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Has anyone else had a problem with backintime causing their Linux guest to cause their system to hang or completely seize up? The backup runs for awhile and then eventually it just seizes up the whole system. The system becomes completely unresponsive to any attempt to interact with it. My only recourse to regain control is an ACPI shutdown. It does not seem to be related to any one file. I keep excluding the last file (or even directory) worked on by the log file when the system seized up, but then it just happens again with another file when I try it again.

I'm pretty sure this is application related, since the guest OS does not seize up if backintime is not running. I have even left the guest OS run overnight and it was completely normal in the moring. Any ideas or suggestions?

I really like backintime. I'm using it on a Linux server (host OS) without a hitch, and would like to use it on another system in a guest OS, but if I can't get past this problem I may have to try another backup method.

I would really like to use an rsync backup as opposed to just using sets of full and incremental backups (like Dejabackup). I want my backups to be of the set it and forget it variety.

Appreciate any thoughts or suggestions.

CaptainPackers

Please read Minimum information needed for assistance.

I think was running the old Additions after upgrading VBoxManager to 4.10. I stepped through the installation instructions in the help file and it uninstalled 4.8 Additions, then installed 4.10 Additions. I will see how this goes now that I have the right version of Additions and report back. Thanks for the reply.

Updating the Guest Additions had no affect. The system still locks up and becomes unresponsive after 5 or 6 hours.

Here is the "information needed for assistance":

VirtualBox Version: 4.3.10 r93012
Guest Additions are installed, version 4.3.10 r93012
Host: Windows 7, version 6.1.7601sp1 64-bit, 12 GB Memory
Guest: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS 64-bit, 2 GB Memory

Attached zipped log file (unzipped was too large to upload) from last session to freeze up:

Are you doing any heavy-duty traffic with the shared folders? Your log file is full of the same message:

07:39:15.358258 Guest Log: VBoxGuestCommonIOCtl: HGCM_CALL: Invalid handle. u32Client=37
... (and after 32766 similar messages)
07:39:16.362157 Guest Log: VBoxGuestCommonIOCtl: HGCM_CALL: Invalid handle. u32Client=37
07:39:16.362167 32768 messages from group DEV_VMM_BACKDOOR (#75), muting it.

Other than that, the system seems to go to an ACPI initiated shutdown:

24:17:42.876466 Entering S5 power state (power down)
24:17:42.876514 Changing the VM state from 'RUNNING' to 'POWERING_OFF'.

What do your Ubuntu energy/power settings look like?

Yes, I am trying to back up a shared folder, using backintime. Is there a problem with that? That is really my goal. I wanted to use backintime to back up my documents on my Windows Host, because I love the set it and forget it nature of backintime, even down to managing the backup retention. Is this not a viable backup solution?

The ACPI is initiated by me. It's the only way I can regain access to/control of the system again.

The Power setting is "Don't suspend". Screen Lock is Off and set to "Never" turn off wen inactive.

FYI, I left the guest run overnight and it was fine in the morning, so I believe the problem is definitely related to the backup.

Thanks.

VirtualBox shared folders present a very simplified file system implementation, just enough to read/write files from/to the guest. Many applications can error when using shared folders, because they expect advanced features, like file locking or access controls, which don't exist for shared folders. Maybe the load is too much and it can't take the I/O.

I would use a a true network share (samba).

CaptainPackers wrote:Yes, I am trying to back up a shared folder, using backintime. Is there a problem with that? That is really my goal. I wanted to use backintime to back up my documents on my Windows Host, because I love the set it and forget it nature of backintime, even down to managing the backup retention. Is this not a viable backup solution?
Thanks.

It's not clear to me where you are trying to save the backup. To the guest?
You could always make a second .vdi drive and attach it to your guest and use it as a backup drive.

BTW? Aren't you backing up your Windows host? If not, you should be. If you are, you already have a backup of your shared folder.

socratis wrote:VirtualBox shared folders present a very simplified file system implementation, just enough to read/write files from/to the guest. Many applications can error when using shared folders, because they expect advanced features, like file locking or access controls, which don't exist for shared folders. Maybe the load is too much and it can't take the I/O.

I would use a a true network share (samba).

Thank you. I'll give that a try.

loukingjr wrote:

CaptainPackers wrote:Yes, I am trying to back up a shared folder, using backintime. Is there a problem with that? That is really my goal. I wanted to use backintime to back up my documents on my Windows Host, because I love the set it and forget it nature of backintime, even down to managing the backup retention. Is this not a viable backup solution?
Thanks.

It's not clear to me where you are trying to save the backup. To the guest?
You could always make a second .vdi drive and attach it to your guest and use it as a backup drive.

BTW? Aren't you backing up your Windows host? If not, you should be. If you are, you already have a backup of your shared folder.

I'm trying to save the backup to a usb drive mounted directly into the file system in fstab.

I'm trying to use the guest to backup the host (windows) because I really like the features offered by backintime, particularly the smart retention settings. It seems to be the easiest and most complete backup option I've found, and when it works, it is truly a set it and forget it solution. I'm using it on a Linux host and it works swimmingly that way. In fact, I'm toying with the idea of cloning my windows-7-64 OS, reloading my hardware with Linux host OS, and running windows as a guest, just to be able to use backintime on my desktop (primary workstation).

CaptainPackers wrote: I'm trying to save the backup to a usb drive mounted directly into the file system in fstab.

I'm trying to use the guest to backup the host (windows) because I really like the features offered by backintime, particularly the smart retention settings. It seems to be the easiest and most complete backup option I've found, and when it works, it is truly a set it and forget it solution. I'm using it on a Linux host and it works swimmingly that way. In fact, I'm toying with the idea of cloning my windows-7-64 OS, reloading my hardware with Linux host OS, and running windows as a guest, just to be able to use backintime on my desktop (primary workstation).

This is a first for me. I've never actually heard of someone switching OS's just because of a backup program. You must really like Back In Time.

socratis wrote:VirtualBox shared folders present a very simplified file system implementation, just enough to read/write files from/to the guest. Many applications can error when using shared folders, because they expect advanced features, like file locking or access controls, which don't exist for shared folders. Maybe the load is too much and it can't take the I/O.

I would use a a true network share (samba).

[SOLVED] Genius! You do your namesake proud, man. Samba mount worked like a charm. Thanks for the tip.

loukingjr wrote:

CaptainPackers wrote: I'm trying to save the backup to a usb drive mounted directly into the file system in fstab.

I'm trying to use the guest to backup the host (windows) because I really like the features offered by backintime, particularly the smart retention settings. It seems to be the easiest and most complete backup option I've found, and when it works, it is truly a set it and forget it solution. I'm using it on a Linux host and it works swimmingly that way. In fact, I'm toying with the idea of cloning my windows-7-64 OS, reloading my hardware with Linux host OS, and running windows as a guest, just to be able to use backintime on my desktop (primary workstation).

This is a first for me. I've never actually heard of someone switching OS's just because of a backup program. You must really like Back In Time.

Backintime is awesome, especially the smart retention. Truly a set it and forget it backup system. If you ever need a backup solution, I highly recommend taking a look at it.

CaptainPackers wrote:
Backintime is awesome, especially the smart retention. Truly a set it and forget it backup system. If you ever need a backup solution, I highly recommend taking a look at it.

Seeing that Back In Time is a back up tool for Linux and a copy of Time Machine for OSX, I think I'm good

CaptainPackers wrote:[SOLVED] Genius! You do your namesake proud, man. Samba mount worked like a charm. Thanks for the tip.

Great! Would you mind changing the original post's title to "[SOLVED] ..." so that the rest of the community can benefit as well? TIA.