SBS 2003 NT Backup SqlServerWriter Error 0x800423f4

Did you configure the SQL writer to run?

The sqlwriter deals with Shadow Copy while backing up.  I.e. instead of locking the database for the duration of the backup, a snapshot of the database is taken and it is backed while the database continues to function without adversely affecting the application that relies on the database.

Check the services.  Are the ms sql server services running as local system or are you running them under a specific user?  If you are using a specific user login, you would need to make sure that that user has the necessary rights to access/run/start the shadow copy service.

Backing up database file is not a good idea.  SQL express has the GUI triggered backup task but does not have a way to schedule the backups.

No other changes have been made from its' working state to now other than installing the new software.  

The services are all configured to log on as local system.  

I found this thread by searching on the error message - https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/23419057/Microsoft-NTBackup-MSDEWriter-has-reported-an-error-0x800423f4.html?sfQueryTermInfo=1+0x800423f4

It appears that I need to stop the SQL services before the backup executes - I will try this tonight and see if it works.  

There is no need to stop sql services.  You need to make sure that your shadow copy service is set to manual versus disabled. The sql writer and other SQL services should be running and not disabled.
See if the following references provide info to resolve your situation:
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winserverfiles/thread/990f94a1-afd9-4fcb-8629-0e0e728e5e15

There may be other errors that while not explicitly referencing this issue, are related.

Thanks - but just as the user who posted his problem I too have SP2 installed.  

He then goes on to suggest that you need to suspend all SQL services, so I'll give it a bash and let you know if I get any luck tomorrow.  

Do you think that I would need to stop the agent and browser services as well?

Or will a batch script with 'net stop sqlservr.exe' be efficient for these testing purposes?

whose credentials does the backup job use?
check services for a service that uses a specific username domain or local.

I.e. Does the backup run as administrator (domain or local)?

The only backup service that uses a specific user account is Acronis, which I run weekly and works fine.  

The backup scheduled task runs as 'DOMAIN\administrator' don't think this would be a problem though as it's always been the same.  

Try shutting down the sql service prior to the backup, but I think you will still get the error because the systemstate backup includes those configurations.

Are you using ntbackup in addition to acronis backups?

Yes I use NTbackup daily.  I'm guessing that when I installed the new software that it has done something to either the SQL service or VSS, causing the VSS to not take the snapshot correctly and when the backup tries to connect to the SQL service it won't read it because it's open.

You are confusing several things. The issue deals with the inability of the VSS to enumerate items when systemstate backup takes place.  Double check that the username under which the service you have runs has the right to run as service as well as logon as service or something like that.

Is the networking license service part of a CAD system?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/828481

The SP2 you referenced is that SBS update or SQL update? Is your sql 2005 up-to-date? 9053 (SQL express SP3 +additional security updates)

Do you have multiple sql instances?  one of them might be outdated and causing this issue.

Yes it is part of a CAD system.  Though I didn't see the reference in the link you provided.

Yes, SBS 2003 SP2 - which apparently included the SQL hotfix from the earlier link.  

Copied info from SQL version.

Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express                                    9.00.3042.00
Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC)                                    2000.086.3959.00 (srv03_sp2_rtm.070216-1710)
Microsoft MSXML                                    2.6 3.0 6.0
Microsoft Internet Explorer                                    7.0.5730.11
Microsoft .NET Framework                                    2.0.50727.1433
Operating System                                    5.2.3790

I looked at what application would need a "network license manager software" and found references to a Autodesk cad system.

Do you have more than one SQL instance on your system? i.e. one SQL 2005 and one sql2000?
I think the issue is that you have a service

When you were installing the CAD licensing application, did you provide that it use an existing SQL database server or did it install its own?

Do you have a GPO that handles/sets/controls user rights?
Do the backup errors occur as part of the SQL maintenance plans or sql backup job??

Well my simple batch script of 'net stop sqlservr.exe' 5 mins before the scheduled backup task didn't work.

Aha! I think you're correct - there appears to be 2 instances of 'Microsoft SQL Server' - one in C:\Program Files and one in E:\Program Files.  I installed the license manager software on the E: drive because there's more space.  Though I don't remember it asking me if it was an exisitng SQL database server during the install procedure?  Funny thing is that I had to do the same when I installed Acronis and it worked fine.

