Task scheduled to run daily do not run daily

I have Acronis True 11, version 8022. I scheduled it run differential backups daily for 6 days and then full back up.
It run three and then skipped a day. Then run another one. I let it do this for 13 days and so far I have 10 backups instead of 13. It skipped the last two days. It created a full back after 7 differentials, not 6 differentials as defined.

I am not happy! On the skipped days there are no entries on the log, I have plenty of room on my drive.
What is going on.

Update: I just upgraded to the latest download, among the fixes it lists that scheduled tasks become corrupted when edited. Maybe that's what I have encouted? I am not sure what corrupted means - whether it would mean spotty backups or no backups at all?


12/23/2007 01:48 AM 47,804,655,104 2007_12_23_01_02_17_218D.TIB
12/24/2007 01:06 AM 1,179,139,072 2007_12_23_01_02_17_218D2.TIB
12/25/2007 01:06 AM 1,392,922,624 2007_12_23_01_02_17_218D3.TIB
12/26/2007 01:05 AM 965,994,496 2007_12_23_01_02_17_218D4.TIB
12/27 is missing
12/28/2007 01:06 AM 1,258,830,336 2007_12_23_01_02_17_218D5.TIB
12/30/2007 01:07 AM 1,240,627,200 2007_12_23_01_02_17_218D6.TIB
12/31/2007 01:07 AM 1,577,609,216 2007_12_23_01_02_17_218D7.TIB
01/01/2008 01:07 AM 1,653,610,496 2007_12_23_01_02_17_218D8.TIB
01/02/2008 01:47 AM 47,609,809,920 2008_01_02_01_02_17_918D.TIB
01/03/2008 01:05 AM 400,669,696 2008_01_02_01_02_17_918D2.TIB
1/4 is missing
1/5 is missing

 

How to get someone from Acronis support to reply, please?

 

As far as I know, TI 11 (8,053) still has problems with sometimes skipping scheduled tasks. Hopefully, this will be fixed in the next build.

There probably isn't anything wrong with your tasks.

 

Thank you for your reply, MidCrab. Do you know if the issue is with differential backups only, or all backups?
If I go to daily full back up would I side step the problem?

 

All scheduled backups from what I see. Perhaps this past posting will help:
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=192182

 

AJ, as you will see from that thread, I have been having similar problems with build 8053. I have supplied all the files asked for in posting #7 in that thread, and Acronis support have been back to me with more questions. I replied over the weekend, and am awaiting further news.

In the meantime, I switched from differential backups to doing a full C: drive image daily using Windows Scheduled Tasks (see Bruce's post #16 in that thread). I'm running XP Pro. The only change I made to Bruce's instructions was to tick 'Run only if logged on' when creating the scheduled task; this avoids the need for a password. I'm always logged (how sad!). Windows scheduler works flawlessly.

Using the ATI scheduler, you are getting failures a lot less frequently than I was. Do you reboot the computer most days, but not every day? I have a feeling (but that's all it is) that the ATI scheduler works after a reboot. I almost never reboot.

 

I actually upgraded to ATI 11 (build 8053) but downgraded back to ATI 10 upon discovering this issue after running it for a week (Not to mention my experience contacting the Acronis support group which was didn't exactly give me the "warm fuzzies" especially since I manage a tech support helpdesk for a major software company for a living). I feel that me $30 has been wasted on the upgrade. I wonder if it's ever going to get fixed.

In the meantime, I'm experimenting with other backup solutions and I've close to making the jump to another product. I could just stick with ATI 10, but the whole ATI 11 experience has really pushed me to switch.

 

I do run scheduled backups now and have not had a problem yet. I will continue to monitor them.

 

An alternative is to use the Widnows Tash Scheduler instead of ATI's. It is not only more reliable than ATI 11's scheduler but also can be set to wake a pc from standby to run a task. I'ts more of a pain to set up, but once set up it runs on autopilot ;-)

See post #3 in this thread

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=189475

 

I can confirm that I have the same problem after the upgrade.


01/02/2008 01:47 AM 47,609,809,920 2008_01_02_01_02_17_918D.TIB
01/03/2008 01:05 AM 400,669,696 2008_01_02_01_02_17_918D2.TIB
[upgraded here]
01/06/2008 01:14 AM 1,358,305,280 2008_01_02_01_02_17_918D3.TIB
01/07/2008 01:14 AM 1,452,621,312 2008_01_02_01_02_17_918D4.TIB
1/7 missing
1/8 missing

Regarding rebooting:
My machine runs continuous from Friday to Monday, during the work week it is turned off during the day turned on in the evening.


