Ahsay How-To: Troubleshoot Missed Backups - Windows

Troubleshooting missed scheduled backups in Ahsay Online Backup Manager (AhsayOBM) on Windows primarily involves verifying the status of the required Windows service and checking the configuration settings on the client machine and the corresponding user profile.

The sources refer to this process as "Troubleshooting problem with missing scheduled backup".

Below are the steps focused exclusively on AhsayOBM deployed on a Windows operating system:

I. Check Client Environmental Factors

1. Computer Availability: Confirm that the Windows computer running AhsayOBM was not switched off, hibernated, or in standby mode when the scheduled backup was set to run. The AhsayOBM services are critical and must be running when the backup is scheduled, especially after machine state changes like waking from hibernation or standby.
2. Software Updates: Ensure AhsayOBM is running the latest stable release or that any required hotfixes have been applied, as updates address resolved issues.
3. Antivirus Interference: Check for conflicts with antivirus software. To optimize performance and prevent conflicts on Windows, add specific processes and directory paths to the antivirus white-list or exclusion list. Note that the bJW.exe process is typically added automatically to the Windows Defender exclusion list during installation or upgrade on Windows 10/Server 2016 onwards.
4. VMware Tools Version (If VM Guest): If the Windows machine is a guest VM hosted on VMware, ensure the VMware tools version is 10.3.5 or higher to prevent an unexpected Java crash during backup or restore.

II. Verify AhsayOBM Scheduler Service Status

Scheduled backups are governed by the dedicated AhsayOBM Service on Windows.

1. Verify Service Status: Check the status of the scheduler service:
   • Navigate to Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services.
   • Locate and verify the status of Ahsay Online Backup Manager Services.
   • Confirm that the service Status is listed as "Running".
2. Restart the Service: If the service is not running, or if no log entries are being written to the debug log, restart the service using the procedure in Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services.
3. Post-Reboot Check: The "Ahsay Online Backup Manager Services" regulates scheduled backups, and it is crucial that this service is running after a new installation, software update, machine reboot, or when the machine wakes from hibernation or standby mode.

III. Review Client Configuration and Logs

1. Check Backup Schedule (Client UI): Log into the AhsayOBM graphical user interface (GUI). Navigate to the specific Backup Set and ensure the setting 'Run scheduled backup for this backup set' is enabled (available under Backup Sets Overview > Backup Schedule).
2. Windows User Authentication/Permissions (Network Drives): If scheduled backups fail, check the Windows User Authentication credentials:
   • Authentication is required only if the Schedule is enabled and the files/folders selected for backup are located on a network drive.
   • The credentials provided must be those of a Windows account that has permission to access network resources (e.g., an administrator account).
   • If using a Microsoft account for Windows User Authentication (supported on Windows 8, 8.1, 10, and 11), the password of the account must be used, not the Windows PIN.
   • If using the "Filter" backup source option, the Windows User Authentication login password is not required even if the schedule is enabled, unless the filtered source is on a network drive.
3. Check Operating System Profile (home.txt): Verify if the scheduler service is using the correct operating system account profile:
   • On Windows, the home.txt file is located at C:\ProgramData\AhsayOBM\home.txt.
   • This file must contain an entry pointing to a .obm directory accessible by the local scheduler service (e.g., "C:\Users\administrator\.obm"). If the file is empty, add the directory path to the .obm folder.
4. Review Logs: Check the AhsayOBM scheduler log (debug.log) to confirm if the scheduled job is initiating (location can usually be inferred from the AhsayOBM installation folder).

IV. Check Temporary Directory and Resource Allocation

1. Temporary Directory Location and Space: Ensure the configured temporary directory meets requirements:
   • The temporary directory should preferably be on a local drive instead of a network drive to maintain optimal performance.
   • It should not be located on the Windows System C:\ drive, but rather on another available drive (e.g., drive E:).
   • The temporary directory must have sufficient disk space to hold files generated during the backup job, especially for database backups or Windows System State backups. Insufficient space here is a known cause of failure.
   • For Windows System State backup, the machine requires an additional drive to accommodate the spooling of the image file by the WBADMIN utility.
2. Java Heap Size (Resource Allocation): For specialized backups (like MS SQL, Exchange, or Windows System State), it is often recommended to increase the Java heap size setting, typically to at least 4096MB (from the default 2048MB) to improve performance and stability during resource-intensive jobs.