Hi, 

Since some time now i have not been able to use the Windows server backup tool anymore.

I cant really tell since when this started, but for all i know the windows server backup service worked fine.

I even created a backup schedule and it made some backups. 

I am running this windows server 2012 Standard at home with just a couple of basic applications.

The server is used to host several websites with IIS, it manages my local DHCP and is used for locally shared storage.

There are no other security applications installed yet, because i am trieing to get rid of this error first. (so no symantec or whatever)

Since some time i am having trouble opening the windows backup snap-in. 

When ever i trie to open the Windows server backup snap-in i get the following error:

A fatal error occurred during a Windows Server Backup snap-in (Wbadmin.msc) operation.

Error details: The Windows Server Backup service has stopped. 

Close Wbadmin.msc and then restart it.

Whenever this error occures the folowing error is show in the windows logbook:

I tried to find simmilar cases over the internet but i cant seem to find a solution for the problem. 

I already tried to remove and reinstall the Windows server backup feature, this did not help. 

Is there anyone here that can help me find a solution for this problem ?

Thank you !

Best Regards Maikel

For some extra information, the CLI version of wbadmin seems to work just fine. 

so it looks like i am only having issues with the Snap-in.. but still i dont understand why this error is occurring.

• Edited by Maikel Monden Friday, April 19, 2013 1:57 PM

Ok i just "thought" it was working through CLI...

When i run the following command: wbadmin start backup -allcritical backuptarget:G: -vssFull.

I get the following error:

"The windows Backup engine could not be contacted. Retry the operation. The remote procedure call failed. "

So i guess even the CLI methode isnt working.

i now also noted the following:

The following services are needed for a backup:

• Virtual disk, it is on manual and started
• Volume Shadow Copy, it is on manual and started
• Block level backup engine service,  it is on manual but NOT started.

The Block level backup engine services is not started, in the windows event viewer under Windows logs \ System. 

There is a error telling me: Error, The block level backup enige service terminated unexpectedly. It has done this 3 time(s)., Event ID 7034.

I think this error has something to do with the problem but i still didnt find the source of the problem. 

Any help would much be appreciated.

BR 

Hi,

From the error message you provided, the issue seems related to wbengine service, which means the Block level backup engine service.

By default it is Manual and Stopped so it is not an issue. Please test to click Start and see if it could be started correctly.

Meanwhile, permission issue of "system volume information" folder could also causes the issue. See the discussion in this thread:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/windowsbackup/thread/29bd3fc9-9538-4d82-9b13-96263c4f2f73/

Ok thank you for the Tip, i checked this now.

I have replaced the System volume information folder security and ownership rights to the "SYSTEM" user.

After that i also deleted the shadow copy index with the command: vssadmin delete shadows /all 

But, the same error is still there.

So this si not the solution to my problem. 

Do you maybe have another tip ?

Br Maikel

Hi,

Could you manually start Block Level Backup Engine service? Is there any error occurs?

If failed, please compare the permission and values of the following registry key with a working Windows Server 2012:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\wbengine

I'm having same issue.  I can start the service however it will stop if try and open the backup snapin. 

Can anyone provide the reg  key for a working machine - HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\wbengine?

Hi Shaon, 

i tried starting the Block leven backup engine manually and that seems to work correctly.  

The only Event i get in the event log is: "|The block level backup engine Service service entered the running state".

After that i check the Registery key, the only problem i have got is that i dont have another server 2012 running, so i dont have any refference key. 

Do you, or maybe someone else who is reading this have a working reference key for me ?

my regkey value looks like this:

any suggestions ?

I copied this key from a working 2012 server with no improvement in the situation. 

Steps taken so far:

Uninstalled windows backup

deleted the key above and then imported from a working machine

reinstalled windows server backup

rebooted

same situation. 

Any other suggestions?

I still have not found a solution for this problem. 

I am starting to think that a full re-installation of windows is the only thing that is going to help. 

I tried everything i could find on the interwebs from people with something similar to  my problem, no effect at all.

@Dino Caputo, if you by any chance find a solution please let me know.

Anyone else having this same issue ?

BR MAikel

Additional info: as i found on some other Forum people marked replacing the RAM as answer. 

So, i also did this :-).

