I am using NTI Shadow version 3.7.9.73 on a Windows XP SP-3 Home edition machine with a Netgear RND2110 NAS version 4.1.7.
I am having problems with file permissions using the NTI shadow that do not exist with other backup software such as Acronis. The problem as can be seen is when trying to copy files using the backup software. In the first instance I tried to backup partition C: which included the windows OS. This failed as files such as those listed below did not copy and so I do not have full copy of my system; which incidentally since time began is the whole point of a backup. Question 1. Why does your software not back up all of these files in a trouble free, error free way?
Data\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA\MachineKeys\0f22197359b4865e69b81b7197df1019_0ccb2cf1-a486-4456-a39e-2fd1c72741cf - Error: Unable to copy this open/locked file: Access by Shadow application denied by system
....[lots more entries of the same thing....]
Data\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA\MachineKeys\f38ba53833e1bff344677b65635d374d_0ccb2cf1-a486-4456-a39e-2fd1c72741cf - Error: Unable to copy this open/locked file: Access by Shadow application denied by system.
....[lots more entries of the same thing....]
I have since rectified this problem by purchasing Acronis True Image and taking a complete image of my C: drive which incidentally worked perfectly and even though it was a large drive it only took a couple of hours. Which brings me onto point two.
Question 2. Why does your backup software take eight hours or more to backup! and then not completely (as per the very full error log).
Having failed to meet my earlier requirements I instead established an FTP and CIFS connection and having played with as many of the settings (counter intuitive I might add) to get the thing working I finally managed to copy and paste files directly to shares on the NAS. This was in fact much quicker than the earlier abortive backup routine.
So full of the beans of success I decided to let the backup have one more go and just for santities sake I let it run overnight. This time I only expected it to copy the contents of MyDocuments folder. Something it failed to do properly as it once again could not copy certain files i.e. :
....[lots more entries of the same thing....]
Destination: \\NAS-D7-F6-F3\backup\Documents\Companies\Wray Castle\Course Development\Sharp layer2 questions\Sharp Introduction to Mobile Network Architecture and Application Technologies - SH2600\PDF of the course notes SH2600 v1\SH2600 S9 Media Formats and Coding and Com - Error: Unable to copy file: The system cannot find the path specified.
....[lots more entries of the same thing....]
Incidentally this was also the case on the first abortive backup. So this brings me to my third question:
3. Why can't your software backup files that it can transfer using a network share or through FTP.
I am certainly thinking that your software is useless, after all it cannot be called a piece of backup software as it fails in every regard. You are not supposed to be a computer whiz to use these things however it seems that is exactly what you have to be, and further more you cannot trust this software to do its job properly and that worries me; because you really only need a backup when someting goes wrong, the one thing you do not expect is that the back up is actually the first thing that went wrong.
To make matters worse the very same backup that NTI Shadow failed to complete Acronis did in 30 minutes and that includes saving it over the net.
I had a similar problem with a unit from Maplin a year or so ago that put me off NAS, not because of the hardware but because of the poor level of the accompanying software....I have since seen a better area for this posting and think it should be moved to the general topic on Backup; however I can't imagine for a minute having read several other discussions that this problem will get fixed there anyway.
NTI Shadow is a third-party piece of software that is bundled with the NAS. Complaints about the operation of the software should be made here: http://www.nticorp.com/
However, this is the correct forum to complain about the bundling of poor software with the ReadyNAS.
Indeed - many of us have had poor experiences with NTI Shadow, so much so that one of the forum members has created their own application. I use this and it works very well: http://quicklytech.com/
I have also seen others through here and elsewhere on the net who have resorted to building their own backup software. Although bundled it would be nice if somebody had checked that it worked; as many people have testified on other links that they have had problems and also given up!
This was the answer I received from NTI support at NTI Technical Support www.nticorp.com
The earliest backup programs were only ever capable of backing up data files, not the entire system that the backup was running on. All backups were this way until Norton Ghost was created as the first drive image backup program. NTI Shadow is a native file based backup program that is not capable of backing up system files that are locked by Windows, or any running applications. This is why the first error messages you got indicated that Shadow could not backup the files because they were locked by the system (Windows).
Shadow uses the standard file reference which Windows puts a limit on the length of 255 characters from the beginning of the path to the file extension. The error you includes had a path length of 262 characters and did not have an extension so it ma not have been the entire path. This is why you have the errors from the Shadow backup of just your documents folder.
When Shadow runs into an error it takes some time for the error to be processed, this slows down the backup. Since you had a large amount of errors, the backup was slowed down a lot.
