gbak error messages

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Go Up to Performing backups and restores using the gbak command


gbak Backup and Restore Error Messages
Error Message Causes and Suggested Actions to Take

Array dimension for column <string> is invalid

Fix the array definition before backing up

Bad attribute for RDB$CHARACTER_SETS

An incompatible character set is in use

Bad attribute for RDB$COLLATIONS

Fix the attribute in the named system table

Bad attribute for table constraint

Check integrity constraints; if restoring, consider using the -no_validity option to delete validity constraints.

Blocking factor parameter missing

Supply a numeric argument for “factor” option

Cannot commit files

  • Database contains corruption or metadata ­violates integrity constraints.
  • Try restoring tables using -one_at_a_time option, or delete validity constraints using -no_validity option.

Cannot commit index <string>

  • Data might conflict with defined indexes.
  • Try restoring using “inactive” option to prevent rebuilding indexes.

Cannot find column for Blob

Cannot find table <string>

Cannot open backup file <string>

Correct the file name you supplied and try again

Cannot open status and error output file <string>

  • Messages are being redirected to invalid file name.
  • Check format of file or access permissions on the ­directory of output file.

Commit failed on table <string>

  • Data corruption or violation of integrity constraint in the specified table
  • Check metadata or restore “one table at a time”

Conflicting switches for backup/restore

A backup-only option and restore-only option were used in the same operation; fix the command and ­execute again.

Could not open file name <string>

Fix the file name and re-execute command

Could not read from file <string>

Fix the file name and re-execute command

Could not write to file <string>

Fix the file name and re-execute command

Datatype n not understood

An illegal data type is being specified

Database format n is too old to restore to

  • The gbak version used is incompatible with the InterBase version of the database
  • Try backing up the database using the -expand or -old options and then restoring it.

Database <string> already exists. To replace it, use the -R switch

  • You used -create in restoring a back up file, but the target database already exists.
  • Either rename the ­target database or use -replace.

Could not drop database <string> (database might be in use).

  • You used -replace in restoring a file to an existing database, but the database is in use.
  • Either rename the target database or wait until it is not in use.

Device type not specified

The -device option (Apollo only) must be followed by ct or mt; obsolete as of InterBase V3.3

Device type <string> not known

The -device option (Apollo only) was used incorrectly; obsolete as of InterBase V3.3

Do not recognize record type n

Do not recognize <string> attribute n -- continuing

Do not understand BLOB INFO item n

Error accessing BLOB column <string> -- continuing

ERROR: Backup incomplete

  • The backup cannot be written to the target device or file system
  • Either there is insufficient space, a hardware write problem, or data corruption

Error committing metadata for table <string>

  • A table within the database could be corrupt.
  • If restoring a database, try using -one_at_a_time to isolate the table.

Exiting before completion due to errors

  • This message accompanies other error messages and indicates that back up or restore could not execute.
  • Check other error messages for the cause.

Expected array dimension n but instead found m.

Try redefining the problem array.

Expected array version number n but instead found m.

Try redefining the problem array.

Expected backup database <string>, found <string>

Check the name of the backup file being restored.

Expected backup description record.

Expected backup start time <string>, found <string>

Expected backup version 1, 2, or 3. Found n.

Expected blocking factor, encountered <string>

The -factor option requires a numeric argument.

Expected data attribute

Expected database description record

Expected number of bytes to be skipped, encountered <string>

Expected page size, encountered <string>

The -page_size option requires a numeric argument.

Expected record length

Expected volume number n, found volume n

When backing up or restoring with multiple tapes, be sure to specify the correct volume number.

Expected XDR record length

Failed in put_blr_gen_id

Failed in store_blr_gen_id

Failed to create database <string>

The target database specified is invalid; it might already exist.

column <string> used in index <string> seems to have vanished

  • An index references a non-existent column.
  • Check either the index definition or column definition.

Found unknown switch

An unrecognized gbak option was specified.

Index <string> omitted because n of the expected m keys were found.

Input and output have the same name. Disallowed.

A backup file and database must have unique names; correct the names and try again.

Length given for initial file (n) is less than minimum (m).

  • In restoring a database into multiple files, the primary file was not allocated sufficient space.
  • InterBase automatically increases the page length to the minimum value.
  • No action necessary.

Missing parameter for the number of bytes to be skipped.

Multiple sources or destinations specified

Only one device name can be specified as a source or target.

No table name for data

  • The database contains data that is not assigned to any table.
  • Use gfix to validate or mend the database.

Page size is allowed only on restore or create.

The -page_size option was used during a back up instead of a restore.

Page size parameter missing

The -page_size option requires a numeric argument.

Page size specified (n bytes) rounded up to m bytes.

Invalid page sizes are rounded up to 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, or 16384, whichever is closest.

Page size specified (n) greater than limit

Specify a page size of 1024, 2048, 8192, or 16384. The default is 4096 bytes.

Password parameter missing

  • The back up or restore is accessing a remote machine.
  • Use -password and specify a password.

Protection is not there yet

Unimplemented option -unprotected used

Redirect location for output is not specified.

You specified an option reserved for future use by InterBase.

REPLACE specified, but the first file <string> is a database.

Check that the file name following the -replace option is a backup file rather than a database.

Requires both input and output file names.

Specify both a source and target when backing up or restoring.

RESTORE: decompression length error

  • Possible incompatibility in the gbak version used for backing up and the gbak version used for restoring.
  • Check whether -expand should be specified during back up.

Restore failed for record in table <string>

Possible data corruption in the named table

Skipped n bytes after reading a bad attribute n.

Skipped n bytes looking for next valid attribute, encountered attribute m.

Trigger <string> is invalid

Unexpected end of file on backup file

  • Restoration of the backup file failed; the backup procedure that created the backup file might have terminated abnormally.
  • If possible, create a new backup file and use it to restore the database.

Unexpected I/O error while <string> backup file

A disk error or other hardware error might have occurred during a backup or restore.

Unknown switch <string>

An unrecognized gbak option was specified.

User name parameter missing

  • The backup or restore is accessing a remote machine.
  • Supply a user name with the -user option.

Validation error on column in table <string>

  • The database cannot be restored because it contains data that violates integrity constraints.
  • Try deleting constraints from the metadata by specifying -no_validity during restore.

Warning -- record could not be restored

Possible corruption of the named data

Wrong length record, expected n encountered n

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