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jai2707Flag for United States of America

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Backups fail using Windows backup on SBS 2008,

Hi Experts,

I have recently migrated a server form SBS 2003 to SBS 2008. When I try to do a backup or
the scheduled backup runs it fails within 10 seconds with the error "A volume shadow copy service failed
Unknown error (0x800423f4)".
When I check the event logs there are 3 events:
1. VSS - Event ID 12290 - ASR writer error 0x80042404. hr=0x000000000
2. SPP - Event ID 16387 - The backup failed due to a missing disk for a dynamic volume.
3. BACKUP - Event ID 521 - Backup started at "**/**/**** 00:00:00" failed as Volume shadow copy operation failed for backup.

I am backing up to a NAS drive configured as a iscsi. and checked it is online and functioning correctly.

I have tried to set C:\ drive OS to active partition but I was unsuccessful as the disk is dynamic.
I have restarted Volume Shadow copy sevices.
I have removed SQL from the server completely.

Please ask if you require any other information.
Avatar of Rodney Barnhardt
Rodney Barnhardt
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Please review the Microsoft Technet. It explains how to solve VSS, SPP, and Backup 521 erros all in this one document. It may be due to you trying to do the system state, which can't be done directly with wbadmin.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc734453(WS.10).aspx
 
Avatar of jai2707

ASKER

Hi Rbarnhardt

Thanks for your reply
I tried the steps on this document already, however, I still was not able to successfully backup.
I also read elsewhere that the drive with the OS files (C:\ in my case) should be the set as primary partition but the disk is dynamic therefore I was unsuccessful.
Is where you are trying to save it also a dynamic disk? There are problems writing system state to dynamic disk. If so, try this:
Currently as a workaround, please try using wbadmin command line tool to
take a system state backup to a dynamic disk.

For example:

F: is a dynamic disk volume, to take system state backup onto it, you may
use:

Wbadmin start systemstatebackup -backuptarget:F
http://www.office-outlook.com/outlook-forum/index.php/m/542647/#msg_542647
 
 
 
Avatar of jai2707

ASKER


I am trying to save to a Basic Disk (NAS drive configured as a iSCSI).

If I was to back to a dynamic disk as you have stated above would I be able to move that file across to the NAS drive once the backup has completed?
Avatar of jai2707

ASKER

I tried the command line tool to take a backup I got the following result:

C:\wbadmin start systemstatebackup -backuptarget:E:
wbadmin 1.0 - Backup command-line tool
(C) Copyright 2004 Microsoft Corp.
Starting System State Backup [04/10/2010 09:58]
Retrieving volume information...
This would backup the system state from volume(s) Local Disk(C:) to E:.
Do you want to start the backup operation?
[Y] Yes [N] No y
Creating the shadow copy of volumes requested for backup.
Summary of backup:
------------------
Backup of system state failed [04/10/2010 09:59]
Log of files successfully backed up
'C:\Windows\Logs\WindowsServerBackup\SystemStateBackup 04-10-2010 09-58-55.log'
Log of files for which backup failed
'C:\Windows\Logs\WindowsServerBackup\SystemStateBackup_Error 04-10-2010 09-58-55
.log'
Failure in a Volume Shadow Copy Service operation.
ERROR - Volume Shadow Copy Service operation error (0x800423f4)
The writer experienced a non-transient error.  If the backup process is retried,
the error is likely to reoccur.
The instruction I sent were in the event you were trying to backup to a dynamic disk. Microsoft did not make doing the system state in 2008 easy. Using the built -in backup tools, you CANNOT backup to a NAS. See below:
http://www.wbadmin.info/articles/scheduled-backups-nas-windows-server-2008-backup.html
 You have to use a 3rd party tool or create a script yourself and make is a scheduled task. You could try using the instuctions, send it to a local dynamic disk, then copy it over, but I think that will complicate a restore.
Avatar of jai2707

ASKER

Thanks rbarnhardt

I tried the script version, however, again I was unsuccessful, I am able to take a backup of drives without o/s files without any problems. Microsoft should really fix this issue.
The only issue I think it could be now is that the oem hidden volume is set as active and the c: drive is dynamic and I can not set it to active, if there was a way to set it active hopefully I can get it to backup.


In the event you are right, and the hidden OEM partition is the cause, I found this you could try:
http://microsofttoolbox.com/2009/12/sbs-2008-windows-server-2008-backup-fails-due-to-asr-writer/
 
Avatar of jai2707

ASKER

Thanks for these links.
However the C: on my Server is dynamic and I can't manage to mark the disk as active, it has no option when using diskmgmt.
when using DISKPART I get "no partition is selected". Please see the process below, I think this is also due to my disk being dynamic.

DISKPART> list disk
  Disk ###  Status      Size     Free     Dyn  Gpt
  --------  ----------  -------  -------  ---  ---
  Disk 0    Online       931 GB      0 B   *
  Disk 1    Online      1600 GB    17 MB
  Disk M0   Missing         0 B      0 B   *
DISKPART> list volume
  Volume ###  Ltr  Label        Fs     Type        Size     Status     Info
  ----------  ---  -----------  -----  ----------  -------  ---------  --------
  Volume 0     C                        NTFS   Simple       391 GB  Healthy    System
  Volume 1     D   RECOVERY  NTFS   Simple      3072 MB  Healthy
  Volume 2     E   DATA           NTFS   Simple       537 GB  Healthy
  Volume 3     F                       DVD-ROM         0 B  No Media
  Volume 4     Y   DISK_01      NTFS   Partition   1600 GB  Healthy
DISKPART> select disk 0
Disk 0 is now the selected disk.
DISKPART> select volume 0
Volume 0 is the selected volume.
DISKPART> active
There is no partition selected.
Please select a partition and try again.
DISKPART>


I believe that is the problem. According to a note on this Technet page "You can't mark dynamic disk volumes as active".
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd163552.aspx
 
Avatar of jai2707

ASKER

So does that mean that I can not backup my system state using windows back up at all. There must be a work around.
Thanks for all your help so far rbarnhardt
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Avatar of Rodney Barnhardt
Rodney Barnhardt
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Avatar of jai2707

ASKER

Thanks for all your help
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940184/en-us this fixed my problem that was similar.