Got a strange one here - Crashplan on Windows Server 2012R2 - only seems to backup when I log in as Admin?

[SonicMojo]

This post is specific to anyone using Crashplan on a Windows Server - I thought I would try this here for better insight than the Code42 support team

 

Within the past week I stood up my new home server (Windows Server 2012R2) and have Crashplan installed (and adopted) my former computer to the existing backup.

 

Part of the migration included some changes in file paths, file locations and so on. Following their adoption process - Crashplan seemed to know (and dedupe) all data from the old backup profile without issue.

 

However - yesterday - I had one more reorg to complete. I moved 4 folders that were backed up as separate paths in the previous backup (now listed as Missing in CP) - to a unified path called User Data. And I added two additional folders to the backup - Music and eBooks. The Music folder contains about 54GB and the eBooks around 5.5GB. Not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things.

 

This issue I am seeing today (and never before) is that Crashplan seems to only want to actually run when I am logged into the server via RDP and when I have the Crashplan app open?

 

Within the CP History log - the areas highlighted in Yellow - indicate when I was last logged onto the server via RDP - with Crashplan on screen - checking the status of the backup.

 

Then I would click the "X" in the upper right and assume that Crashplan was continuing to run - in the tray?

 

Then you can see another RDP to the server to check on status @ 10:05 (Starting to backup to Crashplan Central). I logged off @ 10:09 assuming the backup was going to continue (and finish) thru the night.

 

But then I checked it again this morning and nothing had occurred since I logged off last night. Log indicates another "starting backup" @ 6:07 am.

 

What the heck is going on here - shouldn't Crashplan be backing up round the clock?

 

I have everything set to backup Always with no stops for any reason - yet CP seems to only want to send files to their cloud when I am on the Server desktop?

 

Have I actually shut down CP when I click on the "X"? Or when I log off of my RDP session - is Crashplan stopping too?

 

My assumption was (as I did thousands of times on my prior server - Windows Server 2008R2) is that I could remote into the server anytime via RDP - open the CP UI - have a quick look at it and close it using the X and it would return to the tray and continue with it's business. In this case it seems like it's actually shutting down - or something else is going on here.

 

What am I missing - as I need my backups to run uninterrupted 24x7x365.

 

Appreciate any ideas from the fields.

 

Cheers!

 

VP

[xendrome]

Logging off, or closing the RDP session? There is a difference.

[SonicMojo]

18 minutes ago, xendrome said:

Logging off, or closing the RDP session? There is a difference.

On the WS2012R2 desktop - connected via RDP - I right click on the Start Button (Win Flag) and choose Sign out. There is no "log off" option like there was in Windows Server 2008.

 

There is also Disconnect (Definitely do not want to stay logged on to the server as Admin), Shutdown (Do not want to shut down) and Restart (do not want to restart either)

 

For all my RDP stuff I use VisionApp Remote Desktop 2012. This RDP connection to SERVER  connects to Console and is identical to the connection I used for the previous server box (now offline).

 

When I choose Sign Out - my vRD2012 session automatically closes and that's it. I am assuming this sequence of events should have no bearing on the Crashplan service or it's current running state - but perhaps I am assuming too much?

 

I did the same sequence on my previous server (Windows 2008 R2) for years but used the Log Off option. Crashplan would continued to do it's thing round the clock until I remoted back into the box in a week or two later as usual.

 

What's different this time?

 

VP

[SonicMojo]

More to this - from the Crashplan knowledge base:

 

Permissions

 

When you install per user:

The CrashPlan app cannot back up files and folders that the user does not have permission to access. The CrashPlan app relies on the user's system permissions to access and back up files.

The CrashPlan app cannot back up when the user is signed out of the computer.

 

So its looking more and more like when I first installed Crashplan - signed into the box as Admin - I must have not been paying enough attention and possibly did not select the correct install Type?

 

"Click Next to accept the default setting, Everybody (all users)."

 

I cannot imagine that I would not select this default but I guess anything is possible.

 

This should be running under the local system account - one would think - to ensure backups continue with no stoppages.

 

VP

[BinaryData]

Well, you could change the permissions for your account, or just let the Admin account handle everything.

 

From what I understand, you have two logins.

 

Administrator & Regular Account, correct?

 

Since Admin already has access to everything, why not just login and let it run off that, check it periodically to see if it's still working. Once you've confirmed it works, "log off" or switch users to the other account. Then verify by logging back into the Admin and checking.

[SonicMojo]

I have confirmed that I installed the app "under" admin. I see all the program files piled under that user account location. I should have installed as "everyone".

 

I have also confirmed that everything is working fine when I am logged in as Admin but I need this to work when no one is logged in - which was the way it was before.

 

I just pulled the drive from the old server and CP was installed as Everyone. I can tell by the location of the program files - which are in the hidden "program data" folder on the old box.

 

Looks like I have to do an uninstall/reinstall to get this working correctly.

 

Dang!

 

VP

[BinaryData]

VP,

 

Just re-run the installation. It'll either ask you if you want to update the settings or uninstall. The "repair" option is what you're looking for. It should re-do the install without losing everything.

[SonicMojo]

1 hour ago, BinaryData said:

VP,

 

Just re-run the installation. It'll either ask you if you want to update the settings or uninstall. The "repair" option is what you're looking for. It should re-do the install without losing everything.

I tested it - Repair killed my install

 

Ran it and then tried to start Crashplan and got an odd message about not being able to connect to the backup server. (Have never seen that ever).

 

I am going to uninstall and reinstall this thing...

 

VP

[BinaryData]

12 minutes ago, Vocalpoint said:

I tested it - Repair killed my install

 

Ran it and then tried to start Crashplan and got an odd message about not being able to connect to the backup server. (Have never seen that ever).

 

I am going to uninstall and reinstall this thing...

 

VP

I really really really, and I stress the REALLY, I really hope you made a back up before you attempted anything, haha.

[SonicMojo]

5 minutes ago, BinaryData said:

I really really really, and I stress the REALLY, I really hope you made a back up before you attempted anything, haha.

No prob. I uninstalled it and reinstalled without issue. The connection is back and it's doing a file sync run now. AND - it's running under the system account   As it should be.

 

Thanks!

 

VP