Subject: [netatalk-admins] File modify date/time changes for no "good" reason

From: Malcolm McLeary <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1999 14:17:19 +1100

Guys,

I've installed a Cobalt Qube2 (i.e. Linux server with Netatalk) and am
using Retrospect for MacOS to backup the Appleshare volumes.

The backup phase is fine, but the compare phase generates an error on
every file ... for example;

?    Retrospect version 4.2
    launch at 26/11/1999 4:39 PM

+    Executing Immediate Backup at 26/11/1999 4:40 PM
    To backup set AlchemyS

-    26/11/1999 4:40:33 PM: Copying alchemy
    26/11/1999 4:41:11 PM: Comparing alchemy
        Different modify date/time (set: 26/11/1999 4:34:53 PM, vol:
26/11/1999 
4:40:01 PM) for file ³alchemy:index.html².
        Different modify date/time (set: 26/11/1999 4:37:59 PM, vol:
26/11/1999 
4:40:10 PM) for file ³alchemy:Telstra Internet - ISONET².
        Different modify date/time (set: 26/11/1999 4:38:01 PM, vol:
26/11/1999 
4:40:18 PM) for file ³alchemy:Telstra Internet - TDA².
    26/11/1999 4:41:25 PM: 3 execution errors
        Completed: 4 files, 9 KB, with 22% compression
        Performance: 0.1 MB/minute (0.1 copy, 0.1 compare)
        Duration: 00:00:52

This is more than annoying as every incremental backup ends up being a
full backup because NONE of modification dates match those in the "snap
shot".

This does not happen on my Qube 2700WG, but is repeatable on two separate
Qube2s with two separate installations of Retrospect (both running on
MacOS 8.6).

Another interesting point is that the files in the example above had
their modification dates "updated" just by dragging them onto the server
volume.  

It would appear that as Retrospect backs up a file it is "touched" and
the modification date is updated ... hence the compare errors.  The problem
is that Retrospect only reads the files ... it doesn't actually do anything
(e.g. touch) to them.

To date Dantz say that Retrospect sees just Appleshare volumes and does
nothing but read the files ... Cobalt say;

> Unfortunately, Cobalt cannot support Retrospect. Why Retrospect does a touch
> on the file is a mystery that is best explained by the developers of
> Retrospect.

Has anyone else had similar problems with Netatalk changing file modify
date/time stamps for no "good" reason?

Is it a configuration issue.

I don't have this problem with my Qube 2700WG which is running a slightly
different version/configuration of Netatalk so I conclude its a Netatalk
issue.

Cheers,  Malcolm

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

                       Information Alchemy Pty Ltd
                             ACN 089 239 305
                           Canberra, Australia

Malcolm McLeary                                  Phone: +61 2 6294-1240
Managing Director                                Mobile:   0412 636 086
FSA Member                                       Email:  [email-masked]

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From: Malcolm McLeary <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1999 16:36:46 +1100

Thanks for the feedback.

> Retrospect has an option to set the backup time of files it backs up.

Yes it does.  By default it is turned off.  I don't really know when it
would be useful, but I have checked and it is turned off.  It is however set
to update the "volume" backup time, but I've tried with this turned off as
well with the same result.  :-(

Cheers,  Malcolm

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From: "P T Withington" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1999 22:38:54 -0500

If I'm not mistaken, Retrospect has an option to set the backup time of files it backs up.  It does not need to do this to perform incrementals (since the times are in the snapshots).  You might want to make sure it is not trying to do that (which perhaps is not supported in netatalk? or is setting the mod time instead of the backup time?).