Cannot create job with shared network drive

[tfriedrich]

Hi there.

I want to test if this tool is useful for our company, so I installed it on my PC. When creating a job I copy and paste the existing network path I use for the other backup solution (\\xxxx\BackupClients\PC02620). When I click on "Populate" I get an error "[PC02620] Failed to get free disk space". When I enter credentials and continue I get the error "Failed to create or open file". When I start the backup without credentials I get "Backup target for job is not available".
That's not very encouraging. What's wrong?

Regards
Thomas

[ejenner]

I think the error here is attempting to 'backup' a machine rather than just attempting to copy files.

So if the data is located on a NAS device rather than something like a Windows or Linux server and you're addressing it via network path you can only do a Copy Job.

If the data you're trying to backup is the configuration of a machine with an OS (System state, C: drive, data volumes) then that's when you would use a Backup Job.

If the machine you're backing up is a physical computer then you must install a Veeam Agent onto that computer, either Windows or Linux.

If the machine you're backing up is a Virtual Machine (VM) then there are many different ways of backing up those depending how you want to do it.

So are you attempting to backup a computer or just some files on a random NAS box?

[Dima P.]

Hi folks,

Veeam Agent for Windows cannot process data from mapped network locations or shared folders. It works only with data stored on local drives, luns mounted over iSCSI and USB drives (basically all devices which support VSS snapshot functionality). Cheers!

[ejenner]

Although Veeam can backup from a network path to a NAS box... you just have to use a file copy job as there's no physical machine or virtual machine with a compatible operating system.

I know you can do it because I have a few of these sorts of jobs.

In my scenario I send backups of my Veeam installation files and B&R configuration backups to several locations so I know I'll always have everything required at any given location to perform restores when my main B&R server is inaccessible. The files are stored on a NAS box in the first instance, so they come from there.

[tfriedrich]

Wow, after I finished writing and tried to post my text I had to login again(?) and now all my text is gone. Is this normal behaviour?

As I don't want to write it all again: Out of a sudden backup works since Friday. Before that there were 90+ retries with errors per day.
Off course I didn't change anything.

Regards
Thomas

[Dima P.]

Wow, after I finished writing and tried to post my text I had to login again(?) and now all my text is gone. Is this normal behaviour?

Might be a browser cache issue. Check remember me when you are preforming login to avoid this issue in future.

Off course I didn't change anything.

This issue might be related to the backup target accessibility i.e. maybe you file share was down or access was disabled temporarily. That said, please keep monitoring your agent and let us know if you see this issue agent. Cheers!

[ejenner]

Wow, after I finished writing and tried to post my text I had to login again(?) and now all my text is gone. Is this normal behaviour?

Regards
Thomas

Yes, it is normal for phpBB bulletin boards. You will be automatically logged out after a certain period. Ticking the box "remember my password" is one way around it. But the most reliable thing to do is to Ctrl+A (select all) and Ctrl+C (copy). Then you press 'submit' and if it goes wrong you still have the text on your clipboard. I do this whenever entering large amounts of text to a form on the Internet as I prefer to take that simple precaution than to lose everything because of a fault.

In more recent times it has been possible to recover your lost text by pressing the back button in the browser and it will take you back to the previous screen with all your text still in place!