I get this message at the end of every session when I attempt to use the Backup Wizard to create a backup job. At this point rebooting my machine does not seem to help either. I am using the 30 day evaluation copy of ShadowProtect Desktop Edition 3.2.0.2. I am running on a Dell with Windows XP Pro and a maxtor external firewire drive as my storage destination for volume images. The wizard apparently does create the backup job in spite of the error message. When I look under the Backup Jobs tab I see the job listed there as "Manual backup Job". I often need to exit the UI and restart it to see these jobs become visible. Under status is says "Initializing" but that state never seems to change. If I click on execute, the job starts. However, unlike the first times I used the Wizard, in this case now I do not see any history of any kind, either under the Backup Jobs tab or the Backup History tab. Those history tables in those two screens are completely blank, but at the bottom the progress bar suggests that a copy is being made, and activity on my external HD confirms this. As I write this post, SP it is still working, not sure if it will succeed. However I have not had a successful backup yet. (And even if it does complete, I consider this behavior of the app to be unacceptable). In case it is relevant, I include more history below.

 - Dr Who

 In my first attempts to create a volume copy I did not experience any errors of any kind. However there was too little space on my firewire drive to hold the disk image (apparently even in spite of using full compression). This surprised me because the volume I was trying to back up had 99 Gb used according to SP, and the external drive had 60 Gb free according to SP. I tried tried running manual backup jobs several different times to experiment, and during this period I started to see the error above. The first few times I encountered it, rebooting the machine seemed to make it go away. But now that doesn't seem to be the case. I have since deleted some unnecessary files from the external drive to get the free space up to 80 Gb. Two other issues that I thought were strange:

- As soon as SP runs, I can no longer unmount my firewire drive. I get the usual error of generic volume can't be stopped. This persists even when I exit the UI, exit the task bar application, and kill the SP service process with task manager. If I boot without starting SP, the external drive mounts and unmounts fine.

- Even though I did not specify any division of the volume image into separate files, the backup wizard appears to be doing it anyway, as the files it is currently writing to my firewire drive are each around 4.194 Gb in size (they are not all the same size).

I'd appreciate any help. I am about out of ideas and ready to move on to another product. I tried searching through the online help, the user guide, the forums, and the web at large for any discussion of this particular error mode, without any success. I find it strange that SC does not list all of their product error codes in one place with a brief description of each one.

Just some additional info, the backup process did complete successfully (apparently). I include the history below. But when I tried to run the Verify Image tool to verify the image, I got the exact same error "Wizard initialization failed" when I selected the image and started the verification process. These errors are quite disconcerting.

