> Source: [sk100403](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk100403)

# sk100403 - Gaia OS backup or snapshot fails with "There is already another backup process running"

| Property | Value |
|----------|-------|
| Solution ID | sk100403 |
| Date Created | 2014-04-24 |
| Last Modified | 2025-01-16 |
| Technical Level | Advanced |
| Products | Security Gateway, Security Management Server |
| Versions | R82.10, R82, R81.20, R81.10 (EOS), R82.10, R82, R81.20, R81 (EOS), R81.10 (EOS), R81 (EOS) |
| OS | Gaia |

## Symptoms

- * The Gaia Clish "`add backup local`" command fails with this error message:

  ```
  
  HostName> add backup local
  Creating backup package. Use the command 'show backup status' to monitor creation progress.
  In order for the backup to be effective you should copy the file outside the machine.
  ```

* The Gaia Clish "`show backup status`" command shows one of these messages:

  ```
  
  HostName> show backup status
  local backup has failed.
  There is already another backup process running.
  ```

  or

  ```
  
  HostName> show backup status
  Performing  backup
  Step:  
  ```

* The Expert mode "`backup`" command fails with this error message:

  ```
  
  [Expert@HostName]# backup -d
  ...
  BACKUP operation started.
  Failed to create lock file
  The backup operations are locked.
  BACKUP operation failed.Details: There is already another backup process running.
  CBackupUtils::LogBackup() startingThere is already another backup process running. 
  ```

* The Gaia Clish "`add snapshot`" command fails with this error message:

  ```
  
  NMSNAP9999 snapshot: another backup is currently in execution. Please try again in a few moments.
  ```

* The Expert mode "`ps auxw`" command does not show any other backup process.

* The `/var/log/messages` file may contain these lines for the time when you ran the backup commands:

  ```
  
  ipstcl2: regStrCmp: Match found of the string jPassword at pattern jPassword (0,9)
  ipstcl2: check_special_char: The key jPassword is allowed to have special character at it's value
  xpand[XXX]: backup: backup_alloc_proc(). 
  xpand[XXX]: backup_set_proc: Started. 
  xpand[XXX]: backup: backup_disengage_proc(). 
  ipstcl2: regStrCmp: Match found of the string msg at pattern msg (0,3)
  ipstcl2: check_special_char: The key msg is allowed to have special character at it's value
  ipstcl2: check_commands_black_list: The userName value contain a black list command
  ipstcl2: Black listed command found
  ```

## Cause

When running, the Gaia OS backup needs to acquire a lock on certain files in the operating system.

If the backup cannot acquire the lock, it assumes that another backup task is already running.

## Solution

This solution requires authentication. Please log in to view the full solution.

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