Replaced my 4Gigs of ram for 16Gig, still no improvement.

I have opened a case with Microsoft PSS on this and will advise what we find.  It has already been escalated to the Windows Server 2012 Product Group so its not something they have seen before.  Will keep everyone posted.

Regards,

Dino

I have opened a case with Microsoft PSS on this and will advise what we find.  It has already been escalated to the Windows Server 2012 Product Group so its not something they have seen before.  Will keep everyone posted.

Regards,

By now i also replaced the backup harddisk. Thinking maybe the backup location could be the problem.

Since i replaced the entire harddisk it is impossible that something is left behind.

I still recieve the same error when starting Windows Backup. 

i am running out of options.

Hi Dino,

Could you give me the Case ID?

I need more information about this case,thanks.

REG:113042710399259

PSS is now taking crash dumps using a couple of tools.  Windows Performance team is involved.

Thanks for your information.

I have report this issue to the PM.I hope they can fix this issue as soon as they can.

Hi All!

I have the same issue, but on Windows Server 2008R2 SP1:

Log Name: Application
Source: Application Error
Date: 23.05.2013 17:41:46
Event ID: 1000
Task Category: (100)
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer:  srv
Description:
Faulting application name: wbengine.exe, version: 6.1.7601.17514, time stamp: 0x4ce79951
Faulting module name: wbengine.exe, version: 6.1.7601.17514, time stamp: 0x4ce79951
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x000000000010ffdf
Faulting process id: 0x139c
Faulting application start time: 0x01ce57c39bfca7cb
Faulting application path: C:\Windows\system32\wbengine.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Windows\system32\wbengine.exe
Report Id: e46686cb-c3b6-11e2-86e3-0000c9d26e9e
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Application Error" />
<EventID Qualifiers="0">1000</EventID>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>100</Task>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2013-05-23T14:41:46.000000000Z" />
<EventRecordID>20132</EventRecordID>
<Channel>Application</Channel>
  <Computer>srv</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data>wbengine.exe</Data>
<Data>6.1.7601.17514</Data>
<Data>4ce79951</Data>
<Data>wbengine.exe</Data>
<Data>6.1.7601.17514</Data>
<Data>4ce79951</Data>
<Data>c0000005</Data>
<Data>000000000010ffdf</Data>
<Data>139c</Data>
<Data>01ce57c39bfca7cb</Data>
<Data>C:\Windows\system32\wbengine.exe</Data>
<Data>C:\Windows\system32\wbengine.exe</Data>
<Data>e46686cb-c3b6-11e2-86e3-0000c9d26e9e</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

I also try all solutions on this topic and other that i found on internet - nothing can help ((

I hope that you will still solve the problem.
If there will be any news - please be sure to let me know here!

Here is how to correct this issue.  I'm using Windows Server 2012 but suspect this will work on Server 2008.

1.  Take ownership of the C:\System Volume Information folder using the following in an elevated cmd prompt:

takeown /f "C:\System Volume Information\windowsimagebackup\*.*" /R /A

You should see the following results:

SUCCESS: The file (or folder): "C:\System Volume Information\windowsimagebackup\
Catalog" now owned by the administrators group.

SUCCESS: The file (or folder): "C:\System Volume Information\windowsimagebackup\
SPPMetadataCache" now owned by the administrators group.

SUCCESS: The file (or folder): "C:\System Volume Information\windowsimagebackup\
Catalog\BackupGlobalCatalog" now owned by the administrators group.

SUCCESS: The file (or folder): "C:\System Volume Information\windowsimagebackup\
Catalog\GlobalCatalog" now owned by the administrators group.

2.  Next run the following command to grant administrators permissions to the files and directories within System Volume Information, windows imagebackup and catalog directories

cacls "C:\System Volume Information" /T /C /E /P Administrators:F

cacls "C:\System Volume Information\windowsimagebackup" /T /C /E /P Administrators:F

cacls "C:\System Volume Information\windowsimagebackup" /T /C /E /P Administrators:F

3.  Delete the contents of the catalog directory

del "C:\System Volume Information\windowsimagebackup\catalog"

4.  You should now be able to run wbadmin.msc without the previous errors.  You will need to re-establish any backup schedules however, you can choose to keep the previous backups found on any dedicated backup disk used.