 Dr Who

27-Aug-2008 20:45:48 service 100 service (build 42) started job manually as full
27-Aug-2008 20:45:48 service 300 trial period has 30 days left
27-Aug-2008 20:45:48 service 104 3.2.0.2 6EB7-AF67 F33D-605F
27-Aug-2008 20:45:48 service 100 backup volume C:\ (NTFS)
27-Aug-2008 20:45:48 service 102 creating snapshot for  \\?\Volume{52d1678c-0d9b-11d9-9dfb-806d6172696f}
27-Aug-2008 20:45:48 service 199 try snapshot by  VSS API by STC provider
27-Aug-2008 20:45:48 service 199 all possible methods:  VSS API by default provider VSNAP API directly VSS API by STC provider and no other alternate methods
27-Aug-2008 20:45:52 service 150 retrieving snapshot name.
27-Aug-2008 20:45:56 service 103 snapshot was created by  VSS API by STC provider. It took 8 seconds
27-Aug-2008 20:45:56 service 104 ready to do full image
27-Aug-2008 20:45:56 sptask 110 Worker thread has started
27-Aug-2008 20:45:56 sptask 111 sbrun -mdn ( sbvol -fs \\?\STC_SnapShot_Volume_21_0 \\?\Volume{52d1678c-0d9b-11d9-9dfb-806d6172696f} : sbcrypt -60 : sbfile -wd G:\C_VOL-b001.spf )
27-Aug-2008 20:45:56 (loader) 112 corelogic version: 1.0.0.210
27-Aug-2008 20:45:56 sbvol 109 free space exclusion on
27-Aug-2008 20:45:59 sbvol 101 successfully opened volume \\?\Volume{52d1678c-0d9b-11d9-9dfb-806d6172696f}
27-Aug-2008 20:45:59 sbvol 107 FAT system area sectors: 0
27-Aug-2008 20:45:59 sbvol 112 file \\?\STC_SnapShot_Volume_21_0\pagefile.sys excluded OK
27-Aug-2008 20:45:59 sbcrypt 109 filter started
27-Aug-2008 20:45:59 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.spf
27-Aug-2008 20:45:59 sbvol 107 disk MBR sectors: 1
27-Aug-2008 20:45:59 sbvol 107 first track sectors: 63
27-Aug-2008 20:45:59 sbvol 109 disk CHS 14589/255/63 partition 1
27-Aug-2008 20:45:59 sbcrypt 107 compression mode: 6
27-Aug-2008 20:45:59 sbcrypt 107 encryption mode: 0
27-Aug-2008 20:50:39 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 20:50:39 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 20:50:39 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.spf done
27-Aug-2008 20:50:39 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp1
27-Aug-2008 20:54:30 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 20:54:30 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 20:54:30 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp1 done
27-Aug-2008 20:54:30 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp2
27-Aug-2008 20:58:23 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 20:58:23 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 20:58:23 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp2 done
27-Aug-2008 20:58:23 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp3
27-Aug-2008 21:02:31 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 21:02:31 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 21:02:31 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp3 done
27-Aug-2008 21:02:31 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp4
27-Aug-2008 21:06:29 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 21:06:29 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 21:06:29 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp4 done
27-Aug-2008 21:06:29 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp5
27-Aug-2008 21:10:29 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 21:10:29 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 21:10:29 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp5 done
27-Aug-2008 21:10:29 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp6
27-Aug-2008 21:14:10 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 21:14:10 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 21:14:10 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp6 done
27-Aug-2008 21:14:10 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp7
27-Aug-2008 21:18:03 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 21:18:03 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 21:18:03 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp7 done
27-Aug-2008 21:18:03 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp8
27-Aug-2008 21:22:08 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 21:22:08 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 21:22:08 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp8 done
27-Aug-2008 21:22:08 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp9
27-Aug-2008 21:26:18 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 21:26:18 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 21:26:18 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp9 done
27-Aug-2008 21:26:18 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp10
27-Aug-2008 21:30:16 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 21:30:16 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 21:30:16 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp10 done
27-Aug-2008 21:30:16 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp11
27-Aug-2008 21:34:26 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 21:34:26 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 21:34:26 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp11 done
27-Aug-2008 21:34:26 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp12
27-Aug-2008 21:38:35 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 21:38:35 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 21:38:35 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp12 done
27-Aug-2008 21:38:35 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp13
27-Aug-2008 21:42:51 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 21:42:51 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 21:42:51 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp13 done
27-Aug-2008 21:42:51 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp14
27-Aug-2008 21:47:33 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 21:47:33 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 21:47:33 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp14 done
27-Aug-2008 21:47:33 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp15
27-Aug-2008 21:52:05 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 21:52:05 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 21:52:05 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp15 done
27-Aug-2008 21:52:05 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp16
27-Aug-2008 21:56:02 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 21:56:02 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 21:56:02 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp16 done
27-Aug-2008 21:56:02 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp17
27-Aug-2008 22:00:03 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 22:00:03 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 22:00:04 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp17 done
27-Aug-2008 22:00:04 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp18
27-Aug-2008 22:04:05 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 22:04:05 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 22:04:05 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp18 done
27-Aug-2008 22:04:05 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp19
27-Aug-2008 22:09:29 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 22:09:29 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 22:09:30 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp19 done
27-Aug-2008 22:09:30 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp20
27-Aug-2008 22:13:51 sbfile 109 probing the target media for > 4GB files support
27-Aug-2008 22:13:51 sbfile 108 platform error writing the file (-112 There is not enough space on the disk.)
27-Aug-2008 22:13:51 sbfile 112 file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp20 done
27-Aug-2008 22:13:51 sbfile 101 successfully opened file G:\C_VOL-b001.sp21
27-Aug-2008 22:16:18 sbvol 109 last volume read done
27-Aug-2008 22:16:18 sbcrypt 109 tail started
27-Aug-2008 22:16:18 sbcrypt 109 fini done
27-Aug-2008 22:16:18 sbfile 200 OK G:\C_VOL-b001.sp21
27-Aug-2008 22:16:18 sbfile 109 fini done
27-Aug-2008 22:16:18 sbvol 109 fini done
27-Aug-2008 22:16:18 sptask 114 Process finished successfully
27-Aug-2008 22:16:21 service 105 snapshots were destroyed

