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/plcs command line info is ambiguous

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 2:53 pm
by Montclair
From the manual...
/plcs:n

Use this option to set the size, in kibibytes, of the memory cache Image for Windows should use for PHYLock. n should be a positive integer (e.g. 100, 1024, etc.) between 1 and 4095.

Default if omitted: PHYLock uses a 8192-KiB memory cache
If the allowable range is only up to 4095, how can the default be over that range at 8192, and how would I specify more to cache all the changes (I occasionally get the "PHYLock failed to cache all changes" error)?

Re: /plcs command line info is ambiguous

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 5:51 am
by TeraByte Support
That looks like it was just copied from /pldcs which is limited to the 4095
(M). I don't be it limits your choice here, if the number gets too big it
just can't use it. In general there is typically reason to change this
value since it's the RAM cache (it hold all caching if not using disk cache,
with disk caching, it hold data until it's output to the disk cache).

"Montclair" wrote in message news:568@public.image...

From the manual...

[quote:3evm9hdf]
/plcs:n

Use this option to set the size, in kibibytes, of the memory cache Image for
Windows should use for PHYLock. n should be a positive integer (e.g. 100,
1024, etc.) between 1 and [i:3evm9hdf]4095[/i:3evm9hdf].

Default if omitted: PHYLock uses a [i:3evm9hdf]8192[/i:3evm9hdf]-KiB memory
cache[/quote:3evm9hdf]

If the allowable range is only up to 4095, how can the default be over that
range at 8192, and how would I specify more to cache all the changes (I
occasionally get the "PHYLock failed to cache all changes" error)?


Re: /plcs command line info is ambiguous

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 11:48 pm
by Montclair
In general there is typically reason to change this value since it's the RAM cache (it hold all caching if not using disk cache, with disk caching, it hold data until it's output to the disk cache).
There is or IS NOT a reason to change this? If not, then what is the correct command line parameter to supply to cure "PHYLock failed to cache all changes"?

Re: /plcs command line info is ambiguous

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 5:16 am
by aussieboykie
Montclair wrote:There is or IS NOT a reason to change this? If not, then what is the correct command line parameter to supply to cure "PHYLock failed to cache all changes"?
+1 for an answer to this. A colleague is currently unable to take a full IFW backup as this message always pops up after approximately 1 minute from clicking START. He has tried varying the size of the cache, to no avail. Windows 7 64-bit system.

Regards, AB

Re: /plcs command line info is ambiguous

Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2011 1:29 am
by TeraByte Support
Run chkdsk /f as a staring point then adjust the disk cache as needed. Make
sure you're not running the defrag at the same time (which is automatically
setup to run by Windows). For list of what to adjust when needed see
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/article.php?id=551

The default RAM size typically doesn't need adjustment. And of course you
always have VSS available if something in your system is doing something to
cause the cache to fill up.


"Montclair" wrote in message news:596@public.image...

[quote:1txaish1]In general there is typically reason to change this value
since it's the RAM cache (it hold all caching if not using disk cache, with
disk caching, it hold data until it's output to the disk
cache).[/quote:1txaish1]

There is or IS NOT a reason to change this? If not, then what is the
correct command line parameter to supply to cure "PHYLock failed to
cache all changes"?


Re: /plcs command line info is ambiguous

Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2011 1:53 pm
by Montclair
For list of what to adjust when needed see http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/article.php?id=551
My error code is not covered in that document. My error is PHYLock Error 000Bh. Here's the full log:

Code: Select all

[11/03/2011  3:30:02 am] /b /uy /d:2 /purge:2 /plvolf /iobs:1 /plcs:32767 /logfile:c:\documents and settings\xxxx\desktop\ifw.log /f:t:\Fullback\xxxx\D\$~MM$-$~DD$-$~YYYY$ 
[11/03/2011  3:30:02 am] Image for Windows 2.66 (GUI)
[11/03/2011  3:30:02 am] Starting ...
imagew /b /uy /d:w2 /f:"t:\Fullback\xxxx\D\$~MM$-$~DD$-$~YYYY$" /iobs:1 /purge:2
[11/03/2011  3:30:03 am] PHYLock is waiting for drive writing to stop ...
[11/03/2011  3:30:10 am] PHYLock using drive D:
[11/03/2011  3:30:10 am] PHYLock Started
[11/03/2011  3:30:10 am] PHYLock Using Disk
[11/03/2011  3:30:10 am] PHYLock version 6
[11/03/2011  3:30:11 am] Backup: Drive 2 (D:) D_DRIVE_SATA Partition (01) 715402 MiB HPFS/NTFS
[11/03/2011  3:30:11 am] To: t:\Fullback\xxxx\D\11-03-2011.TBI
[11/03/2011  8:36:44 am] PHYLock Error 000Bh
[11/03/2011  8:36:44 am] INFO: Total Sectors:1465144002  Total Allocated:348146608
[11/03/2011  8:36:44 am] PHYLock Error 000Bh
[11/03/2011  8:36:49 am] Deleting incomplete or failed backup.
[11/03/2011  8:37:22 am] Operation Completed with Error Code 204
[11/03/2011  8:37:22 am] PHYLock failed to cache all changes.  Please increase the cache size in settings.
[11/03/2011  8:37:22 am] Stop
Please respond telling me the command line option that I should be modifying. I currently have /plcs:32767, and it's not enough. This is a busy machine. Here's my full command line:

"C:\Program Files\TeraByte Unlimited\Image for Windows\V2\imagew.exe" /b /uy /d:2 /purge:2 /plvolf /iobs:1 /plcs:32767 /logfile:"c:\documents and settings\xxxx\desktop\ifw.log" /f:t:\Fullback\xxxx\D\$~MM$-$~DD$-$~YYYY$

Re: /plcs command line info is ambiguous

Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2011 11:29 pm
by TeraByte Support
That error has nothing to do with the RAM size. That's a pretty big number
you're using anyway; the default should be fine unless you get the err in
the KB article telling you to increase it. Your error has to do with the
phylock.swp file being compromised by something (something is writing in to
the areas it owns). I'd suggest the chkdsk /f to ensure the file system is
clean, and perhaps running defrag after checking that system memory is
clean.