Let me know if this helps.

Dino.

I had this same issue on my Windows 2012 Ess Sever.
Backup Service would stop, and not start again. On starting it would fail with the error in the OP. 
It was saying a backup was running in the Dashboard, but was stuck at a % and not moving.

Way I fixed it:
1. Remove/backup the log files: C:\Windows\Logs\WindowsServerBackup
2. Uninstall the feature: "windows backup server" 
3. Restart the Server
4. Install the feature: "windows backup server"
5. Open Cmd (with admin rights) run:

wbadmin delete catalog

C:\Windows\system32>wbadmin delete catalog
wbadmin 1.0 - Backup command-line tool
(C) Copyright 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Are you sure that you want to delete the backup catalog? If you delete the
catalog, you will need to create a new set of backups.
[Y] Yes [N] No y

The backup catalog has been successfully deleted.

C:\Windows\system32>
6. Start the Backup Service
7. Recreate the backup Job and Services.
Done!

Kind Regards,
Steffen Duelund
Systems Engineer 
W: www.ovalis.com.au

• Marked as answer by Maikel Monden Saturday, June 08, 2013 10:26 AM

The fix woked, finally i am able to use Windows Backup again !

I guess something with the catalog was bugged.

It`s making a backup right now ! 

Thank you guys for the help, really appreciate it !

Br Maikel

• Marked as answer by Maikel Monden Saturday, June 08, 2013 10:28 AM

Thank Dino!

This Solution Help me on Windows Server 2008R2 SP1

After receiving the same error as the OP, I was able to run the gui wbadmin by performing the following:

1) Delete any scheduled backup tasks in the Task Scheduler found in Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows > Backup

2) Open Cmd (with admin rights)  and run: wbadmin delete catalog

• Proposed as answer by skissel Monday, August 26, 2013 3:54 AM

• Edited by tttl Thursday, December 19, 2013 6:04 AM
• Proposed as answer by pawellrus Thursday, December 25, 2014 6:21 AM

I just experienced this problem on a new install of Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials, after I completed my first "manual backup" but before setting up scheduled backup via the Essentials Dashboard.  Turned out the fix for me was to delete the local backup catalog, which I did in elevated power shell using "Remove-WBCatalog".  I suspect that command is identical to elevated command line "WBADMIN.EXE delete catalog".   I didn't have to fix any ACLs on the backup device or system catalog.  WARNING, as mentioned in many places, removing the backup catalog will delete the history of all your backups, but the backups themselves are not deleted.  Plus you'll have to configure the scheduled backup again, which if you let the wizard use an entire backup disk (such as external USB HDD), that process will reformat you backup drive and wipe out past backups.  See the power shell documentation for Remove-WBCatalog for details.

Primary symptom noticed first was that after setting up backup in Essentials dashboard, the Windows Server backup (MMC Snapin) would always fail immediately, and the sub-panel Local Backup (wlbadmin.msc) reported "The server threw and exception".  After lots of internet reading and searching, found this thread had the best details.  I confirmed the Application log had same error report from wbengine.exe with exception code: 0xc0000005, which occurred every time I'd restart the "Block Level backup engine" service, and then attempt to start the Windows Server Backup Snapin.  Also confirmed that from elevated command line "WBADMIN.EXE start backup" generated same "The server threw an exception".  And finally confirmed from elevated Power Shell that "Get-WBPolicy" generated same "The server threw an exception".  Interestingly, neither the command line "WBADMIN.EXE get versions" or power shell "Get-WBBackupSet" caused any error and would both show the one successful manual backup.  So the catalog was not completely corrupt.  Any attempt to use or retrieve the policy always caused the "The server threw an exception" and cause wbengine.exe to generate exception in log (but only once per service restart I believe).  

I have that first manual backup image that I believe could be used to recreate the issue if anyone from Microsoft wants to earn their pay and debug.  I already wasted 4 hours on this problem.  Only oddball thing I did while setting up this new server was that first manual backup was on a bitlocker encrypted volume, so I had to install bitlocker role before setting up backups.  Unknown why the backup catalog was generating the error, and it didn't matter if I had backup media online or not, same errors.