SBS 2011 Essentials 2011 Backup fails

What does the log say on the D drive part? The log would display all backup activity but what does it say on the D drive part?
Aren't there any files left open when the backup fails?

If the issue is just with D drive .... i would like to ask few Questions

1. What all do we have on that drive ?
2. What is the amount of used and free space ?
3. What is the backup application and any other 3rd party running ?
4. What is the backup start and end time ?

- Rancy

1) D: is shared to all the client PCs.  It primarily contains data files (SQL database for an app that runs on each client, folders for user data from each PC, etc.).. there are probably open files on it every night (even when the backup succeeds)

2) D: has 116GB free, 310GB used

3) The backup application is whatever is built-in to Windows SBS2011 Essentials and scheduled via the Dashboard.

As for start and and times, and what the log says about the D: drive -- I have no clue. In SBS2003, the backup logs were relatively easy to read.  The backup log for SBS2011 is impossible to figure out (see attached). First, it looks like a 24 hour log of all the backups that occurred during those 24 hours, including all the client backups (they are backed up to the server by SBS2011). Second, there are no obvious headings in the log of when things start or stop.

The backup is supposed to start at about 11pm. But if I look at the entries in the backup log at about 23:00, I see things like the following (complete backup log attached):

[02/02/2013 22:59:05 6580] Session: ThreadMain end for 0000000000288820
[02/02/2013 23:00:00 1e70] Session: DoGetBackupSets S-1-5-21-2435105045-4268758804-381467997-1128
[02/02/2013 23:59:02 1e70] Session: DoStartCleanup
[02/02/2013 23:59:02 1e70] CleanupLauncher: Scheduling Cleanup Run
[02/02/2013 23:59:02 56c4] CleanupLauncher: Starting cleanup
[02/02/2013 23:59:02 56c4] BigOperationQueuer: Operation Type 2 Machine Name
[02/02/2013 23:59:02 56c4] StatusPublisher: Sending Current Operation Status. : 2,, 0, , 0
[02/02/2013 23:59:02 56c4] Windows Server Client Computer Backup Database Cleanup started.
[02/02/2013 23:59:02 56c4] ConsistencyInfo: Deleting all CC files
[02/02/2013 23:59:02 56c4] CommitFile: Adding for Delete file: D:\ServerFolders\Client Computer Backups\ConsistencyInfo.cc
[02/02/2013 23:59:02 56c4] DataFile: Renamed from: D:\ServerFolders\Client Computer Backups\ConsistencyInfo.cc to: D:\ServerFolders\Client Computer Backups\ConsistencyInfo.ccold
[02/02/2013 23:59:02 56c4] CommitFile: Transaction recorded
[02/02/2013 23:59:02 56c4] DataFile: Deleted: D:\ServerFolders\Client Computer Backups\ConsistencyInfo.ccold
[02/02/2013 23:59:02 56c4] CommitFile: Resetting commit flag in Commit file: D:\ServerFolders\Client Computer Backups\Commit.dat
[02/02/2013 23:59:02 56c4] Cleanup: Backup database size is 217GB
[02/02/2013 23:59:02 56c4] BCC: Running basic consistency checker
backup-020213-log.txt

I found another way to view the backup status. Attached are 3 screen captures:  1 with a successful backup, one that shows the backup of "D:" "failed to complete" and one that says the error is "the system cannot find the file specified".  For the successful backup, it looks like it starts at 11:00pm (as scheduled) and finished at 2:30am (3.5 hours).

When it failed, it started at 11:00pm and ended at 12:41am (about 2 hours sooner than the successful backup).
Backup-screen.jpg

Not sure if some other files are opened and locked due to which Backups are failing

- Rancy

I think I found a "real" clue --- event viewer shows that the shadow copy could not be created "due to a user imposed limit".... now I need to figure out what that limit is and how to change it. See attached screen capture....
Shadow-Error.jpg

Ok so hope you know its on the properties of the drive on VSS tab

- Rancy

Yes i would say so as we had the same and was working ..... also very true that you need to keep proper check on space :)

Hope you have monitoring and email tool that will tell you your Disk XYZ has 10% free space only

- Rancy

So with "no limit" on space for Shadow Copies, it keeps making copies every day, and we have to manually remove old copies so the drive doesn't fill up.  With a limit on the space, backups often fail because it can't create the copy it needs to do the backup.

Is there a compromise we can make ?  All I can think of is to disable daily shadow copies for the disk.

I wouldnt as Backups to me for everyday is a huge concern and have to be successful :)

I have a monitoring through SCOM for 25%,15% & 10% on disks

- Rancy

But will disabling the "scheduled" Shadow Copies affect Backup's ability to create a shadow copy prior to the backup ?   I don't think so...  but I'd like to know for sure.

The shadow copy limit we had set was preventing backups from running. I removed that limit.