Damaged Database Problem

[Josebr]

While working in IMATCH, the program told me that the database was corrupt. So I followed the recommendation and run the Diagnostic. It time it ran is told me the database 'Was" damaged. (It should really say "IS Damaged" as it sound as if it was fixed and is no longer damaged.  After two more times of running the Diagnostic and still getting a report that the database was damaged it said to restore from the last backup of the database.

So then I thought, hey I back it up everyday when IMATCH asks me if I want to back up the database via that "Pack and Go". In fact I keep each daily "Pack and Go" backup on a few different drives. I do include my database doing this procedure. So my question is. How do I Restore from "Pack and Go" backup (IMatch_20211115.impag) so that I end up with last night's database?

[Mario]

Database damage is really really rare. You did not include the IMatch log file (log file) or the diagnosis log file. Or old us what the error message actually is.
So I have nothing to base suggestions on.
In most cases database damage is caused by hardware issues (power failure, network problems, disk problems). Or maybe a virus checker suddenly deciding to block the database system in IMatch from writing to the file on disk.

Note: Pack & Go is designed to transfer IMatch databases and settings between multiple computers comfortably. It is not a replacement for a real backup software which backs all your files and stuff at least once a day.

I have made Pack & Go popping as a "backup replacement" after learning that so many users never do backups at all. By making them use Pack & Go, they at least have their IMatch database and settings if something bad happens.

To restore your database, just restore your last Pack & Go package to a new temporary folder. Then copy the database from the database folder in the temporary folder and replace your defective database.
Details as usual in the IMatch Help System: Pack & Go: Restore

Since database damage is really uncommon, I recommend to let Windows check the disk the database is stored on. Also check the Windows event log for hardware-related warnings and errors.
If you use a virus checker other than Windows Defender, check its "logs" to see if it has blocked IMatch from reading or writing data. This would show in the IMatch log file, though (of that session).

[Josebr]

After some more research I was able to use Pack and Go to restore to another, different, folder and was able to use the saved database from last night. I checked that Pack and Go database and it was not corrupt. But I now have doubts about further using IMATCH. The database corrupted in the blink of an eye. What's to prevent it from continually corrupting and thereby wasting my time and effort?

The only way I can see to use IMATCH is to close it after an hours worth of use and then copy the database folder (mulitple copies), so as never ever loose more than an hour's time. This is the only way moving forward as I have lost confidence in the program. It's also not the way I want to work with any program. I do have a log file I can send. I guess I do that through e-mail.

I am not happy about this situation. I have spent months in the past getting the data where I now have it, and need to expend half a year more to categorize all my photos. And I don't wish to be constantly worried about database corruption.

[Josebr]

Thanks for your reply Mario. I guess you replied as I was submitting my previous reply. Attached is a log file. Hope it's the right one.

[Mario]

But I now have doubts about further using IMATCH. The database corrupted in the blink of an eye. What's to prevent it from continually corrupting and thereby wasting my time and effort?

The database system used by IMatch is also used by companies like Google, Apple, Microsoft, Adobe and Boing...
It is known to be extremely robust and reliable. IMatch uses it since IMatch 5, around 2015.
I can ensure you, IMatch databases are really safe.

The diagnosis log file shows physical damage to the database file.
This is very rare. The typical case for physical damage to the database file are disk failures, hard power failures (while Windows was still writing data from the cache to the disk), bad connections for external USB drives or network issues for databases stored on remote servers or NAS. What kind of drive is K:?
Occasionally, virus checkers cause damage, when they stop IMatch from writing to the database file. But that's rare. McAffee did it at some time, and AVast too.

[loweskid]

Just to endorse what Mario says - I've been using IMatch 5 since it's first release (and IMatch 3 before that) and I've never had a problem with a database.  I've never yet had to use the 'restore' option except when copying the DB to my laptop.

[sinus]

I work every day with IMatch, for business and private.
My database is quite large.

I had really several times power fails from my computer, windows problems, user-errors (cut of power during running because out of stupidity), but I must say, I really never had a problem with my database from IMatch.
I would say, the database of IMatch is really very robust and rock-solid, this is my experience since years.