What I gathered from other threads that it has something to do with power options and machine hybernating.

(1) try scheduling some do nothing tasks via Windows scheduler and see if that wakes up the machine for the AT scheduler to work
(2) If that fails forget AT scheduler, try scheduling backup script via Windows scheduler

I am running XP Pro and my power settings look like this (set to never):
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee47/quiltworks/poweroptions.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee47/quiltworks/poweroptions2.jpg

 

For troubleshooting, consider changing the start time so you can be present when the start time is supposed to occur.

 

Wouldn't then my machine be awake too?

 

Put it to sleep before you run the test.

 

That pretty much kills my theory about rebooting making a difference.

I disabled Windows Scheduler and turned off Hibernation in Power Options; my Power Scheme is 'Always on' in any case, so nothing gets turned off or hibernates. I then edited the task in ATI to run daily. Fifteen minutes before the ATI task was due to start, Karen's Replicator performed a file backup without problems (it always does perform flawlessly). There was no sign of ATI doing anything at all. The only entry in schedul2.log was:

11.01.2008 04:00:01 OnServiceMainWake: begin
11.01.2008 04:00:01 OnServiceMainWake: next time = 12.01.2008 04:00:00

Yes, I was up at 4am this morning to see that ATI was doing nothing at that time. The next entry in the log is me running the task manually :/

I've gone back to Windows Scheduler. I'm still waiting on further responses from ATI support on this (I've sent in all the requested files and answered their follow up questions).

As a brand new user, ATI is not living up to their claim:

Set and forget
Configure it once and perform backups automatically.

I do understand the problem associated with software development - I'm a developer myself. However, given that I have invested considerable time in collecting logs etc, a bit more feedback from Acronis would be nice.

Cheers
Dianne

 

There is a major bug in their scheduling module in TI 11. Unfortunately they have a historical tendency to ignore the problems of their customers, then put a new version number on the same thing, claim that they added functionality x, y and z and then you'll have to buy the upgrade - just to figure out that the old bugs are still there and that they continue playing this game.... a ytpical case for the BBB.

The scheduling problem is at least known for 2-3 months now and even though this is pretty much as critical as it can get for a backup software, there was no reaction at all besides the "keep the dumb customer busy by asking for log files that nobody will ever use/look at" game...

Tom

P.S. the puking icon is missing....

 

I'd just point out that it is Orthodox Christmas at the moment. It might be that some of the developers are otherwise engaged.

I believe this must be caused by a background process running on some systems but not others, the only time it missed a task on my system was when I had the backup drive switched off at a scheduled time. This also confused the system state banner for a whole week.

That is programmed behaviour by the way - according to the development team.

I've just had a thought, those with the missing schedule problem, is your install an 'all users' one, or 'current user' only?

Colin

 

I'm experiencing the same scheduled backup problem and I've observed that when I edit the task there is only one thing wrong (one very significant thing). On the credentials page where you put in the users name and password there are an extra two characters in the password. I've corrected this repeatedly. I put in my password of n characters and save the task...when I go back and edit the task the password has changed to n+2 characters. It does not do it every time, but whenever I have a task that has not run I find the extra two characters.

One other note. I bought Acronis True Image back at version 7 and had constant serious problems. The programs problems as well as the terrible customer technical support scared me, and I stopped using it for years. They recently offered an attractive update price for version 11 and I thought it was worth a try. This scheduled task problem, as well as the comments on this forum tell me that Acronis has not matured in the years that have passed.

I guess I've been shown to be a sucker. As they say: Fool me once...shame on you. Fool me twice...shame on me.

 

Hello all,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup software

This issue can be caused by multiple instances of TrueImageMonitor.exe and schedhlp.exe running at the same time (please note that amount of schedhlp.exe services should be equal to amount of users logged in). If you've multiple instances of these services then you can delete the duplicates and check if the issue is fixed.

If the issue still exist (or there are no multiple services running) then please create Windows System Information as it is described in Acronis Help Post.

Please also collect the Scheduler Report and Log:

- Download and run schedmgr.exe application;

- Issue the following commands:

service stop
service uninstall

- Close schedmgr;

- Replace schedhlp.exe and schedul2.exe files in the C:\Program Files\Common Files\Acronis\Schedule2 folder with the files from this ZIP archive.

