Backup Shadow Copy Problem

[donfulrich]

I have explored this topic through some of the Microsoft resources online but I can't seem to make my new backup drive work with the R2 server. My old drive pooped out so I bought a 3 terabyte Seagate USB backup drive. I plugged it in and formatted it for NT, same as my RAID 0 main drives. I am confused about setting up the shadow copy program. I assume shadow copy would be enabled for the main C drive (RAID 0) which has a 947 Gig partition and stores all our work programs and files. The USB backup drive is set at E:

When I try to backup I get the error message "Not enough space for shadow copy creation" and then the backup fails. When I set the parameters for the shadow copy I set 10000 MG. I tried larger numbers but it had no effect on the outcome. Always fails with the same error message ...

What am I doing wrong? Do I need some kind of special partition on the E: backup drive just for this shadow copy? I can't remember how I set this up before with the old backup drive. We are doing bare metal backups once a day.

 

[ICTCity]

Hi.

Open a command prompt (admin) and type: vssadmin list shadowstorage

Post results.

What you can *TRY* (don't do it, post results first) is to move shadow storage:

vssadmin delete shadowstorage /for=c: /on=c: (this delete all the shadows copies)
vssadmin add shadowstorage /for=c: /on=e: /maxsize=XXGB

These commands should fix your problem, but first post results.

 

[donfulrich]

Here is what I got from the server on the command:

Shadow Copy Storage association
For volume: (\\?\Volume{66181022-c276-11e1-b061-806e6f6e6963}\)\\?\Volume{661
81022-c276-11e1-b061-806e6f6e6963}\
Shadow Copy Storage volume: (\\?\Volume{66181022-c276-11e1-b061-806e6f6e6963}
\)\\?\Volume{66181022-c276-11e1-b061-806e6f6e6963}\
Used Shadow Copy Storage space: 0 B (0%)
Allocated Shadow Copy Storage space: 0 B (0%)
Maximum Shadow Copy Storage space: 32 MB (32%)
Shadow Copy Storage association
For volume: (E\\?\Volume{8fe0a588-99a5-464f-877d-44a41cafb3b8}\
Shadow Copy Storage volume: (E\\?\Volume{8fe0a588-99a5-464f-877d-44a41cafb3
b8}\
Used Shadow Copy Storage space: 75.328 MB (0%)
Allocated Shadow Copy Storage space: 2.975 GB (0%)
Maximum Shadow Copy Storage space: 181.781 GB (9%)
Shadow Copy Storage association
For volume: (C\\?\Volume{66181023-c276-11e1-b061-806e6f6e6963}\
Shadow Copy Storage volume: (C\\?\Volume{66181023-c276-11e1-b061-806e6f6e69
63}\
Used Shadow Copy Storage space: 0 B (0%)
Allocated Shadow Copy Storage space: 0 B (0%)
Maximum Shadow Copy Storage space: 93.141 GB (10%)

 

[donfulrich]

When resetting using the command lines you suggested I get the error message: Shadow copying the specified volume is not supported. Could this be because C:\ is a RAID 1?

 

[ICTCity]

When resetting using the command lines you suggested I get the error message: Shadow copying the specified volume is not supported. Could this be because C:\ is a RAID 1?

Which command fails?
How many volumes do you have on each disk?

 

[donfulrich]

The command: vssadmin add shadowstorage /for=c: /on=e: /maxsize=90GB

Error: Shadow copying the specified volume is not supported.

C: is a Raid 1 array of 2 1TB Disks it has a small System Reserved of 100MB NTFS and a 931.41GB NTFS Partition (Boot)

 

[ICTCity]

mhhh it doesn't look good.

post the result of these commands:

vssadmin list providers
vssadmin list Writers

And finally check the last post... it looks like he has the same problem...

Let me know.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/dataprotectionmanager/thread/6412a38e-6686-40ff-85f4-64613538cd81

 

[donfulrich]

Provider Name: "Microsoft Shadow Copy provider 1.0"
Provider Type: System
Provider ID: {b5946137-7b9f-4925-af80-51abd60b20d5}
Version: 1.0.0.7