Nevertheless, I make also every day a backup (automatically with Macrium Reflect) on another harddisk, and from time to time, a third backup on again another drive. Just be sure, because if I would loose my DB, this would be very, very serious.

But using a backup was never necessary, thought I do check them from time to time, if the backup was ok for restore.

Backups stuff nowadays is essential, from my point of view, I mean, do this also with word-docs and other files. Normal, I think.

[Mario]

Nevertheless, I make also every day a backup (automatically with Macrium Reflect) on another harddisk, and from time to time, a third backup on again another drive. Just be sure, because if I would loose my DB, this would be very, very serious.

But using a backup was never necessary, thought I do check them from time to time, if the backup was ok for restore.

Backups stuff nowadays is essential, from my point of view, I mean, do this also with word-docs and other files. Normal, I think.

Very smart. I have never lost a file since I do regular backups (for many years). I can also always undo my own mistakes (deleted the wrong file, made the wrong changes, ...) by restoring the affected file from my backup.

I also TEST MY BACKUPS every week, to see if they can actually restore data. Many have fallen for that, learning the hard way that their backups are useless for some reason.

I still recall a funny incident when I've started a consulting project in a big company. I deleted a few documents (after making a backup) and then called IT and asked them to restore these documents from backup.
After two days (!) they got back to me, informing me that something with their backup was wrong and the files (and many other files) were lost.
I hope they learned something from that and actually verified their backups afterwards.

Thanks to software like Macrium Reflect, TrueImage and similar, making automatic backups to external disks and/or cloud storage has become so easy and reliable, it's a no-brainer.

And yes, IMatch databases are safe. I trust the same database system Google, Apple and Microsoft use to store vital data on Windows, MacOS/IOs and Android.

Still, your hard disk can die any time. A power failure may cause Windows to write back only part of the data cached in memory or the a hard disk spins down due to power failure without being able to flush its internal cache. All of this will damage files, including the IMatch database. Or MySQL databases. Or ORACLE databases.

[Josebr]

Mario,
Drive K is my brand new SSD drive. On which only the database is located. IMATCH tends to run faster on this K drive.

I have to say that a daily back up from now on will not enough backup insurance given what happened to me. I can't chance it. I will have to backup every hour from now on as I work. And I am very upset that I have to work this way as I don't trust IMATCH not do do it again regardless of the reason (hardware, software). I can only go by my experience. I have to RE-categorize over 580 photos! Ahhh!

Thank you all for getting back to me. You are a great group of people. I can only push forward and see what happens and hope for the best. You are all probably right, I probably will not see this error again. I hope so.

[Carlo Didier]

Mario,
Drive K is my brand new SSD drive. On which only the database is located. IMATCH tends to run faster on this K drive.

I have to say that a daily back up from now on will not enough backup insurance given what happened to me. I can't chance it. I will have to backup every hour from now on as I work. And I am very upset that I have to work this way as I don't trust IMATCH not do do it again regardless of the reason (hardware, software). I can only go by my experience. I have to RE-categorize over 580 photos! Ahhh!

Thank you all for getting back to me. You are a great group of people. I can only push forward and see what happens and hope for the best. You are all probably right, I probably will not see this error again. I hope so.

Well, even new disks can arrive damaged right from the start. Or it can be the interface it is connected to or just a cable that's causing the problem.
Instead of searching the blame with iMatch, I'd really deeply investigate everything on the hardware side. There are lots of diagnosis tools for that.
If the hardware has a problem, any software will run into trouble using it.

From 37 years as an IT professional I can tell you that database corruption is rarely caused by software issues. And if iMatch had such issues, many other users would already have noticed and Mario would have corrected it.

[Mario]

If this is an external drive, double-check cable and connections!
High-speed drives like SSD are very sensitive to bad cables or power issues.

If this is a new internal drive, check connections.

As I said in my post above, the Windows Event log will contain reports, warnings or errors when something has happened with this drive. Check the info there.

I backup my 20 IMatch databases (two are for me, the other are for testing) once a day. And I have databases going back to IMatch 3 - all still in perfect working conditions.

[Josebr]

Carlo,
Thank you for your response. I'd go around digging for answers if I knew what to look for and where to look. Could you tell me what programs you are referring too? I am mainly an operator and not a tinker person. Again,  thanks.