Database recovery - 4.0b3, things are in a bad state (my fault)

DEVONthink
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Hi,

My DT4b3 setup is in a bad state; I only have encrypted databases, and in my Databases directory they all are there by name. There was a horribly ill-timed power outage and a few apps have taken the brunt.

However, none of the databases will open. No errors, just nothing happens when I try to open the databases by name from within DT.

Reading the Troubleshooting guide as well as some forum posts pointed me at the tip to rename .sparseimage to .dtSparse, and when I try to open one of those I’m prompted with the alert about another copy of DT using the file, I click on Continue, but, the database does not open.

I have TimeMachine backups, and I’m pretty much willing to do anything to recover my data.

My TimeMachine backups only seem to be of .sparseimage copies of my database, as most of my databases have been open for quite a while.

I was able to use those to restore some of my databases, but one of them, upon opening, seems to cause DT4b3 to completely hang (Application not responding) when I try to verify/repair it on open - the screen says “Importing…” and nothing progresses.

Out of desperation, I tried a force quit, but, doing that leaves DT4b3 unable to restart; the icon just bounces and eventually gives up.

To get around that problem, I can move the Application Support files for DT aside, and get it to start “fresh”, but, then I’m just back at the point where I’m not able to open some of the databases.

Sorry for the rambling post, just been a really bad and long day. Happy to take this to the support team if that’s more appropriate than generating noise here.

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I click on Continue, but, the database does not open.

File > New Window.

3
  • Reboot the computer
  • Change the extension of all databases to .dtSparse if necessary
  • Launch DEVONthink
  • Open the database(s) and click Continue in the alert

Are the databases listed in the File > New Window submenu?

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Thank you both very much for the File → New Window hint.

I’ve managed to recover most of my databases, but, some files were “missing” from one, and I think I’m just going to have to live with that. I’ll keep poking at what I’ve got, but the steps I followed were indeed rebooting, changing the extension, running DT and then just opening one database at a time.

It’s going to be a long night trying to clean up, but, it looks like I’ve only lost 3 days worth of data. I don’t know why my daily TimeMachine backup didn’t catch anything for the last few days, sadly.

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I would also recommend to verify and eventually repair all databases (see File > Database Properties) and afterwards to export a backup (see File > Export > Database Archive…) before proceeding.

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Only loosely related: You should have other backups aside from TimeMachine. For example, with Arq, you can use a script that closes all databases (or simply closes DT, which will also close them) before backup and re-open them afterward.
That ensures that the databases are in a defined state. Not possible with TM, though.

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This is new to me. My impression that Time Machine backups should be sufficient.

If a DT backup requires some extra steps, can you make other users more aware of it?

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I rely on TimeMachine, and have successfully restored DEVONthink databases. I also create on a scheduled basis Database Archives (as mentioned by @cgrunenberg above) which do get backed up. I also, to have an “offsite” copy of important stuff, I send backups to Backblaze. I try to conform to the 3-2-1 backup regime (see Internet for explanation). Note: this not a full explanation of my backup regime which has been previously posted.

There is a section in the DEVONthink Manual “A Word about Backups” (or something like that).

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I use Time Machine, but since all backup systems have their strengths and weaknesses, I use two others:

  • Time Machine: mainly handy for recovering individual files, especially past versions
  • ChronoSync: I use this to create a daily mirror of my hard drives. This is handy in situations like yours, where some bigger SNAFU hits, and I want to recover whole directories or (in DEVONthink’s case) database packages to what existed the day before.
  • BackBlaze: this is always running to have an off-site emergency recovery for those oh-god-the-pipes-burst-and-destroyed-my-computer situations (that has happened to me).
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@rmschne is correct. See the Getting Started > A Word About Backups section in the help or manual. I expanded that section for DEVONthink 4.

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Thank you to all who chimed in on this thread. I’ve lost a few hundred items, and learned a valuable lesson (or two).

The final issue is one database that just will not open reliably. In fact, if I get it to open once, I’m lucky.

Here’s what I did:

  • Recovered DB from TimeMachine (.sparseimage, as DT was open during TM backup)
  • Renamed to .dtSparse
  • Started DT, opened DB
  • Told there were inconsistencies and given the option to ignore or open a Backup etc (neither option affected eventual outcome the way I was hoping)
  • Created a NEW encrypted database and manually copied over all non-missing files from the broken DB to the new DB

This got me going, with the loss of about 11 documents/items from that database.

However, even with the database open and going through the verify/repair process, and even deleting the 11 missing items (and emptying the trash), no subsequent attempt to open the repaired database would open it - even checking the File → New Window route.

I’m okay with this semi-crippled state, as the 11 documents weren’t that critical, but if someone from Devontechnologies wants me to do any further diagnosis to help them, I’m more than happy to.

I’ll be closing DT and doing a TM backup a few times in the near future, and looking at other potential backup solutions.

Of course, the icing on this disaster cake was that when I was in panic-stations after a day of dealing with broken things, I told DT to “clean” the CloudKit sync, which I suspect will result in untold joy today when I try to make DTTG work again.

Anyway, thanks again all.

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Open a support ticket.

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