Forum Discussion

O_Jay's avatar
O_Jay
Level 3
11 years ago
Solved

VMWare Host backups hanging on tracking.log

Hi,

 

I am running Backup Exec 2014 V-Ray Edition. When I backup several of the guests on my ESXi host the backup hangs for ages backing up \System Volume Information\tracking.log. The byte count doesn't increase and the job rate doesn't change.

I would be happy to just deselect the whole folder but you don't have that option at the host level.

Is there any way I can prevent this from happening?

2014
Backing Up
Backup and Recovery
Backup Exec
Best Practice
Troubleshooting
Windows Server (2003-2008)
  • O_Jay's avatar
    O_Jay
    11 years ago

    OK... since completely removing and re-adding the virtual host to BE I have been able to get successful backup all week.

    Maybe worth a try for you too DKK.

    I am however getting two of the guests not able to do GRT enabled backups even though the credentials verify successfully and I am able to browse both servers in the selection of the indivual servers on the Backup and Restore servers view.

  • DKK's avatar
    DKK
    11 years ago

    Hi O_Jay,

    my backup job runs now successfully without hanging, i have take many steps to reach this result:

    1) run: dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /spsuperseded

    2) uninstall BE Agent | reinstall Agent (push) on all servers where the job has hung up

    3) defrag of all partitions on all servers

    4) check all event logs to critical errors

    5) Boot from Windows Server Disk and run CHKDSK with options /F and /R for all disks  -> some errors have been fixed

    6) changed order of the virtual server in the backup job

    7) Install all available Windows Updates for the VM‘s

    8) Set the backup exec user rights to Folder "System Volume Information" on all servers where the job has hung up

    9) In the backup job settings disable GRT for SQL and Sharepoint

    Unfortunately I do not know exactly what has solved the problem.

  • O_Jay's avatar
    O_Jay
    11 years ago

    One of the recent ones was actually GRT on SQl database I didn't need so I turned GRT off and the other I tinkered with the credentials until it was happy. I got my first successful (i.e. not hung or "Completed with Exceptions") backup last night. So for now this is resolved.

    Like DKK though I don't really know exactly how I fixed it but removing and re-adding the hostto the Backup Exec server seemed to be the clincher in my case.

  • O_Jay's avatar
    O_Jay
    Level 3
    11 years ago

    Will do. I will report back again tomorrow after I have done some more testing. Thanks for the help so far.

  • O_Jay's avatar
    O_Jay
    Level 3
    11 years ago

    No difference, same hanging on that VM I redeployed RAWS to with System Volume Information\tracking.log. The event logs are only showing the messages I already mentioned. There are at least four different VMs on this host that are having the issue. Sometimes some will work and then one will hang.

    I have checked that the VSS writers are all in a stable state.

    I tried creating a global exception for the System Volume Information folder but I don't think it worked.

    I might try removing the entire host from BE and re-add.

  • DKK's avatar
    DKK
    Level 2
    11 years ago

    Hello O_Jay,

    i have the same problem with Backup Exec 2014 V-Ray Edition than you. The Backup job is hanging on serverel virtual servers from vmware always in the Folder System Volume Information. Together with the symantec support i have tried the following:

    1) Uninstalled BE Remote Agent

    2) Redeployed BE Remote Agent

    3) Check all VSS writers -> all ok

    4) Installed all Windows Updates

    5) Rebooted Server

    6) Check event logs from VM's and BE Server

    The problem is not resolved, at the moment i tried to defrag the virtual machine. (http://www.symantec.com/connect/forums/backup-hanging-remoteserverd-system-volume-information)

  • O_Jay's avatar
    O_Jay
    Level 3
    11 years ago

    Hi DKK,

    Glad I am not alone :)

     

    I am trying my weekend backup again this weekend  after completely removing and re-adding the host to BE but I don't hold out much hope for this.

     

    I will open a case next week with support and hopefully between the two of us we can find a solution.

  • O_Jay's avatar
    O_Jay
    Level 3
    11 years ago

    OK... since completely removing and re-adding the virtual host to BE I have been able to get successful backup all week.

    Maybe worth a try for you too DKK.

    I am however getting two of the guests not able to do GRT enabled backups even though the credentials verify successfully and I am able to browse both servers in the selection of the indivual servers on the Backup and Restore servers view.

  • DKK's avatar
    DKK
    Level 2
    11 years ago

    Hi O_Jay,

    my backup job runs now successfully without hanging, i have take many steps to reach this result:

    1) run: dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /spsuperseded

    2) uninstall BE Agent | reinstall Agent (push) on all servers where the job has hung up

    3) defrag of all partitions on all servers

    4) check all event logs to critical errors

    5) Boot from Windows Server Disk and run CHKDSK with options /F and /R for all disks  -> some errors have been fixed

    6) changed order of the virtual server in the backup job

    7) Install all available Windows Updates for the VM‘s

    8) Set the backup exec user rights to Folder "System Volume Information" on all servers where the job has hung up

    9) In the backup job settings disable GRT for SQL and Sharepoint

    Unfortunately I do not know exactly what has solved the problem.

  • O_Jay's avatar
    O_Jay
    Level 3
    11 years ago

    One of the recent ones was actually GRT on SQl database I didn't need so I turned GRT off and the other I tinkered with the credentials until it was happy. I got my first successful (i.e. not hung or "Completed with Exceptions") backup last night. So for now this is resolved.

    Like DKK though I don't really know exactly how I fixed it but removing and re-adding the hostto the Backup Exec server seemed to be the clincher in my case.