Error "Cannot proceed - Locked by device 'XXXXXXXX'..."

The vault is temporarily locked by device 'XXXXXXXX', while that device finishes its backup and runs its retention pass.

• The log file may show something like: Locked by device '[deviceID]' (PID #[XXXX]) since [timestamp] (400hrs59m59s ago)
• The final automatic phase of the backup process is for the device performing the backup to temporarily 'lock' the Storage Vault for a few minutes so that it can delete old snapshots, unreferenced data, etc, per the retention policy.
• While the vault is locked, other devices cannot start writing to the vault. This lock ensures that data which is in the process of being added, but not yet fully-referenced in the index, is not deleted. As long as the Storage Vault is not under continuous use with over-lapping backup jobs, one backup job will eventually 'finish last', and will run the retention pass.
• If the device goes offline during this final phase (power-cut, sudden sleep mode, network connection lost, etc), then the final phase may not be completed. The 'lock' will stay in place, and the vault will remain in a not-writeable state.
• You can find which device is locking the vault via: Users -> name -> Devices tab -> View -> tick to enable 'Device ID'. Look into the profile of a user whose device(s) backup to the same vault.
• The device which has locked the vault is the one whose ID starts with "XXXXXXXX...".
• NOTE: If you cannot find the device, it has been revoked, and will not now show up in the current device list. You SHOULD ensure that all running jobs for that device have been successfully cancelled, then proceed to the Unlocking the Vault section below.
• If the job has been running for an unusually long or extended period (as in the above example: '400hrs'), then it may be that the device has been shut-down unexpectedly before a stop signal could be acknowledged by either the Magnus Box server or the device.
• If the job has been running for less than 5 minutes, you SHOULD let it complete by itself.
• BEST OPTION IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES - You SHOULD find the device and 'wake it up', switch it on, or whatever is needed to bring it back 'Online'. If it can not be brought back online, the next best thing is to verify that the device has been lost, stolen, or permanently revoked.
  • If the device can be brought to 'Online' status, you SHOULD allow the backup to complete.

  • If you believe that the job has genuinely stalled or cannot complete, you MAY send the 'Cancel' signal via: Users -> name -> Actions -> View Job History -> Report (the 'Cancel' button only shows for active jobs).

    If the device is definitely lost, stolen, destroyed, etc, then the following applies:

    
    

    Unlocking the Vault: IMPORTANT: You SHOULD review the documentation to ensure you understand lock-files before you proceed. Where there is a stalled backup, and you are CERTAIN that the device in question is not running, nor is it likely EVER to resume its backup, please do the following:

  1. You MUST ensure that no backup jobs are running in that Storage Vault.
  2. Click 'admin' account name (top right) -> toggle-on 'Advanced Options'
  3. Users -> name of a user of the storage vault -> Devices tab -> click 'Online' -> 'Storage Vault tab -> 'Unlock'. This will clear the lock files.
  4. Users -> name of a user of the storage vault -> Devices tab -> click 'Online' -> 'Storage Vault tab -> 'Apply retention rules now'. This will effectively finish-off any prior backup, tidying up old or unreferenced data, removing old snapshots, making it ready for the next backup.
  5. Toggle-off 'Advanced options'.

  6. When finished, check the server and job logs for any errors. Contact support if any insurmountable issues

     A future version of Magnus Box may be able to automatically detect and remove stale lock files in more situations.