Backup for Files - Backup fails because it cannot access a network mapped drive

Written By Tami Sutcliffe (Super Administrator)

Updated at March 31st, 2021

Problem

The backup fails with an error message similar to the following:

ERROR: 0x30000: The system cannot find the path specified. [3 (0x3)] {eFS:ClieBackup:655}

In newer versions of the software the error may look like:

ERROR: 0x30000: The directory does not exist or is not mounted. If this is a network mapped drive, then it has been disconnected. You should use the Folders page to specify the credentials for the network mapped drive changing the folder's properties. (The system cannot find the path specified.) [3 (0x3)] {eFS:ClieBackup:976}

If the directory that is failing is a network mapped drive, then there are 2 actions to try for a quick resolution. The issue is caused by the fact that scheduled backup jobs run within the Windows system account by default, and so do not have access to network credentials and network mapped drives. If the directory is not a network-mapped drive, then please see: Backup fails due to path not found error.

Resolution

The first action to try is to change the Windows security credentials that scheduled backups will use:

  1. Start menu. Run. services.msc
  2. Find the Backup Service
  3. Right click it and choose Properties. Logon Tab.
  4. Change from 'Local System' to a different windows account. The Windows account should be the user that has mapped the network drives and is an administrator on that machine.
  5. Save the changes.
  6. Right click the service and choose Restart.

If the issue still occurs, then try to enter network credentials for that mapped drive:

  1. In the backup manager, go to the Folders page.
  2. Right click the folder that is the network mapped drive and choose Properties.
  3. At the bottom there are 3 settings for network credentials:
    1. UNC path: This should be the UNC path that the root of the network mapped drive is mapped to. For example, if you are backing up X:\Financial (e.g. \\NAS\Corporate\Financial), then enter the UNC network path that corresponds to X:\ (e.g. \\NAS\Corporate)
    2. Windows Username: This should have the form: DOMAIN\Username or just Username. It is the name of the Windows user that originally mapped the network mapped drive.
    3. Windows Password: The password for the above username.
  4. Save all changes.

If you continue to encounter problems, then try backing up the UNC path directly (e.g. instead of X:\Financial backup \\NAS\Corporate\Financial) and be sure to enter credentials for that folder on the Folders page, as specified above.

Finally, if these steps do not resolve your problem, you can try to use the task scheduler for scheduling instead of the supervisor service:

  1. In the backup manager, go to the Schedule page.
  2. Uncheck the 'Use supervisor service for scheduling'
  3. Click Save

 

Note: The same kind of failure can occur on a preload to a network based destination like a NAS device.  As of 3.8.3 the error may look like:
2013-02-04 16:16:40 INFO: 30000: Local repository path 'P:\Preload' does not exist [testfile_oserr=3].The system cannot find the path specified. [3 (0x3)] {eFS:ClieServer:372}