Regarding the issues you experience with the backup wizard, I unfortunately don't have a solution for you (we've never, to my knowledge, seen such an issue).  We're testing our release candidate build of 3.3 right now, and I anticiapte we will release it next week (we found one bug which must be fixed prior to release), so perhaps we can just try out 3.3 on your machine to see if that issue goes away.

I can tell you that the inability to dismount your firewire drive is fixed in 3.3.

It's possible that your files are being automatically split even though you didn't explicitly request it.  This will happen if you back up to a FAT32 volume, where the max file size is 4GB, and hence a split is necessary (and done automatically) for the backup to succeed.

By the way, how much free space do you have on your G: firewire drive?

Nate, thanks for the reply. The disk image backup did appear to work in the end, and the verification also worked (ran and completed with no errors) in spite of generating the strange message first. And I searched through the system log and found that one service was being requested but had been disabled (by me). I enabled it, but I haven't tried again yet to see if that fixes the error message problem. You are correct about the FAT32 issue being the reason that the split was done automatically. I currently have 11 Gb left on my firewire drive (total space is 111Gb with about 80 Gb being taken by the disk image that I just saved).

Now I am going to try to download the .iso file to make a recovery CD (Am I correct that that is the next step?) Is there anything I could do to try to verify further that the disk image is valid before going forward? The occurrence of these strange errors makes me a little nervous about whether I have a proper backup, and I would hate to have to wait until there is a problem to find out.

Nate:

Regarding the issues you experience with the backup wizard, I unfortunately don't have a solution for you (we've never, to my knowledge, seen such an issue).  We're testing our release candidate build of 3.3 right now, and I anticiapte we will release it next week (we found one bug which must be fixed prior to release), so perhaps we can just try out 3.3 on your machine to see if that issue goes away.

I can tell you that the inability to dismount your firewire drive is fixed in 3.3.

It's possible that your files are being automatically split even though you didn't explicitly request it.  This will happen if you back up to a FAT32 volume, where the max file size is 4GB, and hence a split is necessary (and done automatically) for the backup to succeed.

By the way, how much free space do you have on your G: firewire drive?

Southern Jim:

 I am about out of ideas and ready to move on to another product.

To help with you evaluation of other backup products, I'd be more than happy to forward a stack of emails I have had with Symantec and Acronis support. :-)

I can also send you my copy of Ghost 2003, Ghost 9.0, Ghost boot floppys (those were the days), both Acronis True Image 9 and 11, and, various BartPE CDs. Oh, and 4 customized CD builds that Acronis made just for me. Mind you, of the total 6 Acronis CDs, only one can detect my HD. Of course it did have a few problems of its own: It couldn't detect any USB, or, network device. Oh, dear, never mind - it's the thought that counts. I also had another PC which was running Ghost without problems, even if the backups were painfully slow. Of course, when I needed to perform a restore, all the backups failed. Girlfriend seemed a little peeved by that, seeing as it was her laptop. Nothing new shoes and a vacation couldn't fix. I also had to remove Ghost from another machine. The uninstall failed to remove everything, so Symantec support directed me to a "clean-up floppy". That floppy was great. I have no idea what they put in it, but it really did clean out that registry for me. Of course, the PC failed to boot up after that, but at least that registry was as clean as a whistle.

Sarcasm aside, I've gone through the pain of trying other products. I've even have some experience using Legato and Veritas. If you try a different product make sure you practice different restores before you select it. Make sure you're completely happy and comfortable with it.

All I can say is that I use ShadowProtect for all of the reasons above.