I have tried to backup to 2 different external drives configuring the capture when external drive is connected option. In each case it works the first time, and then will not successfully do so again. I have tried re-indexing and repairing without success. I have attached log file.

Hello Clive,

Thanks for posting your log files. I've identified at least one of your problems. The initial problem is due to your external drive going off-line when the computer was put to sleep during a capture. Here are the log records of interest:

2007-09-28 16:30:07.171 +0200 #debug# -[DiskArbitrationSteward fireDiskDisappearedNotification:] id=disk1s3
2007-09-28 16:30:07.688 +0200 #debug# -[DiskArbitrationSteward fireDiskDisappearedNotification:] id=disk1s1
2007-09-28 16:30:07.688 +0200 #debug# -[DiskArbitrationSteward fireDiskDisappearedNotification:] id=disk1
2007-09-28 16:30:16.149 +0200 #debug# -[QuantumScheduler powerDidChangeNotification:] PDPowerManagementPoweredOn

These records indicate that your system was woken up from sleeping at 16:30. At the same time, your first external drive (disk1) went off-line.

2007-09-28 16:30:16.895 +0200 Failure Could not capture the_killers-when_you_were_young.mp3
2007-09-28 16:30:17.033 +0200 Details File: Macintosh HD:Users:clivegoldingocuments:Limewire:the_killers-when_you_were_young.mp3
2007-09-28 16:30:17.033 +0200 Caution Problems processing items
2007-09-28 16:30:17.033 +0200 Details archive I/O error
2007-09-28 16:30:17.033 +0200 Details Data exception
2007-09-28 16:30:17.034 +0200 Details Cause: <IO> cannot convert FSRef to path { API=FSRefMakePath, OSErr=-35 }
2007-09-28 16:30:17.108 +0200 Failure Problem closing archive

Immediately, QRecall fails attempting to write to the archive. OSErr -35 is a "volume not found" error, and is consistent with your external drive going off-line.

So my assessment is that your external drive went off-line when the computer was put to sleep. I have a client with an external FireWire drive that does this. It's very annoying. Regardless, there's nothing the QRecall can do if the volume containing the archive its writing to is disconnected mid-capture.

Normally, I'd shrug this sort of thing off. It happens to me. You simply repair the archive and capture again. Sadly, your situation gets worse. When you (correctly) attempted to repair the archive you encountered this:

2007-10-01 00:50:45.231 +0200 Failure Failed
2007-10-01 00:50:45.301 +0200 Details envelopePosition==badRegionPosition at 56270705832
2007-10-01 00:50:45.301 +0200 Details NSInternalInconsistencyException exception
2007-10-01 00:50:45.332 +0200 Command failed
2007-10-01 00:50:45.332 +0200 An internal program error occured. Please report this problem to the developer.
2007-10-01 00:50:45.334 +0200 ------- Repair incomplete (51:02)

You ran into a bug in the repair procedure that fails to deal with incomplete packages that occur at the end of the file. This has already been fixed, but a version with this fix has not been released.

Until you can repair the archive, there's not much you can do with it.

You have a couple of options:

You can delete the corrupted archive and capture the files again, making sure the computer does not go to sleep during the capture. You might also want to test to see if your external volumes are indeed getting unmounted when your computer is put to sleep -- something that should not be happening.

You can sit tight for a few days. A new release of QRecall is eminent, and the latest version should allow you to repair your damaged archive.

Hi James,

Thanks for the quick response. I'll delete the archive and try it again.

My first external drive is a Maxtor onetouch III with a Firewire connection. It doesn't unmount when the computer goes to sleep, but it has a seperate power supply, so I suppose a brief power outage could cause this.

The second and smaller external drive I have been writing to gets it's power from the USB port and as my computer is a laptop that should be a safe supply, and I haven't ever noticed it unmount unexpectedly.

I am not sure your explanation covers it. If the problem is just that the computer goes to sleep, why does it work correctly the first time? Both drives backed up properly the first time but wouldn't with subsequent attempts. I erased the small drive and started again, and it backed up correctly for the first time again, but refused to afterwards. As I said I will try it again now, and then repeat it later and post the results.

Hi James, I deleted the existing archive and then set up a new capture strategy to backup on connection of the hard drive (Maxtor Onetouch III via Firewire). Again it worked fine for the first time. I then ejected the drive and switched it off. I sent a couple of emails and then started the hard drive again. QRecall started up and tried to backup again, but failed to complete. I have attached the log file again.

It appears that your helper process is crashing.

2007-10-11 14:16:25.453 +0200 Details Connection with command process closed
2007-10-11 14:16:25.453 +0200 Details Process exception
2007-10-11 14:16:25.274 +0200 Curious Lost connection with command

This (and the root cause of the crash) could be confirmed by your crash log. You should find the crash log for the helper in ~/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/QRecallHelper.crash.log.

Your symptoms are so similar to the problem reported by Jan Sass (http://forums.qrecall.com/posts/list/47.page) that I suspect it's the same problem. An alpha release that addresses this issue is available. You're welcome to download it and try again. The users that have tried it all reported that it solved the problems they were having.

To install the alpha:
Download and open the alpha release disk image: http://www.qrecall.com/release/QRecall_1.0.0b46c.dmg
Drag your current QRecall application to the Trash. (Don't empty the trash just yet.)
Drag the alpha release of the application to where you old QRecall was.
Launch the new application.
You can now empty your trash.

Or again, you can simply wait for the next version of QRecall to be released, which should be "very soon."

If this fixes your problem(s), then you've managed to run into two known issues within 24 hours. There should be a medal for that.

Thanks James, I will download the Alpha version and give it a go. I'll report back tomorrow.

Hi James, Success! Your Alpha release sorted my problems. I see you now have version 47 of the Beta. Should I now install that, or will that bring back my troubles back?

Clive Golding wrote:I see you now have version 47 of the Beta. Should I now install that, or will that bring back my troubles back?

1.0.0(47) includes all of the fixes in the alpha, so feel free to update.

Thanks James, I'll update. Hopefully you won't hear from me for a while.