Error: tar command failed in backup logs: "File changed as we read it"

Problem Symptoms: 
The ora_software backup uses tar to pack all relevant files into a compressed, split tar files 

This Message at the end of the backup log files may indicate an error with backups: 

"tar: Exiting with failure status due to previous errors 
tar command failed {status=1}" 

After searching for these errors, (grep ^tar in relevant log file/s), you find the following: 
"File changed as we read it" 

Cause/Resolution: 
This error is displayed when a file being handled by the tar process is changed / deleted during the tar action. 
This is a warning that informs you that a file handled by the tar process might not be tar-ed. It does not actually mean that the backup has failed 

If no application process (or Apache/PDS) is running during the backup you shouldn't worry about this warning. As long as you actually have a tar file of a similar size for the successful backup in the /exlibris/backup_file directory, there shouldn't be a problem. The file that is not being tarred is likely a non-essential log file. 

If the error is in the prd_software log and the file is in the .../aleph.orig/.../tmp directory, this symbolic link from the .../aleph.orig/.../tmp to the active /tmp directory should be removed. (There is no need to back up tmp directory files as part of this Aleph software backup.)

Additional Info
See also Backup errors:in user_data_a5_Detail and prd_software_a4_Detail: "File removed before we read it"

• Article last edited: 28-Feb-2016