My Veeam Agent suddanly creates new backup folder <jobname>_1

[CharlieKPoland]

Hi.

I use newest Veeam Agent 3.0.2.1170 on Windows 2008 R2 Server and on few Windows 7/10 x64 Desktops .

I had free-space problems with NAS. No I solved problems and my storage is again available (the same credentials, paths, and so on). I had "Backup Job SERVER-ABC" and created folder in NAS: "Backup Job SERVER-ABC". Yesterday Agent for Windows suddanly asked me about password to this repository. So I gave it this password. Agent accepted it. But I see, that it started to create brand new folder Backup Job SERVER-ABC_1 and preparing full new .vbk backup. The problem is - full new backup is almost 1TB of data and I have not as so much free space, so I do want to continue current chain.

I have to mention that next 2 PCs - did me the same ! The created new fodlers "<job_name>_1" and started new full backups. So it slightly destroyed me free storage space on my NAS

What is the reason of such behaviour ? And how to solve it, to connect them to old backup folders / chanins ?

Regards - Charlie K

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi,

The new backup chain was created due to issues with restore point creation in the previous one (free space issues on NAS device). There is no manual mapping to the existing backup chain option, as it happens automatically if the previous restore point can be re-used. Can you double-check what is set in the destination config for the backup job?

Thanks!

[ejenner]

Having difficulty following exactly what has happened here but if Veeam has any problem with existing files for a backup it will start a new backup in a new folder. If the logical name for the backup folder has already been taken it will make a new folder with a new name by adding the _1 onto the name it would usually use.

If I'm understanding correctly it would appear the B&R server isn't connected to the backups on the storage so has started new backups.

Did you have a scale-out backup repository enabled?

[CharlieKPoland]

No, I use Agent as stand alone version, not with B&R. But why is it asking me for a encryption key to the old backup (the folder without extention _1) ? I guessed it was asking just to join that old folder. But its not.
My config in Agent is identical like it was earlier, because nothing has changed. The only think changed is that my NAS stoped working because of exceeding available free storage. So I moved some data from it and with the same IP adress, names, shares, passwords, users - this NAS works again.

[Vitaliy S.]

It is asking for the encryption key as it tries to continue the backup chain that was interrupted by the NAS free space issue. I would recommend contacting our support team to review what can be done to map your backup job to existing backup files.

[CharlieKPoland]

Or maybe is any external Veeam utility that can just check and repair my currect chain ? Because in advanced settings I set this option, but it is not checking old bad folder but new one created, with _1. So this implemented in Veeam Agent 3.0.2 function is not helpfull actually.

Funny, I just noticed one PC today in the morning created next new folder numbered _2 with full backup, even if there was no problem with NAS in the night (I was working on it). Is it any log to check what was the sort of problem with this exact machine that it caused to create this new folder / backup chain ?

[Vitaliy S.]

Or maybe is any external Veeam utility that can just check and repair my currect chain ? Because in advanced settings I set this option, but it is not checking old bad folder but new one created, with _1. So this implemented in Veeam Agent 3.0.2 function is not helpfull actually.

There is no such external tool, but this logic is built-in to the product and depending on the latest restore point it triggers the new full or tries to re-use old data.

Funny, I just noticed one PC today in the morning created next new folder numbered _2 with full backup, even if there was no problem with NAS in the night (I was working on it). Is it any log to check what was the sort of problem with this exact machine that it caused to create this new folder / backup chain ?

Yes, logs investigation is needed, so please contact our support team for assistance with this task. You can find all the logs in this folder: C:\ProgramData\Veeam\

[Vek17]

It is highly likely likely you chain is still perfectly usable, but Veeam for whatever reason is not recognizing it as the same backup. The official Veeam method to remap and force association is here: https://www.veeam.com/kb2321 but in my experience it works maybe half the time. When I need to force an association to continue a backup chain I end up having to reach for unsupported DB modifications to make Veeam behave. Not sure if Veeam support can cross reference cases, but I had a case #03597931 back in June where I came up with a method to force this and the methodology is documented in that case.

Essentially you let the agent create a new backup, then you move the storages and points from the old backup into the new backup and delete the old backup. This lets the agent local DB and the DB managing the repo agree with which backup is correct and run the backup. In some cases you may also need to modify the file paths of storages in the DB. These are not particular dangerous changes as long as you have the VBM since you can delete the altered data and reimport the VBM to get a "fresh" version of the data if something goes wrong.

This has become my standard remapping process, but I would talk to support before attempting, which is why I have not included explicit instructions here. Also worth noting that if the chain is ACTUALLY damaged and not just disconnected this will not work, though a damaged chain seems unlikely to me based on behavior.

[Vitaliy S.]

Thanks for chiming in, Vek17, but I think Charlie is using the standalone Agent thus the KB is not applicable to his scenario. My gut feeling tells me his case has something to do with the encryption settings which forced the creation of a new backup chain.

[nonobio]

Hello,

I'm also using the free agent for Windows and it is the second time that Veeam create a new backup chains afters 2 issues on 2 different PC :

1-With my notebook PC, my destination backup (external HDD) was full; and even after making some free place; i never succeded to resume the old chain : i finally deleted all and recreated a new chain. It was some month ago,this is my post about this issue : topic61654.html

2-Theses days, on another PC (desktop) : i had for the first time a "Creating VSS error" when plugged my external USB backup HDD (which trigger the backup). I tried many things and now, Veeam don't want ro resume the existing chain; it want to create a new one and... not enought free space to store 2 backups... This is my post about this issue : topic63680.html

Maybe i make mistake when i free up space or delete last incremental backup files, etc. , but it could be very convenient to have a way to force checking or resume to a specified backup chain; or at least a comprehensive explanation of why the chain can't be resume and how to resolve the issue.

I think enabling the setting "Create full backup periodically" could help to nbot lost everything when something goes wrong; but it need more space...

I'm only using the Agent for Windows and never used others Veeam products : is "Backup & Replication Community Edition" a tool which could help in theses cases ? Can i just install it on the same Windows 7 PC where i am using the Agente for Windows ?

Thanks