Duplicity fails to back up local files to Ubuntu One

[Kari Aliranta]

SYSTEM: Xubuntu 12.04 64-bit

PACKAGE: Duplicity 0.6.18-0ubuntu3.4 amd64 (From precise-updates)

ADDITIONAL PACKAGE INFORMATION:
- Downgrading Duplicity to 0.6.18-0ubuntu3 amd64, from precise-main, doesn't help
- Deja-dup version is 22.0-0ubuntu4 amd64 (precise-updates), downgrading Deja-dup to 22.0-0ubuntu4 amd64 (precise-main) doesn't help

DESCRIPTION:

I have set up Deja-dup to back up some local folders on my desktop computer to Ubuntu One, once per week.

Currently, the backup fails with an error (see below). I have been seeing the error since 20th February 2014 - last successful backup was on 13th February 2014.

I haven't changed any settings in Deja-dup or in my Ubuntu One account. There is plenty of space left in my Ubuntu One account. Signing on to Ubuntu One also works. File syncing does NOT WORK, however.

DEBUG OUTPUT (by running "DEJA_DUP_DEBUG=1 deja-dup --backup" on the command line):

(Lots of "import of duplicity.backends.* succeeded" messages here, omitted)

DUPLICITY: DEBUG 1
DUPLICITY: . Backtrace of previous error: Traceback (innermost last):
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backend.py", line 311, in iterate
DUPLICITY: . return fn(*args, **kwargs)
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backends/u1backend.py", line 162, in create_volume
DUPLICITY: . self.handle_error(raise_errors, 'put', answer, self.volume_uri)
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backends/u1backend.py", line 152, in handle_error
DUPLICITY: . raise TemporaryLoadException(msg)
DUPLICITY: . TemporaryLoadException: Maximum retries (3) reached. Please try again. (Original error: InternalError: cannot execute SELECT FOR UPDATE in a read-only transaction
DUPLICITY: . )
DUPLICITY: .

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
It seems others have the same problem, see:
http://askubuntu.com/questions/423560/backup-failed-select-for-update-in-a-read-only-transaction
http://askubuntu.com/questions/423653/deja-backup-backup-failed-select-for-update-in-a-read-only-transaction

EDIT:
Probably simply an Ubuntu One problem, if a comment here is credible: http://askubuntu.com/questions/424109/ubuntu-one-no-more-syncing

See also: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntuone-client/+bug/1282759

The next comment to the previous question makes a valid point, however:
"Thank you for the news, but why don't we get this information directly from Ubuntu One? The Ubuntu One Service Status (wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuOne/Status) doesn't mention any problem."

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Samop (samopn)]

I have exactly the same problem, started on 20 Feb 2014. This is my output from the debug info..
DUPLICITY: INFO 1
DUPLICITY: . Using archive dir: /home/dad/.cache/deja-dup/b73fb90c36d17ad906e84d0c0103e87e

DUPLICITY: INFO 1
DUPLICITY: . Using backup name: b73fb90c36d17ad906e84d0c0103e87e

DUPLICITY: INFO 1
DUPLICITY: . Import of duplicity.backends.cloudfilesbackend Succeeded

(.... snipped out loads of "succeeded" linbes as above)

DUPLICITY: WARNING 1
DUPLICITY: . Import of duplicity.backends.sshbackend Failed: No module named paramiko

DUPLICITY: WARNING 1
DUPLICITY: . Attempt 1 failed: TemporaryLoadException: Maximum retries (3) reached. Please try again. (Original error: InternalError: cannot execute SELECT FOR UPDATE in a read-only transaction
DUPLICITY: . )

DUPLICITY: DEBUG 1
DUPLICITY: . Backtrace of previous error: Traceback (innermost last):
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backend.py", line 311, in iterate
DUPLICITY: . return fn(*args, **kwargs)
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backends/u1backend.py", line 162, in create_volume
DUPLICITY: . self.handle_error(raise_errors, 'put', answer, self.volume_uri)
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backends/u1backend.py", line 152, in handle_error
DUPLICITY: . raise TemporaryLoadException(msg)
DUPLICITY: . TemporaryLoadException: Maximum retries (3) reached. Please try again. (Original error: InternalError: cannot execute SELECT FOR UPDATE in a read-only transaction
DUPLICITY: . )
DUPLICITY: .

DUPLICITY: WARNING 1
DUPLICITY: . Attempt 2 failed: TemporaryLoadException: Maximum retries (3) reached. Please try again. (Original error: InternalError: cannot execute SELECT FOR UPDATE in a read-only transaction
DUPLICITY: . )

DUPLICITY: DEBUG 1
DUPLICITY: . Backtrace of previous error: Traceback (innermost last):
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backend.py", line 311, in iterate
DUPLICITY: . return fn(*args, **kwargs)
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backends/u1backend.py", line 162, in create_volume
DUPLICITY: . self.handle_error(raise_errors, 'put', answer, self.volume_uri)
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backends/u1backend.py", line 152, in handle_error
DUPLICITY: . raise TemporaryLoadException(msg)
DUPLICITY: . TemporaryLoadException: Maximum retries (3) reached. Please try again. (Original error: InternalError: cannot execute SELECT FOR UPDATE in a read-only transaction
DUPLICITY: . )
DUPLICITY: .