Inside the C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server directory is;

80
90
MSSQL$SBSMonitoring
MSSQL$SBSSharepoint
MSSQL.1
MSSQL.2

Inside the E:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server directory is;

MSSQL$SBSMonitoring
MSSQL$SBSSharepoint
MSSQL.1

So I'm not sure if that's a whole other instance of SQL server or just the location of the databases?  

The backup errors occur as part of the normal NT backup daily task.  

Further digging it appears that both MSSQL.1 (Acronis) & MSSQL.2 (Transoft - the new license manager) are residing on the C: But it looks like they use different versions?

MSSQL.1.jpg
MSSQL.2.jpg

YOu have multiple instances possibly up to four.
servername\acronis
servername\transoftserver
servername\SBSmonitoring
servername\sbssharepoint

You can use the SSMSE and then browse which should show you all the available instances.

I understood them as just separate databases - I'm not sure what I need to do now to get this to work?

If you look through the task manager, you will see multiple instances of sqlserver.
You can have one SQL server with multiple databases, multiple SQL server instances with mutliple/single databases.
i.e. servername\instance1 will have db1
servername\instanace2 will have db2 and db3
while servername\instance3 will have db4

The issue with whether it is optimal for you to use a single instance with multiple database or multiple instances with single or mutliple databases comes down to how many transaction each database can see when you have an SQL express version which is limited by the number of transactions/connections it will accept. In this case having multiple instances sucrifices the system memory to reduce the possibility that the number of connections attempted exceed the sql express limits.

Within your services.mmc
you sql server (acronis)
sqlserer (transoftserver)

If you tryin the stop route, you need to stop every instance of sql server (*) you have.

Ok so just using 'net stop sqlservr' isn't going to stop all instances of it? How should I then script a batch file to stop them all?

net stop sqlserver(instancename)
net stop sqlserver(instancename)

test run the "net stop sqlserver" and see whether it stops all or just some if at all.

Hmm...I can't get the net stop command to successfully stop the instances of sqlservr.  I have to manually stop them in the services.mms window - there must be a way to fully automate the process?

run:
net start | find /I "SQL"

See how many lines matching the SQL you have.
you may have to use something like:
net stop "sqlserver$instance"

I see now - I had assumed that the service name is the same as the executable file but it isn't.  It's MSSQL$instance etc.  

I think this will work now - I'll just test this tonight to make sure.  

Thanks

Not having much luck so far.  I tried running net stop MSSQL$instance on all databases running the sqlservr.exe but the errors continued.  So frustrating because it sounds exactly like the error in this thread earlier referenced; https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/23419057/Microsoft-NTBackup-MSDEWriter-has-reported-an-error-0x800423f4.html?sfQueryTermInfo=1+0x800423f4

Not sure what else to try - I'm just using Acronis for the time being, but would like to hear of any other suggestions.  

Could you double check whether you actually have two different install directories?  i.e. your SQL server version are different one is reporting 9.2.3042 and the other 9.3.4035. I.e. ACronis instance is SP2 while the other is SP3.  This difference could be problem.  Get SQL 2005 express Service Pack 2 and reapply it to the acronis instance.

I'm not sure if it's a whole other install directory but I ran a search on 'sqlservr.exe' and found multiple entries within the 'database' folders.  

C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Binn - 28,495KB
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.2\MSSQL\Binn - 28,578KB

So this does support the different SP versions I guess.  I'm not sure how to apply the SP to the Acronis instance though?

When you run the sql 2005 express SP3, I think there is a check box/advanced option that would allow you to pick the instance you want to update.
Another option is to see what parameters you can pass to the servicepack install that would direct it to patch a specific instance.

I think when you run it, it lists the instance that it is going to patch, but there is a check box at the bottom or an advanced option that lets you pick the instance.

Sorry for late response. I'm not seeing the option that allows me to manually select which instance that I want to update - I've downloaded the installer from here; http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=3181842a-4090-4431-acdd-9a1c832e65a6&displaylang=en

Which contains the whole application patched to SP3.  Is there another version that I should be downloading? I'm also hesitant to patch the Acronis instance as it hasn't been a problem, just this latest one running SP3 and if I lose the ability to run Acronis then I will be in trouble without a backup solution.

In the end I'm not sure if it was the applying of SP3 or the server restart (first restart since installing) but it's back up and running now - thanks for your help!