Exchange 2007 VSS Writer keeps timing out during Backup
Hi all, Been searching for months on this for a solution and cant find anything that sorts us. SBS2008 with Exchange 2007. Backup exchange using Backup Exec 2010 R3 At least once a week the backup will fail with the following error: (Server: "my server") (Job: "Full Daily Backup") Full Daily Backup -- The job failed with the following error: A failure occurred querying the Writer status. Backup V-79-57344-65233 - AOFO: Initialization failure on: "\\my server\Microsoft Information Store\Second Storage Group". Advanced Open File Option used: Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS). Snapshot provider error (0xE000FED1): A failure occurred querying the Writer status. Check the Windows Event Viewer for details. Writer Name: Exchange Server, Writer ID: {76FE1AC4-15F7-4BCD-987E-8E1ACB462FB7}, Last error: The VSS Writer timed out (0x800423f2), State: Failed during freeze operation (9) The only way to clear it is to reboot the server then its fine for another couple of days before falling over again. VSSADMIN List Writers confirms that the Exchange writer is in Freeze state with error 9 I have spoken to Symantec who have said the issue is with Microsoft and the VSS writers and there is nothing they can do due to the way that Server 2008 does not allow backup software full control and is forced to use the VSS. The AOFO is not used int he Job so that isnt the culprit! Is there anything i can do to beat this error without paying Microsoft silly money to troubleshoot their own bug? Thanks in advance
August 18th, 2011 10:26am

Im not sure that Symantec have given you the best steer on this, or at least you might not have interpreted what they said quite well enough. The point of VSS is that there are three components (requestor, writer and provider) http://blogs.technet.com/b/exchange/archive/2008/08/25/3406172.aspx provides some help. It also sends you to a tool that is a Requestor (like Backup Exec) which will call the writer (The Exchange app). Thats a good way to troubleshoot. If (when?!) Backup Exec barfs again but before you reboot the box check the status of the components. If the tool is happy then you can again cast a light onto Backup Exec as the potential problem. There are a bunch of other things it could be so take a look at the article and see where it takes you. Obviously post back here or in a new thread for more information or help when you hit a very specific message or whatever. "Fulgent" wrote in message news:aba7fb51-9aaa-44f7-ad25-9b190782b5d2... Hi all, Been searching for months on this for a solution and cant find anything that sorts us. SBS2008 with Exchange 2007. Backup exchange using Backup Exec 2010 R3 At least once a week the backup will fail with the following error: (Server: "my server") (Job: "Full Daily Backup") Full Daily Backup -- The job failed with the following error: A failure occurred querying the Writer status. Backup V-79-57344-65233 - AOFO: Initialization failure on: "\\my server\Microsoft Information Store\Second Storage Group". Advanced Open File Option used: Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS). Snapshot provider error (0xE000FED1): A failure occurred querying the Writer status. Check the Windows Event Viewer for details. Writer Name: Exchange Server, Writer ID: {76FE1AC4-15F7-4BCD-987E-8E1ACB462FB7}, Last error: The VSS Writer timed out (0x800423f2), State: Failed during freeze operation (9) The only way to clear it is to reboot the server then its fine for another couple of days before falling over again. VSSADMIN List Writers confirms that the Exchange writer is in Freeze state with error 9 I have spoken to Symantec who have said the issue is with Microsoft and the VSS writers and there is nothing they can do due to the way that Server 2008 does not allow backup software full control and is forced to use the VSS. The AOFO is not used int he Job so that isnt the culprit! Is there anything i can do to beat this error without paying Microsoft silly money to troubleshoot their own bug? Thanks in advance Mark Arnold, Exchange MVP.
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August 18th, 2011 11:32am

Hi Mark - i will run that requestor now as i have not yet rebooted the box since its writer failiure last night. The exchange writer is still in failed state. Writer name: 'Microsoft Exchange Writer' Writer Id: {76fe1ac4-15f7-4bcd-987e-8e1acb462fb7} Writer Instance Id: {9cae4284-0c02-4bf2-9a15-494a6c7cccbc} State: [9] Failed Last error: Timed out I cant reboot the server until 6pm I will post back results of the tool
August 18th, 2011 11:45am

Well i cant even run the BETEST.exe tool as as soon as i complete step 1 - betest.exe>availablewriters.txt comes up with: Betest.exe has stopped working Problem signature: Problem Event Name: APPCRASH Application Name: betest.exe Application Version: 0.0.0.0 Application Timestamp: 4158ef38 Fault Module Name: kernel32.dll Fault Module Version: 6.0.6002.18005 Fault Module Timestamp: 49e038c0 Exception Code: e06d7363 Exception Offset: 0001e124 OS Version: 6.0.6002.2.2.0.305.9 Locale ID: 2057 Additional Information 1: fd00 Additional Information 2: ea6f5fe8924aaa756324d57f87834160 Additional Information 3: fd00 Additional Information 4: ea6f5fe8924aaa756324d57f87834160 The text it puts into the text file is: Error in c:\nt\drivers\storage\volsnap\vss\server\tests\betest\main.cpp(2373): - Call pvbc->InitializeForBackup() not succeeded. Error code = 0x8000ffff. Error description =
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August 18th, 2011 12:02pm

Job for after 6pm then.... If you restart the IS instead of the server does that cure the problem... If it does, can you not use Backup Exec but only run the native backup application for a few days. Does the problem happen again after the same time or does it carry on? Essentially youre testing if its Backup Exec causing nastiness over the course of a day or two. "Fulgent" wrote in message news:2a669c79-33b3-4349-810a-60ef6ed19322... Well i cant even run the BETEST.exe tool as as soon as i complete step 1 - betest.exe>availablewriters.txt comes up with: Betest.exe has stopped working Problem signature: Problem Event Name: APPCRASH Application Name: betest.exe Application Version: 0.0.0.0 Application Timestamp: 4158ef38 Fault Module Name: kernel32.dll Fault Module Version: 6.0.6002.18005 Fault Module Timestamp: 49e038c0 Exception Code: e06d7363 Exception Offset: 0001e124 OS Version: 6.0.6002.2.2.0.305.9 Locale ID: 2057 Additional Information 1: fd00 Additional Information 2: ea6f5fe8924aaa756324d57f87834160 Additional Information 3: fd00 Additional Information 4: ea6f5fe8924aaa756324d57f87834160 The text it puts into the text file is: Error in c:\nt\drivers\storage\volsnap\vss\server\tests\betest\main.cpp(2373): - Call pvbc->InitializeForBackup() not succeeded. Error code = 0x8000ffff. Error description = Mark Arnold, Exchange MVP.
August 18th, 2011 12:20pm

Hi Fulgent, Agree with Mark, try to run windows backup on the exchange database. Additionally, please check whether hard disc has problem. Here's the SBS support forum, you could also put your question here and maybe get some suggestion. http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/sbsserverBest Regards!
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August 18th, 2011 11:06pm

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