DUPLICITY: WARNING 1
DUPLICITY: . Attempt 3 failed: TemporaryLoadException: Maximum retries (3) reached. Please try again. (Original error: InternalError: cannot execute SELECT FOR UPDATE in a read-only transaction
DUPLICITY: . )

DUPLICITY: DEBUG 1
DUPLICITY: . Backtrace of previous error: Traceback (innermost last):
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backend.py", line 311, in iterate
DUPLICITY: . return fn(*args, **kwargs)
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backends/u1backend.py", line 162, in create_volume
DUPLICITY: . s...

[J A Brown (inisfad)]

Similar situation and timeline. Log is:
DUPLICITY: DEBUG 1
DUPLICITY: . Backtrace of previous error: Traceback (innermost last):
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backend.py", line 311, in iterate
DUPLICITY: . return fn(*args, **kwargs)
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backends/u1backend.py", line 162, in create_volume
DUPLICITY: . self.handle_error(raise_errors, 'put', answer, self.volume_uri)
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backends/u1backend.py", line 152, in handle_error
DUPLICITY: . raise TemporaryLoadException(msg)
DUPLICITY: . TemporaryLoadException: Maximum retries (3) reached. Please try again. (Original error: InternalError: cannot execute SELECT FOR UPDATE in a read-only transaction
DUPLICITY: . )
DUPLICITY: .

DUPLICITY: WARNING 1
DUPLICITY: . Attempt 2 failed: TemporaryLoadException: Maximum retries (3) reached. Please try again. (Original error: InternalError: cannot execute SELECT FOR UPDATE in a read-only transaction
DUPLICITY: . )

DUPLICITY: DEBUG 1
DUPLICITY: . Backtrace of previous error: Traceback (innermost last):
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backend.py", line 311, in iterate
DUPLICITY: . return fn(*args, **kwargs)
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backends/u1backend.py", line 162, in create_volume
DUPLICITY: . self.handle_error(raise_errors, 'put', answer, self.volume_uri)
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backends/u1backend.py", line 152, in handle_error
DUPLICITY: . raise TemporaryLoadException(msg)
DUPLICITY: . TemporaryLoadException: Maximum retries (3) reached. Please try again. (Original error: InternalError: cannot execute SELECT FOR UPDATE in a read-only transaction
DUPLICITY: . )
DUPLICITY: .

DUPLICITY: WARNING 1
DUPLICITY: . Attempt 3 failed: TemporaryLoadException: Maximum retries (3) reached. Please try again. (Original error: InternalError: cannot execute SELECT FOR UPDATE in a read-only transaction
DUPLICITY: . )

DUPLICITY: DEBUG 1
DUPLICITY: . Backtrace of previous error: Traceback (innermost last):
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backend.py", line 311, in iterate
DUPLICITY: . return fn(*args, **kwargs)
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backends/u1backend.py", line 162, in create_volume
DUPLICITY: . self.handle_error(raise_errors, 'put', answer, self.volume_uri)
DUPLICITY: . File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/duplicity/backends/u1backend.py", line 152, in handle_error
DUPLICITY: . raise TemporaryLoadException(msg)
DUPLICITY: . TemporaryLoadException: Maximum retries (3) reached. Please try again. (Original error: InternalError: cannot execute SELECT FOR UPDATE in a read-only transaction
DUPLICITY: . )
DUPLICITY: .

DUPLICITY: WARNING 1
DUPLICITY: . Attempt 4 failed: TemporaryLoadException: Maximum retries (3) reached. Please try again. (Original error: InternalError: cannot execute SELECT FOR UPDATE in a read-only transaction
DUPLICITY: . )

DUPLICITY: DEBUG 1
DUPLICITY:...

[Kari Aliranta (kurkha)]

Working now for me, including sync. Unfortunately, I have to agree with an affected user in https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntuone-client/+bug/1282759 : "no announcement or even a twitter post by Canonical when your service is down for 3 days, doesn't look very professional to me...".

Service outages happen, and Ubuntu One basic service is free, so nobody expects enterprise level uptime. However, with better communication, several bug reports here in Launchpad and several questions in askubuntu.com would have been avoided. Hopefully, next time, there will be something like "File sync services, including backups, will be down for a few days for some users, don't panic".

[J A Brown (inisfad)]

Yes, it is working again, as of this morning. And I do agree that some notification would have been pleasant, as there were apparently a number of people affected and a myriad of internet posts and questions regarding this issue, as well as possible fixes - considering that the actual problem was unreported - that, while well intentioned, were misleading and a waste of effort. Hopefully, as Kurkha writes above, there will be some notification if this issue recurs.

[Michael Terry (mterry)]

Sorry guys! But sounds like this is gone now, so I'll mark invalid (though I realize this was a valid bug for a while).