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-   -   Back up issues (slow) (https://www.shirt-pocket.com/forums/showthread.php?t=607)

boboso 08-09-2005 07:37 PM

Back up issues (slow)
 
First let me say I have heard nothing but good things about this application. I have recently switched over to Apple from PC and recently got an revb 20" iMac. Plans are to digitize my music collection (1000+ cds) and finally get photos and videos organized.

We just installed a LaCie external hard drive (250gb d2) and had to have it replaced due to errors with Silverkeeper and the actual original drive. LaCie sent a new replacement and we installed as instructed.

I wanted to use a better back up solution than Silverkeeper offered, and tried the SuperDuper trail. It worked as promised and smart update was quick and painless. Then the issues...

A back up was started and was still running over 13 hours later. We stopped the back up and re-formatted the LaCie drive to insure a smooth clean re-start. Again back up was very slow. After contact LaCie, we determined it is a software issue, but not sure where or what. Drive was re-formatted, Silverkeeper used and same issue. Repaired permissions, reviewed setting etc. So may be an issue with the iMac.

On reivew of these forums, we re-formatted our external drive once again. Restarted the iMac with the OSX disc and repaired and verified the start up disc.

We then ran Super Duper last night and after 15 hours and 39 minutes the back up is completed. No errors, no issues, just 15 hours of back up. We are backing up approx. 11gb of user data (not a full drive back up, only user files.).

It seems back up is slow on the following areas:
/usr/emac
/user/myname/photos
/user/myname/music

I will email Super Duper support (I am away from home at this time) but wanted to see if any support, guideance can be provided here. Thanks for any responses.

Bob.

dnanian 08-09-2005 07:53 PM

Bob:

That is, indeed, exceptionally slow. Unusually so.

So -- when you say the it "was" quick and painless, you mean that it was fast to start -- the first time (or so) that you ran, and *later* it got very slow?

There are a few things I'd look at:

- Are you running any AntiVirus software? If so, they can interfere with your backup, and run at a low level.

- If that's not an issue, when you look at the internal drive with Disk Utility, what does the SMART status say?

- Finally, is anything else attached to the port that you're using with the drive? Are you using the FireWire or USB interface?

Hopefully, with some additional information, we'll be able to figure out this perplexing problem.

boboso 08-09-2005 08:21 PM

Dave, thanks for the quick reply, if you prefer email support communication please let me know.

To answer your questions:

So -- when you say the it "was" quick and painless, you mean that it was fast to start -- the first time (or so) that you ran, and *later* it got very slow? Actually the first run and first smart run went quickly. Subsenquent back up was slow.

There are a few things I'd look at:

- Are you running any AntiVirus software? If so, they can interfere with your backup, and run at a low level. No anti virus is installed

- If that's not an issue, when you look at the internal drive with Disk Utility, what does the SMART status say? I will have to look at this on Friday as I am working away from home this week. I belive status from what I remember was okay

- Finally, is anything else attached to the port that you're using with the drive? Are you using the FireWire or USB interface? Nothing else attached to the port, firewire 400 used direct from iMac to external drive.

dnanian 08-09-2005 09:02 PM

Well, that was unproductive. ;)

It's hard for me to know what changed, from a Software perspective, between your successful/fast runs and the slow ones. If the answer is "nothing", it seems quite likely that the problem is some kind of bizarre hardware failure.

I'd do any subsequent backups with Console open to the System log, and look in there for any unusual activity.

To diagnose hardware, I'd try to isolate aspects of the drive first -- verify its firmware version, swap out the FireWire cable, try a different port.

If none of that helps, it sounds like something in the iMac is problematic. That isn't something I've heard of in the rev. b units -- but anything is possible. If you've got another potential destination volume, it might be helpful to try backing up to that.

I'd also try booting in Safe mode -- power off and keep Shift held down until you get to the login panel or the desktop -- and then attempt the backup from there. That will help to isolate any low-level software that'd be running.

Sorry that's a bit rambling and scattershot, but it's what I can come up with!

boboso 08-11-2005 12:44 PM

Thanks Dave,

I will give what you propose a try and if no change I will contact Apple on the hardware/software end.

As I am new to Apple and using this OS, it has been a learning experiance none the less.

Thanks again, and great product, cannot wait for the next version and scheduled back ups! (script stuff confuses me yet).

dnanian 08-11-2005 01:36 PM

Wish I could have given you more specific advice, but please let me know what ends up being the issue!


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