Issue
Importing a very large Enterprise Server (ES) backup in WorkStation appears to hang with no visible progress, and the subsequent restore on a new ES seems stalled during validation. In some cases, a message such as “Unable to validate checksum” is shown even when the backup is healthy.
Product Line
EcoStruxure Building Operation
Environment
- EcoStruxure Building Operation Enterprise Server (large ES backups > ~50 GB with extensive trends/events)
- EcoStruxure Building Operation WorkStation
- Restore the full backup to the new hardware after the Enterprise Server host failure
- Local backup directory, e.g.:
C:\ProgramData\Schneider Electric EcoStruxure\Building Operation <version>\Enterprise Server\db_backup\LocalBackup
Warning
Potential for Data Loss: The steps below involve backup and restore operations. Ensure you have verified backups and adequate free disk space before proceeding. If unsure, contact your local support for assistance.
Cause
For very large ES backups, the WorkStation “Import” provides minimal progress feedback and performs additional background processing, which can take a long time and appear unresponsive.
During restore to a new ES, the system performs a validation phase that may take several minutes before any prompt appears; if the confirmation is not accepted in time, the restore can abort. The “Unable to validate checksum” message can be expected when restoring a backup created on a different machine and does not necessarily indicate corruption.
Resolution
- Bypass the slow WorkStation import for large backups (>40-50 GB): Manually copy the ES backup file into the local backup directory (e.g.,
...\db_backup\LocalBackup). This allows WorkStation to detect the backup without relying on the long-running import dialog. See the following article for instructions on how to perform this: Failed to import backup set file. - Run the restore and watch for the confirmation prompt: Start the restore from WorkStation and allow time for the validation phase. The confirmation dialog may take ~10–11 minutes to appear on SSD-based systems and may surface behind other windows. Accept the prompt as soon as it appears so the restore can proceed; WorkStation will log out automatically, and the ES service will continue the process.
- Allow additional time for restore startup feedback: After confirmation, it may take another ~10–11 minutes for visible restore progress to appear. Monitoring disk activity can help confirm ongoing work.
- Zero disk activity during Import indicates completion of Import as seen below:
- After the import is complete, monitor the EcoStruxure BuildingOperation process for excessive disk activity, which indicates the restore is still in progress.
- An alternative method, but with minimal feedback, you can view the Building Operation Software Administrator Server status
- Starting - means the service is starting, but not yet running. Server will not accept any login commands.
- Running - server is now running. Users can now login.
- Starting - means the service is starting, but not yet running. Server will not accept any login commands.
- Zero disk activity during Import indicates completion of Import as seen below:
- Ensure sufficient free disk space: Keep roughly 2× the backup size free (e.g., ~120 GB for a 50 GB backup) to accommodate validation and temporary files.
- Optimize for future reliability and speed: Recommend using SSD storage for the ES and backups; using non-SSD drives in these instances will increase delays from 15-30 minutes to 1-2 hours.
Reduce database size by enabling External Log Storage where appropriate, and after a successful recovery on the new machine, take a fresh full backup (this can avoid validation delays on subsequent restores to the same system). - Note on checksum validation message: Seeing “Unable to validate checksum” when restoring a backup created on a different system can be expected and is not, by itself, evidence of backup tampering.
