Finally got Crashplan backing up to my unRAID server

After much screwing around I was finally able to get Crashplan to back up to the unRAID box via Network Share.

Out of the box Crashplan won't back up to a network share saying it doesn't have the correct permissions.  Here's how I got around it.

1)  Create a folder somewhere.  I created mine at c:\crashPlanBackup

2)  Open up CrashPlan and go to the Destinations tab of the ap.  Click "Folders" and find your new folder. Leave CrashPlan running and the Destinations tab open.

3)  Delete the new folder you created and just pointed CrashPlan to. 

4)  Open a command prompt and create a hardlink to the network share.    Type mklink /h "c:\crashPlanBackup" \\tower\sharename  -  Hit return.  You can also mount the share so it has a drive letter and do it this way mklink /h "c:\crashPlanBackup" s:  if I remember correctly.

You've now tricked CrashPlan into thinking that the folder you added was a local folder and it's not.  Working like champ!  For as little as $3 more per month  you can have your data back up to their cloud service as well.  Redundancy!  I imagine there would be no reason you couldn't trick CrashPlan into backing up your network shares to their cloud and really make them wonder if $3 a month for unlimited storage was a good idea

you can run crashplan on unraid.

Doing so makes it really easy to back up to.

No network share tricks or other dead chicken waving necessary

I never could get CrashPlan to see my symbolic links on Windows 7.

Just having it use a mount seemed so much easier than installing on unRAID.

StevenD - The trick for me was to have it point to a regular folder FIRST, then delete the folder and create a HARD LINK at the same location with the same name.  Been working like a champ for a week now!

tyvm, this worked like a charm!  However, when I tried to create the hard link, Windows 7 gave me an error saying "Local NTFS volumes are required to complete the operation".  Using the /D switch (instead of /H) on the mklink did the trick.

And to the reply about installing CrashPlan on unRaid.  That is my eventual goal, but it could also be argued that there is alot of "dead chicken waving" involved in getting CrashPlan running on unRaid.   I already had CrashPlan installed on my Windows machine so this was a really fast and easy way for me to get my backup stored on my unRaid array.

Hi this helped me aswel, but I have one problem.

The destination has folders that contain local characters like æøå, and crashplan now dont' see them as folders but as a file.

Normally crashplan doesn't have a problem with this - so I think it is the link ... any ideas on how to fix?

- Henning

How is CrashPlan's Privacy Policy?

Is it wise for CouchPotato/SickBeard users?

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2

I stick with Sync Toy myself due to those privacy concerns, not just with those programs.  Never understood why anyone would allow a third party the ability to access their personal information and documents under the guise of a backup program.  Though I can see the cool factor in this elaborate setup for this backup program.  Guess if all one has is grandma's recipe for apple pie to risk I guess it makes sense.

I am running Win 7 64 bit, and have tried mikechy's approach using the /H symlink (to which I got the "Local NTFS volumes are required to complete the operation" that johnc got), and then used johnc's /D switch. I was able to create the symlink, and have verified that I can read and write to the share via the symlink'd folder.

However, if I delete the folder and create the symlink while the Destinations > Select a Directory pop-up is still open, I get an error in CrashPlan that says "The backup engine does not have access to the given location" as soon as I hit OK.

If I go ahead and create the destination pointing to the local folder and then do the folder delete/create symlink step, I get an error saying "Destination unavailable -- backup location is not accessible" when I try to initiate a backup.

I have opened up all permissions to everyone on the shared folder, but still am having no luck.

Any help would be most appreciated.

I just switched to a new computer this week and referenced my original post to set this up. 

I followed my previous steps and typed

mklink /d "c:\crashPlanBackup" \\tower\sharename  (THIS TIME USING /d as another poster pointed out)  and no problems.

I am using Windows 7 64 Bit and the latest version of Crashplan.  My UNraid version is 4.7.

I wish I had an answer for you.

MPOST, I had the same problem as you. turns out the permission problem was from my NAS not my laptop. I created another folder on the nas for any user, and followed the instructions as outlined in this helpful thread. That solved the problem. Thanks to mikechy for the helpful info.

I have the symbolic link up and working. the only thing is that crashPlan just says "synchronizing' and does not do a backup.

I don't know if you've noticed but Crashplan keep the drives spinning...  On my setup the parity drive and the drive(s) that have Crashplan backup on it never spindown.  It seems like Crashplan write logs frequently in the backup folder.  I know that there is a way to correct it by starting and stoping the Crashplan service with a script but haven't tested it yet.

That was one of the reasons I moved crashplan off to it's own server.

That was one of the reasons I moved crashplan off to it's own server.

So Crashplan doesn't backup directly on your unraid? 

That was one of the reasons I moved crashplan off to it's own server.

So Crashplan doesn't backup directly on your unraid?

I have crashplan install on another unRAID server on my local network.  That computer is on 24/7 and is the backup location for my computers, room mates, parents, etc.  I do have crashplan installed on my main server but it is set to only back up a subset of the files, back them up only to the local computer and only during a certain time.

That was one of the reasons I moved crashplan off to it's own server.

So Crashplan doesn't backup directly on your unraid?

I have crashplan install on another unRAID server on my local network.  That computer is on 24/7 and is the backup location for my computers, room mates, parents, etc.  I do have crashplan installed on my main server but it is set to only back up a subset of the files, back them up only to the local computer and only during a certain time.

My server run esxi with a VM for Unraid and a VM with Ubuntu (Plex,Crashplan,transmission...) 24/7.  But I want my drive to spindown when the server is idle.  Maybe the best thing will be to use SyncToy or Rsync to backup the station on the local network on Unraid and then use Crashplan to backup offsite.

I don't know if you've noticed but Crashplan keep the drives spinning...  On my setup the parity drive and the drive(s) that have Crashplan backup on it never spindown.  It seems like Crashplan write logs frequently in the backup folder.  I know that there is a way to correct it by starting and stoping the Crashplan service with a script but haven't tested it yet.

Did you by any chance tackle this issue you were having?