Tag: crashplan

Crashplan setup

Diagnosing

The steps below can confirm whether or not memory usage is causing the symptoms described above.

  1. Navigate to the log folder for your operating system:
    • Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\CrashPlan\log
    • Windows Vista, 7, 8: C:\ProgramData\CrashPlan\Log
    • Mac OS X: /Library/Logs/CrashPlan
    • Linux (default): /usr/local/crashplan/log
    • Solaris (default): /opt/sfw/crashplan/log
  2. Open each service.log.# file in a text editor and look for the phrase “OutOfMemoryError”:
[09.23.12 22:33:02.273 ERROR   QPub-BackupMgr       backup42.service.backup.BackupController] OutOfMemoryError occurred...RESTARTING! message=OutOfMemoryError in BackupQueue!
  1. If you see this message, adjust the maximum amount of memory that the CrashPlan app can use by following the steps in the recommended solution for your operating system.

Considerations

 

  • CrashPlan uses memory up to the maximum allotted. The maximum is used only if it is needed.
  • Code42 typically recommends allocating 1 GB (1024 MB) of memory per 1 TB of storage (or per 1 million files).​ Although CrashPlan only requires approximately 600 MB of memory per 1 TB of storage (or per 1 million files), our recommendation is intended to account for growth in your file selection.

Sample Recommendations    

Backup Selection Size Recommended Memory Allocation (MB)
Up to 1 TB or up to 1 million files 1024 (default)
1.5 TB or 1.5 million files 1536
2 TB or 2 million files 2048
2.5 TB or 2.5 million files 2560
3 TB or 3 million files 3072

Memory Limitations

You should not allocate more memory to the CrashPlan app than the maximum supported by your computer. For example, if your computer has 8 GB of RAM, you shouldn’t allocate more than 8 GB (8192 MB) to the CrashPlan app.

Windows 32-bit Operating Systems
On computers running a 32-bit Windows operating system, programs are limited to a maximum of 2 GB of RAM. After accounting for other resources required by your system, this limits CrashPlan’s maximum memory allocation to approximately 1200-1500 MB. If you are running a 32-bit operating system, we recommend allocating a maximum of 1536 MB of memory to CrashPlan. Alternatively, you can remove files from your backup selection to reduce the size of your backup archive.

 

Recommended Solution

Windows

  1. Stop the backup engine
  2. Open the Start menu
  3. Locate the Notepad program, right-click it, and select Launch as Administrator.
  4. Use File > Open to navigate to C:\Program Files\CrashPlan\
    • If you don’t see CrashPlanService.ini, change the filter in the bottom right from Text Document (*.txt) toAll Files.
  5. Open the file CrashPlanService.ini
  6. Find this line in the file:
    -Xmx1024m
  7. Change the number to a larger value, depending on the size of your file selection.
    • See guidelines above for recommendations.
    • For example, if you are backing up 1.5 TB of data, we recommend setting this line to -Xmx1536m
  8. Start the backup engine

Mac OS X

 

You will use Terminal for the steps below. To open the Terminal Application:

  • Using Finder, go to: Applications > Utilities > Terminal
  • Using Spotlight, search for Terminal
  1. Stop the CrashPlan service by entering this command:
    sudo launchctl unload /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.crashplan.engine.plist
  2. When prompted, enter your password, then Enter.
    Note: The password doesn’t display as you enter it.
  3. Run the following command to open a command line text editor:
    sudo nano /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.crashplan.engine.plist
  4. Using the arrow keys on your keyboard, find the line that contains the following:
    -Xmx1024m
  5. Change the number to a larger value, depending on the size of your file selection.
    • See guidelines above for recommendations.
    • For example, if you are backing up 1.5 TB of data, we recommend setting this line to -Xmx1536m
  6. Press Control+X to exit.
  7. Press Y to confirm the changes.
  8. You’ll see the prompt “File Name to Write”. Press Return to save to the existing location.

 

  1. Start the backup engine by typing:
    sudo launchctl load /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.crashplan.engine.plist

Linux / Solaris

  1. Stop the backup engine
  2. Using your favorite Terminal based editor, open for editing the file/usr/local/crashplan/bin/run.conf
  3. Locate the line that begins SRV_JAVA_OPTS
  4. Locate this argument:
    -Xmx1024m
  5. Change the number to a larger value, depending on the size of your file selection.
    • See guidelines above for recommendations.
    • For example, if you are backing up 1.5 TB of data, we recommend setting this line to -Xmx1536m
  6. Start the backup engine

Alternative Solutions

CrashPlan app version 3.6.3 and later

Solution 1: Increasing Memory Limit With Manual Commands

 

You can use the CrashPlan app’s manual commands to allocate more memory. You must be able to open the CrashPlan app to use this solution.

Steps

  1. Open the CrashPlan app
  2. Double-click the CrashPlan logo in the upper-right corner
  3. Enter the following command, using a value appropriate for the size of your backup selection (for example, 1536 for a 1.5 TB selection):
    java mx 1536, deauthorize, restart
    The CrashPlan app will close
    Deauthorize app
  4. Open the CrashPlan app​ and sign in
    CrashPlan resumes backing up with the increased memory allocation

 

Solution 2: Increasing Memory Limit After Reinstalling Your CrashPlan App

You can reinstall the CrashPlan app and use manual commands to fix the problem. This solution can work even if you can’t open the CrashPlan app.

Uninstalling the CrashPlan app removes most log information. Our Customer Champions use logs to help troubleshoot problems, so you may want to contact our Customer Champions before uninstalling. Uninstalling the CrashPlan app does not remove your CrashPlan archive, so your information is safe while you’re reinstalling.

Steps

  1. Uninstall the CrashPlan app
  2. Reinstall the CrashPlan app
  3. Open the CrashPlan app, but do not sign in yet
  4. Double-click the CrashPlan logo in the upper-right corner
  5. Enter the following command, using a value appropriate for the size of your backup selection (for example, 1536 for a 1.5 TB selection):​
    java mx 1536, restart
    The CrashPlan app will close
    Finding the Command window in the CrashPlan app
  6. Open the CrashPlan app
  7. Sign in to the CrashPlan app and back up normally