- Run schedmgr application once again;

- Issue the following commands:

service install
service start

- Close schedmgr;

- Open the command prompt (Start -> Run -> cmd);

- Run the following command in the folder the schedmgr.exe file was saved to:

schedmgr get report > schedreport.txt

- Collect schedreport.txt;

- Run Acronis Schedule Manager program (schedmgr.exe) once more;

- Issue the following command:

set logflags support

- Schedule backup creation once again;

- Wait until the scheduled backup will fail;

- Collect the log file schedul2.log that is placed in the \Program Files\Common
Files\Acronis\Schedule2 folder;

Then submit a request for technical support. Attach all the collected files and information to your request along with the step-by-step description of the actions taken before the problem appears and the link to this thread. We will investigate the problem and try to provide you with a solution.

Thank you.
--
Michael Levchenko

 

Michael--
I'm a reasonably astute end user. I'm not a software engineer.
Your answer is way beyond my interest level. I'm looking for a program that works or a patch that will make it work. I paid for this program and I'm not your beta tester. You should have had a beta test and and caught this problem early in the process.

Scheduled backups are an important and basic part of the program's functionality. You are up to version 11 but you are still not delivering a working program. After many years you continue to disappoint.
Thanks for listening...

 

Am having same issue here, Vista, ATI 11 (latest public build). Backup not running per daily schedule. I've purchased 10 licenses and will request a refund if the issue isn't resolved quickly. I need a set-it-and-forget-it solution for my clients that I can rely on.

I also agree that the troubleshooting instructions (downloading exe's, installing services, collecting logs) is way beyond what you'd like to experience in a commercially released product, but I suspect if we don't help out Acronis by performing these diagnostics, that the problem won't get resolved.

Bob

 

You missed the really solid versions inbetween, version 10 in particular.

 

There is some indication in this thread that the problem ATI 11 has reliably running tasks might have to do with the Password portion of the program code. Maybe Acronis can focus there and finally fix this problem.

Curiously, the problem where an ATI 11 restore of a drive done mucks up the Safely Remove Hardware feature of windows, that problem involves ATI sticfking som extra characters in the name of the Generic listed in the hardware manager.

Could it be that ATI 11 has a wonky character set or string function?

 

I'm not using passwords at all and got to the point that I even did a complete fresh installation of XP SP2 to see if some other software messed the backup schedules up. No, even on a clean installation TI is not running the jobs as scheduled. Some run for a while and then stop, sometimes everything gets stuck with jobs in "waiting" (no indication for what, nothing else is running...).

Acronis "support" so far was not helpful and came up with the clever idea to restart the services.... I don't know if that was supposed to be a joke or not - therefore could not make up my mind if I should laugh or cry.... bottom line - they are clueless.

Tom

 

When I used Version 11 for the first time I set setup a simple scheduled task of a whole drive backup image. No passwords no complications and the computer was fully powered up. The first backup ran as scheduled. The second one did not run. No warning,no log entry, nothing.
As Version 11 cannot be relied on to run backups without fail I removed it from my computer and rolled back to Version 10 which is capable of running my scheduled backups without fail.
I did not waste my time asking for my money back, instead I suggested it shoud be used to buy the developers of Version 11 the largest wooden spoon available.
To this day Acronis have not acknowledged that the problem of scheduled backups being missed is a problem on some computer systems.
I do not have the time or the patience to go back and help Acronis to trouble shoot this undoubted BUG however I am sure there are many other users who need to have this problem solved.

Xpilot

 

I did do all the installing and collecting of logs etc that Acronis requested. That was three weeks ago. Two weeks ago, they came back to me with additional questions, which I answered in depth. Not a peep from them since. (Acronis #1282062)

I have been patient up until now, but from today I am joining the restive crowd who wants an indication that Acronis are doing something about this. I bought this product on the basis of their 'set and forget' advertising. I have no chance of forgetting! I have wasted hour after hour on it over the holiday season, with no indication that Acronis are spending any time on it at all.

From Big Tom's post, a clean install of XP SP2 is not reliable. Other posts say ATI V10 works. Other schedulers (eg XP's own scheduler, Karen's replicator) work flawlessly. As Xpilot says, to the poor old end user, this all points to a bug.

So, Acronis - what are you doing about it?