What does HRESULT 0xC800020E (hrInvalidBackup) mean?

 
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hrMakeBackupDirectoryFail hrRecoveredWithErrors

hrInvalidBackup

Operational meaning

hrInvalidBackup means an incremental external backup was requested while circular logging prevents preservation of the required historical log range.

The stored value is 0xC800020E (negative JET error -526; -526). Current ESE documentation uses JET_errInvalidBackup for the corresponding published JET condition.

The first useful distinction is that the backup can be structurally well formed yet invalid for incremental semantics. Start by recording backup grbits, circular-log setting, oldest retained generation, checkpoint, and the full-backup baseline.

Before altering files or retrying

  • Code-specific observation: record backup grbits, circular-log setting, oldest retained generation, checkpoint, and the full-backup baseline.

Comparison points

It specifically means that the backup can be structurally well formed yet invalid for incremental semantics. Related values below can appear in the same workflow but require a different response:

hrFullBackupNotTakenthe caller requested an incremental backup without a completed full backup recorded as its baseline
hrIncrementalBackupDisabledthe database lineage no longer permits the requested incremental backup and requires a new full baseline
hrLogFileNotFoundan incremental Directory Service backup cannot assemble the required transaction-log set

Objects and state involved

Diagnostic layerfull-backup baseline, incremental descendants, retained log generations, and catalog lineage
Relevant API surfaceDsBackupPrepare backup type, log enumeration/truncation, and ESE external backup
Code-specific conditionan incremental external backup was requested while circular logging prevents preservation of the required historical log range
Narrow corrective directiontake a full backup or switch logging policy through supported configuration before starting a new incremental chain

An incremental backup depends on a previous full database image and a continuous required log history. Circular logging retires old generations based on checkpoint state rather than backup-chain retention needs.

Recommended handling

  1. Record it, 0xC800020E, the API name, the current phase, and all live context or file owners.
  2. Verify the condition by recording backup grbits, circular-log setting, oldest retained generation, checkpoint, and the full-backup baseline.
  3. Apply only the targeted fix: take a full backup or switch logging policy through supported configuration before starting a new incremental chain.

Actions that can make diagnosis worse

  • Do not delete logs manually to make a directory look clean.
  • Do not combine an incremental set with an unrelated full backup.

Technical references


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