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Troubleshooting Remote Storage

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Troubleshooting

Keep in mind that Remote Storage is used to move data between your local computer and tape libraries, and depends on Removable Storage to access specific tapes within these libraries. Consequently, Removable Storage must be properly configured beforehand and must be running for Remote Storage to function correctly.

What problem are you having?

  • You cannot install or run Remote Storage.

  • You cannot find the Remote Storage snap-in.

  • Remote Storage could not find any valid media type to use.

  • Remote Storage cannot manage a particular volume or find a volume that you want to manage.

  • You have set a file-copying schedule but no files have been copied to remote storage.

  • You can no longer recall files from remote storage.

  • File recalls are slow.

  • There are excessive file recalls occurring.

You cannot install or run Remote Storage.

Cause:  Remote Storage requires that you have administrative credentials.

Solution:  Verify that you are running Remote Storage with administrative credentials. To maintain system security, log in using an account in a different security group and run Remote Storage as an administrator. To do this, right-click Remote Storage, click Run as, and choose an account in the Administrators group.

You cannot find the Remote Storage snap-in.

Cause:  Remote Storage is not installed by default when the operating system is installed.

Solution:  Install Remote Storage on your computer using Add or Remove Programs.

Remote Storage could not find any valid media type to use.

Cause:  Removable Storage has not detected the media type yet.

Solution:  Wait until the Removable Storage snap-in displays the available media that can be used.

Cause:  You do not have a supported tape or disk library.

Solution:  Verify that you have a supported tape or disk library. Remote Storage supports all SCSI class magneto-optical disk or 4mm, 8mm, and DLT tape libraries. Remote Storage does not support QIC tape libraries. For tape and disk libraries supported by Removable Storage, see the information about compatible hardware at the Support resources page.

Remote Storage cannot manage a particular volume or find a volume that you want to manage.

Cause:  Remote Storage can only manage nonremovable (fixed), local NTFS volumes; other file systems or volumes will not be displayed in the Remote Storage Setup wizard.

Solution:  Format all volumes that will be managed with the version of the NTFS file system used in Windows 2000 or the Windows Server 2003 family. For help converting volumes to NTFS, see Convert.

You have set a file-copying schedule but no files have been copied to remote storage.

Cause:  There may be no files that meet the specified criteria.

Solution:  Change the file rules and other file-copy criteria as necessary.

You can no longer recall files from remote storage.

Cause:  Remote Storage uses the runaway recall limit to prohibit a user, or an application, from recalling files from remote storage more than a specified number of times in succession. Virus checking, data backup, indexing, and search applications typically read all files on your computer, and can cause the runaway recall limit to be quickly reached.

Solution:  Increase this setting as necessary or close the application causing the excessive recalls.

File recalls are slow.

Cause:  Remote Storage may take five minutes or longer to recall a file from a tape-based library.

Solution:  Set the free space value lower so data in cached files are not removed as often. In this way, data will not have to be recalled from remote storage as often.

There are excessive file recalls occurring.

Cause:  Virus checking, data backup, indexing, and search applications typically read all files on your computer.

In particular, if you use Find (on the Edit menu) in Microsoft Office 95 or later to search for content on a managed volume, all files in remote storage are automatically recalled.

Solution:  Take into account use of applications that cause excessive files recalls on your managed volumes when planning your activities.

Cause:  If Microsoft Word (.doc), Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt), or HTML files have been copied to remote storage, all files in remote storage are recalled if you install Microsoft Office 97 on the computer running Remote Storage. This occurs at the end of the Office 97 installation.

Solution:  To stop the recalls, you must use Windows Task Manager (press CTRL-ALT-DEL) to end the Findfast.exe task.