C:\Users\Administrator>vssadmin list writers
vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool
(C) Copyright 2001-2005 Microsoft Corp.
Writer name: 'Task Scheduler Writer'
Writer Id: {d61d61c8-d73a-4eee-8cdd-f6f9786b7124}
Writer Instance Id: {1bddd48e-5052-49db-9b07-b96f96727e6b}
State: [1] Stable
Last error: No error
Writer name: 'VSS Metadata Store Writer'
Writer Id: {75dfb225-e2e4-4d39-9ac9-ffaff65ddf06}
Writer Instance Id: {088e7a7d-09a8-4cc6-a609-ad90e75ddc93}
State: [1] Stable
Last error: No error
Writer name: 'Performance Counters Writer'
Writer Id: {0bada1de-01a9-4625-8278-69e735f39dd2}
Writer Instance Id: {f0086dda-9efc-47c5-8eb6-a944c3d09381}
State: [1] Stable
Last error: No error
Writer name: 'System Writer'
Writer Id: {e8132975-6f93-4464-a53e-1050253ae220}
Writer Instance Id: {4b1ceb18-e61d-4cd4-9731-bfb7af21b5a6}
State: [7] Failed
Last error: Timed out
Writer name: 'ASR Writer'
Writer Id: {be000cbe-11fe-4426-9c58-531aa6355fc4}
Writer Instance Id: {99294262-8663-4efa-9d44-7580e465c4af}
State: [1] Stable
Last error: No error
Writer name: 'Registry Writer'
Writer Id: {afbab4a2-367d-4d15-a586-71dbb18f8485}
Writer Instance Id: {73a8a88d-fcb7-4ee9-bdde-d738c63d2e8d}
State: [1] Stable
Last error: No error
Writer name: 'IIS Config Writer'
Writer Id: {2a40fd15-dfca-4aa8-a654-1f8c654603f6}
Writer Instance Id: {806526d0-ead5-44c6-9a3e-25eb268b8ae0}
State: [7] Failed
Last error: Timed out
Writer name: 'Shadow Copy Optimization Writer'
Writer Id: {4dc3bdd4-ab48-4d07-adb0-3bee2926fd7f}
Writer Instance Id: {15eb6690-6ebb-4561-9492-92ccd14878b3}
State: [1] Stable
Last error: No error
Writer name: 'COM+ REGDB Writer'
Writer Id: {542da469-d3e1-473c-9f4f-7847f01fc64f}
Writer Instance Id: {689b5028-35c9-4ce4-b582-e3d0c47c513b}
State: [1] Stable
Last error: No error
Writer name: 'BITS Writer'
Writer Id: {4969d978-be47-48b0-b100-f328f07ac1e0}
Writer Instance Id: {913c446b-1e65-4074-8147-9d998ac2e11f}
State: [1] Stable
Last error: No error
Writer name: 'WMI Writer'
Writer Id: {a6ad56c2-b509-4e6c-bb19-49d8f43532f0}
Writer Instance Id: {9bfbdb9b-a3a0-41cb-84c4-0940cac62875}
State: [7] Failed
Last error: Timed out
Writer name: 'TermServLicensing'
Writer Id: {5382579c-98df-47a7-ac6c-98a6d7106e09}
Writer Instance Id: {805d9c0e-f8bb-4087-bf89-8551ad059257}
State: [7] Failed
Last error: Timed out

 

[ICTCity]

Are you running any 3rd part backup sw?

Can you restart your server and see if the problem persists?

Which event-id can you see in event viewer when the shadow copy fails?

When "list Writers" shows that you have some TIMED OUT Writers, it means that something in the shadow service is wrong.


To better understand what I'm talking about check this link:
http://www.tomahawkbackup.com/faq/index.php?action=artikel&cat=8&id=117&artlang=en

 

[donfulrich]

The Event ID is 521. Error Code is 2155248249. I will try the server restart and report in the next post.

 

[donfulrich]

The server restart had no effect. Same errors as before. I use Divinsa for cloud backup of critical data files. We keep about 5Gig backed up through their service. They are completely a cloud service. When I was running local backups on my previous 500G Hitachi backup drive Divinsa was not an issue. I did full backups of my R2 server for over a year on that drive. I just haven't been able to get the R2 server to backup to the new 3 Terabyte Seagate Drive. I keep having the shadow copy error on it .....

 

[ICTCity]

That error code looks useless.

I still have some questions for you:

1) do you run Sharepoint -> with SP1?
2) Make sure that your C:\ is marked as ACTIVE in disk management

 

[donfulrich]

I don't know how to check which version of SharePoint is running??? However I had a big problem. After setting the C:\ partition active I restarted the server. "Bootmgr Missing" Ctrl Alt Delete to restart. So I spent quite some time exploring other forums for help restoring my server. The active partition on my server is a 100Mg partition that the R2 server installation set up. It is called "System Reserved" 100 MB NTFS.

So now I am back to where I was when I started. Why would the C:\ partition be required to be set as active? Why does R2 want this "system reserved" partition of 100Mg? If that "system reserved" partition is not set as active my server refuses to boot ....

 

[ICTCity]

I just cheked 15 server and all have partition C:\ as active... they have the system reserved partition too but is not set as active...

Anyway... the point here is that you can't backup your partition. I think you already deleted all the shadow copies without results... You NEW backup disk (E:\) has the same letter has the old one?

 

[donfulrich]

Yes the old drive was E:\. The link you referred me to did say that some 3rd party software uses VSS "writers" or commands so I will check with Divinsa (the cloud backup service) to see if that is the case. However, previously I was backing up to Divinsa and the old Hitachi drive with no problems ....

 

[ICTCity]

Divinsa shouldn't play any role here. Try (because I really don't know what you can do now) to re-initialize your disk using a different letter. Dunno but it could be the problem.

 

[donfulrich]

I tried running

vssadmin add shadowstorage /for=C: /on=E: /maxsize=20%

error: shadow copying the specified volume is not supported. Weird ....

 

[ICTCity]

Mhhh actually u used the same letter "E" as before.

Anyway, the message says that the specified volume (C:\) is not supported. So now my question is: is the vss service running? If you right click on your C drive -> shadow copies what do you see?

 

[donfulrich]

I changed the drive letter to G:\. When I right click on C: and select Shadow Copies I get the menu "Shadow Copies". 3 volumes are listed ... \\?\Vol{66181022-c272....}, C:\ and G:\. Next Run time is Disabled on all drives. C: shows 4 shares.

When I try to enable shadow copies of C: drive .... G:\ does not come up as an option for Storage Area "Located on this volume". That is the problem I can't seem to resolve .... why does the drive NOT show up????? Very weird ....

 

[ICTCity]

Yeah weird.

It looks like the OLD (no longer existing) drive is causing problems.

Anyway, there are many reasons that can prevent the disk to be shown as a "backup" disk.

One of them is if you have any redirected folder which is pointing to that drive (I don't think is you case). If you try to set up "FILE HISTORY" from control panel, does it work? Do you see the external drive?