"Montclair" wrote in message news:603@public.image...

[quote:wukaogtl]For list of what to adjust when needed see http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/article.php?id=551 [/quote:wukaogtl]

My error code is not covered in that document. My error is PHYLock Error
000Bh. Here's the full log:

[code:wukaogtl]
[11/03/2011 3:30:02 am] /b /uy /d:2 /purge:2
/plvolf /iobs:1 /plcs:32767 /logfile:c:\documents and
settings\xxxx\desktop\ifw.log
/f:t:\Fullback\xxxx\D\$~MM$-$~DD$-$~YYYY$
[11/03/2011 3:30:02 am] Image for Windows 2.66 (GUI)
[11/03/2011 3:30:02 am] Starting ...
imagew /b /uy /d:w2
/f:"t:\Fullback\xxxx\D\$~MM$-$~DD$-$~YYYY$" /iobs:1
/purge:2
[11/03/2011 3:30:03 am] PHYLock is waiting for drive
writing to stop ...
[11/03/2011 3:30:10 am] PHYLock using drive D:
[11/03/2011 3:30:10 am] PHYLock Started
[11/03/2011 3:30:10 am] PHYLock Using Disk
[11/03/2011 3:30:10 am] PHYLock version 6
[11/03/2011 3:30:11 am] Backup: Drive 2 (D:)
D_DRIVE_SATA Partition (01) 715402 MiB HPFS/NTFS
[11/03/2011 3:30:11 am] To:
t:\Fullback\xxxx\D\11-03-2011.TBI
[11/03/2011 8:36:44 am] PHYLock Error 000Bh
[11/03/2011 8:36:44 am] INFO: Total
Sectors:1465144002 Total Allocated:348146608
[11/03/2011 8:36:44 am] PHYLock Error 000Bh
[11/03/2011 8:36:49 am] Deleting incomplete or failed
backup.
[11/03/2011 8:37:22 am] Operation Completed with Error Code
204
[11/03/2011 8:37:22 am] PHYLock failed to cache all
changes. Please increase the cache size in settings.
[11/03/2011 8:37:22 am] Stop
[/code:wukaogtl]

Please respond telling me the command line option that I should be
modifying. I currently have /plcs:32767, and it's not enough. This is a
busy machine. Here's my full command line:

"C:\Program Files\TeraByte Unlimited\Image for
Windows\V2\imagew.exe" /b /uy /d:2 /purge:2 /plvolf /iobs:1 /plcs:32767
/logfile:"c:\documents and settings\xxxx\desktop\ifw.log"
/f:t:\Fullback\xxxx\D\$~MM$-$~DD$-$~YYYY$


Re: /plcs command line info is ambiguous

Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 1:54 pm
by Montclair
I was able to prevent this error by forcing PHYlock to use RAM. The command line to do so is /pldisk:0 (which is also incorrectly documented -- the document only lists /pldisk as the command line to turn on PHYlock cache to disk, which is the default anyway).

There's nothing wrong with my disk, however, as Support guessed, a defrag program sometimes runs while IFW is still running but close to done. Due to time constraints, I cannot reschedule the defrag and IFW in my task schedule.

What would be helpful, however, would be the ability to list multiple drives for backup with one call to IFW, or make the IFW backup operation tolerate multiple instances of itself. It's problematic to schedule tasks assuming one instance of IFW will be done. Sometimes it is, and time is wasted waiting for the clock to hit the next scheduled backup, and sometimes it isn't which means the next drive never gets backed up.

Just my 2 cents.

Re: /plcs command line info is ambiguous

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 8:24 am
by TeraByte Support
Setup a batch file to run it back to back and schedule that.

imagew
if errorlevel 1 goto skip_next_if_u_want
imagew
:skip_next_if_u_want

"Montclair" wrote in message news:612@public.image...

I was able to prevent this error by forcing PHYlock to use RAM. The command
line to do so is /pldisk:0 (which is also incorrectly documented -- the
document only lists /pldisk as the command line to turn on PHYlock cache to
disk, which is the default anyway).

There's nothing wrong with my disk, however, as Support guessed, a defrag
program sometimes runs while IFW is still running but close to done. Due to
time constraints, I cannot reschedule the defrag and IFW in my task
schedule.

What would be helpful, however, would be the ability to list multiple drives
for backup with one call to IFW, or make the IFW backup operation tolerate
multiple instances of itself. It's problematic to schedule tasks assuming
one instance of IFW will be done. Sometimes it is, and time is wasted
waiting for the clock to hit the next scheduled backup, and sometimes it
isn't which means the next drive never gets backed up.

Just my 2 cents.