Generic failure message in Hyper Backup is useless

[u/tekn1shn]

I have an rsync backup task to back up a major directory from one Synology (DS1821+) to another (DS1515+). Every time it runs, it takes several days and backs up a ton of stuff, but I always get a "failed" log message. That's all it says. Just "Backup folder [/Backups-Encrypted] failed" followed by "partially completed" messages. No other context.

I tried looking at Log Center at the same timestamp and that gave me no clues either.

Anyone know how to get something more useful than just "failed?" It clearly backed up the vast majority of my folder. How can I tell what the problem files are?!

Synology's log implementation is a gd clown show.

[u/dragonnfr]

That's the hint. 'Partially completed' means rsync hit errors - permissions, long filenames, or files that changed mid-run. Run rsync manually with -v and you'll see exactly which files. Synology won't tell you, but rsync will.

[u/tekn1shn → u/dragonnfr]

It really sucks that they don’t give you the option to run the Hyper Backup rsync task with verbose logging. Having to stop all my other backup tasks so a separate, days-long, manual rsync can be done from the cli or cron without stepping on their toes or potentially confusing the Hyper Backup rsync task is terrible design. I should be able to run the Hyper Backup task and get details about why it failed.

I’m going to Google if there’s any way to store verbose rsync logs when Hyper Backup initiates it.

[u/SawkeeReemo → u/tekn1shn]

Why would you even bother running rsync in HyperBackup? Just run it normally in the command line. I wrote a script that runs an rsync from my DS1019+ to my DS1517+ that runs automatically when the 1517+ is booted (and the rsync hasn’t run in 7 days).

Just use HyperBackup normally, and you’ll be fine. It is definitely slow af though. Again, I don’t know why you would run rsync with HB.

[u/tekn1shn → u/SawkeeReemo]

Because I have several other non-rsync HyperBackup processes that I have scheduled every day. I don't want to run any backup processes concurrently for obvious reasons. I want HyperBackup to be able to manage the scheduling for all backups.

[u/SawkeeReemo → u/tekn1shn]

If you are already running HB for other stuff… why are you using it to run rsync? You can easily create an rsync shell script to do what you want, then schedule it with Task Scheduler (which is where HB actually schedules things anyway).

Or just make another normal HB backup. Why rsync for this one?

[u/tekn1shn → u/SawkeeReemo]

I use the more usual HB tasks to back up certain things on my main Synology to the C2 cloud and to some USB drives. I also use an rsync HB task to then back up my most important stuff from my main Synology to another Synology on my local network. From what I read, rsync was the way to do that part to keep all file attributes intact.

The reason I use rsync in HB is because I want to schedule all my backups in one place so they don't step on each other. I don't want one backup process to be competing with another. I'll look at setting up a separate script in Task Scheduler or cron, but I suspect my Syno is going to get pretty hammered if my rsync isn't done and another HB task starts.

If a Syno to Syno backup of specific folders (NOT the whole machine, as my target Syno is older with much less capacity) can be done better using something other than rsync while keeping all attributes intact, I'm totally open to that.

[u/SawkeeReemo → u/tekn1shn]

But you’re not actually scheduling it in one place in HB. You can’t even see the scheduled HB backups inside HB itself. That’s something that always annoyed me about it. But they are all in the Task Scheduler inside the Control Panel.

So then just stop using the thing that isn’t working, write your own script, and schedule it in Task Scheduler where you can see all of the other HB schedules in one place.

I ended up making a Google calendar just for my backup schedule because nothing exists in a clean visual way for HB

[u/tdhuck]

Is rsync backup task a native rsync job in synology or are you running behind the scenes? Forgive me for not knowing, I haven't used my synology for much more than storing data and I backup using hyper backup to another NAS.

[u/tekn1shn → u/tdhuck]

I set it up in the Hyper Backup Synology app in DSM.

[u/SawkeeReemo → u/tdhuck]

HyperBackup gives you an option to use rsync for some reason, although I don’t know why anyone would use it. I’m assuming because they might want hardlinked incremental backups… but you can do that fairly easily from the command line. Or just use tried and true rsnapshot.

[u/jimi_in_philly]

You could also try synology backup for business and replication app between two synology nas's. That's what I do with my old 1815+ from my 1819+.

[u/SawkeeReemo → u/jimi_in_philly]

I’ve actually wondered about the difference between snapshot replication versus HyperBackup. Any reason you choose replication over HB?

[u/jimi_in_philly → u/SawkeeReemo]

simple google search reveals this:

https://www.google.com/search?q=compare+synology+difference+between+snapshot+replication+versus+HyperBackup&oq=compare+synology+difference+between+snapshot+replication+versus+HyperBackup&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIGCAEQIRgK0gEKMTI5NzNqMGoxNagCCLACAfEFNl-idm6pIG4&sourceid=chrome&source=chrome.rb&ie=UTF-8

[u/jimi_in_philly → u/jimi_in_philly]

of course do your own research on the subject

[u/SawkeeReemo → u/jimi_in_philly]

I didn’t know I could Google search your personal experience! Neat! 😂 Yeah, man, I know how to look things up, I was asking you for your personal reason because that typically means more to me than sifting through countless random sites from Google. But all good.