types.

If you wish to move the backup destination of an AISBackup Mastered CD before the fix is ready then:
  • Make a note of the existing CD Staging area e.g.

    C:\Backup\C Drive to CD\C Drive to CD.zip

    Choose the menu option Manage Backup / Change Backup Destination.

    Select the new destination, manually enter the new sub-folder. Then add the filename portion (\C Drive to CD.zip).

    The folder entry should look something like this:

    D:\Backup\C Drive\C Drive to CD.zip

    When asked ‘Do you want to create the folder D:\Backup\C Drive\C Drive to CD.zip’ answer Yes.

    The new folder C Drive to CD.zip will be deleted by AISBackup the next time AISBackup is run.
Barry
timjon
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2002 11:01 am

Post by timjon »

Ah... so it's a bug? Heh... at least this was a fairly harmless way to discover it. :)

Cheers,

Tim.
Barry
Site Admin
Posts: 1529
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2002 3:16 pm

AISBackup: Move Backup Destination Problem

Post by Barry »

Hi Tim

We have posted a fix for this problem:

http://www.aiscl.co.uk/DownloadAISBackup.htm

Barry
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