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Error with Backup Exec 10.1d -- Can't backup a server
Hello, everyone.
ANY answers would be helpful, even if they are just ideas, since I'm really not sure what to do with this problem right now.
I have backup exec 10.1d setup to pull from many servers across our network and it's been steady since I got here about a year ago. Recently one server has stated failing. Meaning tha backup runs fine as usual for everything except for that one server (happens to be our AD server). It's strange because that one has almost nothing on it that could cause a problem. I recently updated it but that could just be coincidence.
The backup job for this server starts, runs through almost completely and then goes to the verifying stage. After reaching 99%, it always drops down and says it failed. Seeing as this is the only server I can't backup from (I can still pull from our other AD server, btw), I think it must be an error with VSS on that single server? Anyway, the error message is this:
V-79-32772-8984
Backup Job:
AOFO: Initialization failure on: "Shadow?Copy?Components". Advanced Open File Option used: Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS).
VSS Snapshot error. Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) cannot communicate with the writers. Check that the Volume Shadow Copy Service is started, and check the Windows Event Viewer for errors related to this service.
I have followed every troubleshooting step that the software directs me to and even the related article on Microsoft's website. Re-registering the dlls associated with VSS and starting and stopping the servive repeatedly. I've also made sure BackupExec is up to the latest updates as is the server it's trying to backup. Does anyone have any ideas? Does the agent on the server need some sort of updates? But it has worked perfectly up to this time....
I would appreciate any help or experience anyone has with this.
ANY answers would be helpful, even if they are just ideas, since I'm really not sure what to do with this problem right now.
I have backup exec 10.1d setup to pull from many servers across our network and it's been steady since I got here about a year ago. Recently one server has stated failing. Meaning tha backup runs fine as usual for everything except for that one server (happens to be our AD server). It's strange because that one has almost nothing on it that could cause a problem. I recently updated it but that could just be coincidence.
The backup job for this server starts, runs through almost completely and then goes to the verifying stage. After reaching 99%, it always drops down and says it failed. Seeing as this is the only server I can't backup from (I can still pull from our other AD server, btw), I think it must be an error with VSS on that single server? Anyway, the error message is this:
V-79-32772-8984
Backup Job:
AOFO: Initialization failure on: "Shadow?Copy?Components". Advanced Open File Option used: Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS).
VSS Snapshot error. Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) cannot communicate with the writers. Check that the Volume Shadow Copy Service is started, and check the Windows Event Viewer for errors related to this service.
I have followed every troubleshooting step that the software directs me to and even the related article on Microsoft's website. Re-registering the dlls associated with VSS and starting and stopping the servive repeatedly. I've also made sure BackupExec is up to the latest updates as is the server it's trying to backup. Does anyone have any ideas? Does the agent on the server need some sort of updates? But it has worked perfectly up to this time....
I would appreciate any help or experience anyone has with this.
Pete_Zed
Go into the properties of your backup job. Click on Advanced Open File. Turn off "Use advanced open file option" tick box. Resubmit the job and try again.
SOLUTION
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I actually don't seem to have Advanced Open file Option checked. When I do check it, my only option is Microsoft Shadow Copy Service "Allow VSS to select the snapshot provider".
I'm going to try uninstalling and reinstalling the remote agent. I did that once but I will try again and see what happens.
I'm going to try uninstalling and reinstalling the remote agent. I did that once but I will try again and see what happens.
ASKER
I found a couple things out. First, the backup job actually pulls from three different servers the same information. It pulls "Shadow Copy Components" from them all and, when I tried to access the selections under the job properties, it worked fine all except on one server. This server throws an error "A failure occurred accessing the Writer metadata". This is suspicious.
I ran vssadmin list writers command on that server and the writers list comes up blank. That's also strange. When I tried reregistering all dll files according to this article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940032/en-us
It fiailed to register "eventcls.dll" with the error: "DllInstall in eventcls.dll failed. Return code was 0x8000ffff"
So, maybe there is some trouble with that dll? But why is the entire writer list blank? If it were not a critical server, I would reboot it right now to see if that changes anything. But I'd prefer to reboot it as little as possible.
I ran vssadmin list writers command on that server and the writers list comes up blank. That's also strange. When I tried reregistering all dll files according to this article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940032/en-us
It fiailed to register "eventcls.dll" with the error: "DllInstall in eventcls.dll failed. Return code was 0x8000ffff"
So, maybe there is some trouble with that dll? But why is the entire writer list blank? If it were not a critical server, I would reboot it right now to see if that changes anything. But I'd prefer to reboot it as little as possible.
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OK. I have rebooted and still get the same issues. I'm trying to reinstall the network agent on this server now.
ASKER
Did that and the same things are still happening.... I really am not sure how to resolve that. Symantec's forums we seem to be stuck in the same spot. The agent is there, and the Backup Exec server seems fine, it jsut seems there is something wrong with the VSS writers or somehow the VSS service. Maybe there's a way to reinstall that? Does anyone know?
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Hopefully that is a long term solution. keep us posted if all goes well the next couple of days.
ASKER
I hope so too and I'll tell you guys. Thank you for staying involved.
ASKER
After a successful backup with the last steps taken, I left it to run on a schedule and it failed. so I checked the services on the server again, the VSS service was stopped, but it thought it was running. Strange thing. The service did not say started but the "start" button was grayed out and the "stop" button was active. So it appears that it thought it was running even though it was not listed as running. That's confusing but anyway, I stopped it and restarted the service.
After that, it has backed up successfully everytime since. I'm still nervous about it. I think it will be ok, though. Thanks for all your help.
After that, it has backed up successfully everytime since. I'm still nervous about it. I think it will be ok, though. Thanks for all your help.