Topic: BackupPC sme9 64 bit Error: Unable to connect to BackupPC server

[k_graham]

Following the how to   www.http://wiki.contribs.org/BackupPC 

I was able to add the panel but get the Error: Unable to connect to BackupPC server

Some issues with the instructions - I found my server drives are what are suggested to overwrite

***Check your drives 1st so you put it on a separate drive

In linux there are many tools for that, try for example lsblk or fdisk -l or parted -l .

type    lsblk

or df  and in human readable form    df -h         


Consequently I attempted to add to a USB attached drive at sdc1

mkfs.ext3 -L BACKUPPC -m 1 /dev/sdc1

Finding where fstab is to add to it was an issue, it is at

/etc/fstab  , edit it with an editor like nano.

Maybe using something like Midnight Commander to get there

mc

Just add something like:

/dev/sdc1    /var/lib/BackupPC       ext3    noatime 0 0

/dev/sdc1    /var/lib/BackupPC       ext3    noatime 0 0

Also checking probably should only show

mount -a
mount | grep BackupPC

should return

/dev/sdc1 on /var/lib/BackupPC type ext3 (rw,noatime)


So it did create a BackupPC line to the server Manager but I am having issues within the panel

 Error: Unable to connect to BackupPC server


Suggestions?

Thanks,

Also should I have used ext4 instead of ext3 as SME9 handles ext4?



Ken







 

[Daniel B.]

Hi. Please, don't write mostly everything in bold, it's much harder to read. Your issue seems to be that BackupPC daemon cannot start. When running

Code: [Select]

/etc/init.d/backuppc start
You should see an error which can help you.

Looks like you've added two lines to your /etc/fstab, you shouldn't, only one is needed. As for ext4 vs ext3, yes, you can use ext4 which can give some better performance (you can also use XFS, or any other filesystem you're comfortable with, as long as it supports hardlinks, which means pretty much anything).

For your error, the most common one is incorrect permissions on /var/lib/BackupPC. Make sure backuppc user own this directory:

Code: [Select]

chown -R backuppc:backuppc /var/lib/BackupPC

Also, mounting the drive in /var/lib/BackupPC should have been done before installing BackupPC itself. If you've done it after, you should reinstall the rpm so the needed directories are re-created

Code: [Select]

yum reinstall BackupPC --enablerepo=epel


[k_graham]

Hi. Please, don't write mostly everything in bold, it's much harder to read. Your issue seems to be that BackupPC daemon cannot start. When running

Now I see the # button inserts the code box as you must have used I will use that in future. Thanks

Code: [Select]

/etc/init.d/backuppc start
You should see an error which can help you.


Looks like you've added two lines to your /etc/fstab, you shouldn't, only one is needed. As for ext4 vs ext3, yes, you can use ext4 which can give some better performance (you can also use XFS, or any other filesystem you're comfortable with, as long as it supports hardlinks, which means pretty much anything).

I actually only added 1 line - I accidentally copied it twice to this email though, Thanks.

Also, mounting the drive in /var/lib/BackupPC should have been done before installing BackupPC itself. If you've done it after, you should reinstall the rpm so the needed directories are re-created

Code: [Select]

yum reinstall BackupPC --enablerepo=epel


I did do it in reverse I am pretty sure as I did not understand the fstab comment initially. Once I figured out it was a file and where it was I went back and fixed it so my order of things had indeed been messed up.  Therefore I ran this code as well.   Thank you.


For your error, the most common one is incorrect permissions on /var/lib/BackupPC. Make sure backuppc user own this directory:

Code: [Select]

chown -R backuppc:backuppc /var/lib/BackupPC

[/quote]

I did also have to do this to fix issues.    Thank you

So now I am attempting my first backup and getting this message

Code: [Select]

Reply from server was: ok: requested backup of smeserver-template (doFull)

Go back to smeserver-template home page.


 
Thanks for what appears to be the perfect answers.

Though I don't see the light for that drive blinking so will know in 24 hours.

An additional question. Last week I set up Affa to backup work to home and that is taking a few minutes every night. If I have this at work, will the work backup to separate USB also be adding to the backup at home, thus doubling the size?

Actually it would be more than double as I was adding BacupPC as a way to perhaps backup the PC's via network instead of separate manual cloning.

Thank you

Ken