2BrightSparks

[zeke]

Hi,

I have been using SyncBack freeware for several months with no problems at all. I have 7 profiles that run on a nightly basis. I have version 3.2.21.0.

Out of no where I developed a problem. I logged on one morning and the log file for my 1st profile was open and had the following errors: The semaphore timeout period has expired

I use a Buffalo Fat32 USB drive as my destination, my source is an internal IDE harddrive.

OS = Windows XP Pro Sevice Pack 3

I have 7 profiles running and all had the same problem. A power cycle of my entire system resulted in the very same problem the next morning. If I power cycle and manually run a profile it seems to run fine.

My SyncBack console says all of my profiles are running and when I look at the log they are all failed.

Not in destination, Failed to copy source: Cannot create folder: Y:\Backup\Camera\ (The semaphore timeout period has expired)

Does anyone have any ideas what may have caused this to all of a sudden come up on all 7 of my profiles?

Thanks,

PK Davis

[Dave Wilkins]

Hi

A search of this forum on 'semaphore' will find you several hits, all telling you much the same thing (network problems, or other system dropouts). That error is Windows error 121 (SyncBack is only reporting what Windows said) and means the connection has been lost between the system and a device (presumably the USB disk: if no files are copied at all, it may be in some form of sleep mode, so that the drive letter is still allocated, but attempts to write to it fail). Whatever it is, it's a hardware issue (or OS, but my money is on hardware)
_________________
Regards,

Dave Wilkins

2BrightSparks Pte Ltd
www.2brightsparks.com
Power with Ease - Indispensable Utility Software

[zeke]

Dave, thank you for your reply.

I saw those threads and thought they were related to network / router issues, etc, as you suggest.

In my case, both my source and destination drives are on the same computer. So I thought network wouldn't be an issue.

This setup has run perfectly for a long, long time.....then all of a sudden my 7 profiles fail. My Y drive (destination) is always available, at least I don't think it goes into sleep mode.

Interestingly, when the 7 profiles are all running and I try to open and explorer window...that window hangs. My Syncback console says 6 profiles are running, and 1 has failed. I have to power cycle my computer and when I open Syncback it still says the profiles are running...as if the power cycle didn't reset Syncback.

Kind of weird. Do you think my Buffalo drive is going bad for some reason?

Thanks,

PK Davis

[Dave Wilkins]

Maybe. And in any case, your Buffalo drive is not really 'on the same system', it is an external device connected to your PC by a cable, so the same issue can arise (at least, Windows obviously thinks & says so). The Explorer hang shows you obviously have some form of system problem.

You could try a drive 'swap out' - i.e. obtain a replacement USB drive and test with it. But remember it could be the USB controller on your PC that is sick...something is, anyhow. If you have different USB breakout panels on your PC (some have USB sockets at the back, and also on top or at the front), try swapping the drive into different 'panels' - they likely use different controllers. If the drive is self-powered (powered by the USB power rail), but comes with its own PSU (that you're not currently using), try using it. Try also cable swaps (basically, try and pin down where the problem is)

I had a lot of weird issues with a Seagate FreeAgent USB-powered drive (no 'own PSU') till I used the USB panel on the back of the PC. The drive had by then eventually killed both the top and front auxiliary USB panels, (in one case taking my FireWire connectors with it). Presumably these were cheaper USB circuitry (don't look at me - they came pre-installed) which could not sustain the power rail adequately > > >)

Sustained throughput (such as with backup software) often shows up hardware problems that occasional light use doesn't (and then, of course, we get the blame...)
_________________
Regards,

Dave Wilkins

2BrightSparks Pte Ltd
www.2brightsparks.com
Power with Ease - Indispensable Utility Software

[zeke]

Thanks Dave.

I really hadn't considered a USB drive as being networked. But what you say makes sense.

I have another USB drive that has been powered off hooked up and I will try it tonight. It is mounted as "X" drive. I have it hooked up with another cable and plugged into a different USB connection. I changed all my profiles to this destination.

BTW..."Y" drive is powered externally.

I'll see how things turn out in the morning. Simulations ran fine. But they ran fine with the other setup too.

Thanks,

PK Davis

[Dave Wilkins]

Simulations generally do, as they only read the files attributes and it's all over quite quickly. It's during actual copying of the files' contents (where write-traffic ramps up, and is generally longer-lasting & more 'incessant') that stress errors often show up (chip overheating, for example - which could be in the controller or the drive electronics)

It's also possible that the act of writing data gives the drive a headache - it may be fine for reading, but crack up when writing - either immediately or eventually.

Good luck, anyway
_________________
Regards,

Dave Wilkins

2BrightSparks Pte Ltd
www.2brightsparks.com
Power with Ease - Indispensable Utility Software

[zeke]

Interestingly enough, all seven profiles ran fine last night.

I backed up ~130gig to the new USB drive with no problems.

Now to diagnose what's wrong with my old Buffalo drive.

Any ideas? I was thinking of formatting it and trying my 7 backups tonight.

PK Davis

[Dave Wilkins]

Try re-formatting, yes. Also CHKDSK. But it sounds more like physical problems (electronics or mechanics) to me. I certainly wouldn't use it for anything 'mission-critical' ever again if it was mine...drives are too cheap these days to risk it
_________________
Regards,

Dave Wilkins

2BrightSparks Pte Ltd
www.2brightsparks.com
Power with Ease - Indispensable Utility Software