You indicated that Acronis True Image would backup your entire drive. This is because Acronis True Image is a drive image backup program similar to the Drive Based Backup in our Backup Now 5.5 Advanced Edition or the Complete System Backup of our Backup Now EZ programs. All 3 of these programs will backup your entire drive and let you restore to a new drive if yours crashes.
I agree with the premis of this not being disk image software, but i do not see anything in the software that says it has limited finctionality. Also the fact that it cannot deal with long file path/filenames it a weakness of the software given the modern computers and more decriptive use of names etc. This makes this software a complete no no as far as i am concerned. As for the time; how long does it take to generate an error? 7 hours of generating errors and 1 hour of backup....is this true?
As for Netgear it is my now informed decision that they are bundling software that perhaps they already knew was weak but wanted to bundle something or maybe they just haven't tested it properly. Well if you already have the software then i think you know! and for those who have just bought it, like me perhaps this information should have been made available at point of sale and not after trying to use it.
Cryptography keys are stored in files that Windows blocks access to so it can prevent others from copying your keys to gain access to your encrypted files and communications. Because of this file backup programs, including NTI Shadow, are not allowed to backup the encryption keys such as the file "Data\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA\MachineKeys\0f22197359b4865e69b81b7197df1019_0ccb2cf1-a486-4456-a39e-2fd1c72741cf".
Using a dirve image bakcup program such as Acronis True Image, the Drive based Bakucp from NTI Backup Now 5.5 Advanced, the Complete System Backup from NTI Backup Now EZ, Norton Ghost or any other drive image bakcup program, all the fiels can be backed up because they are not accessed the same way as a file based bakcup accesses files.
When an error is encountered the backup needs to stop backing up, evaluate the error it is recieving from the OS, log the error by opening the log file, appending the error informaion to the end of the log file, running any functions that are needed to address the error and then it can return to backing up files. How much this will slow down the bakucp depends on how many functions the bacukp program needs to run to deal with the error and how many fiels in teh bakcup are getting errors.
The standard file reference in Windows (C:\, \\server\, Etc.) has a file path limit in Windows of 255 characters starting with the drive letter for a local drive or the first \ on a network file server such as a NAS and ending with the file extension. Since Shadow uses the standard file reference when accessing files if the backup soruce or backup destination file path is longer than 255 characters Windows will tell Shaow that the file can not be accessed to be read from (source file) or written to (destination file). If you try to access a file that has a path longer than 255 characters in Windows Explorer usingthe standard file reference, you will get the same error. Accessign a file with a path longer than 255 characters can be done by sharing a folder in the path to the network and accessign the file via the network share or usign an altenate file reference referred to as a POSIX file reference, which has a longer file path limit.
All Backup programs have their limitations. If you stay within the limits of the bakucp program you are using, it will backup your files as intended. The limits to pay attention to in NTI Shadow 3 are:
1. Files locked by any process other than Shadow can not be backed up. This includes any fiel you have open in any program you are usign and fiels that Windows locks such as system files and folders.
2. Files where the file to be backed up or that the bakcup file (since Shadow backs up your files in their native format) has a file path longer than 255 characters can not be backed up.
3. Fiels and folders that your user account are not allowed access can not be backed up.
4. Since Widnows places hidden system folders that it restricts access to the local system accont only, you can not select an entire drive to be backed up and have a successful bakcup without errors.
So what should be selected in a Shadow bacukp? Only your data files and/or the fodlers that contain them. You should not select folders that contain files used internally (without you selecting the files) by Windows or your programs.
Netgear was contacted IMMEDIATLY after purchase of the ReadyNAS Duo 2110 as to the non-functioning & actual detrimental sofware bundled with thier product. The result; The first [tier] of NON-Support was a total and complete waste of oxygen. The [second] tier of support was basically LIP service, whose knowledge of systems was not of a higher level than mine. The repeated phrase, which is actually shocking, was as follows; " We DO NOT support the NTI Shadow software as it is a third party product that we effectively have given you for free. If you don't like it, don't use it !" Shocking ? Mind blowing, as I FIRMLY pointed out the following; " In your marketing materials, the fast & complete backup BUNDLED software is prominantely mentioned & displayed, as well on the NetGear website, and as I own the product, ON THE BOX!" It would appear just from this little posting many users are experiencing the same thing. For tranferring data from my UPnP streaming music server, the ReadyNas works as expected. To drag a file from desktop to an open share folder, copy & paste, works OK...to backup ANYTHING the unit is a boat anchor, and NetGear seems to turn a blind eye & deaf ear to user complaints. As I need to reccomend these units for my clients, and Netgear Readynas was on the approved list, I have since changed direction. Very poor service support of what is not an inexpensive product.
it depends on when the unit was manufactured. if yours contained nti shadow, then it was probably manufactured earlier than most units currently on market.
