Forum Discussion

rsmccall's avatar
rsmccall
Level 5
16 years ago

VSS Writer: System Writer failure

Two recent backups failed and logged the following error: 

V-79-57344-34110 - AOFO: Initialization failure on: "System?State". Advanced Open File Option used: Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS). VSS Snapshot error. Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) cannot communicate with the writers. Check that the Volume Shadow Copy Service is started, and check the Windows Event Viewer for errors related to this service.


I ran the VSSADMIN LIST WRITERS command on the server that it was failing over and all of the writers reported a state of 1 - Stable and no errors except for the System Writer which reported a state of 9 - Failed with an error of Out of Resources

What are the troubleshooting steps to resolve this?  
11.x and Earlier
Backup and Recovery
Backup Exec
  • Hemant_Jain's avatar
    Hemant_Jain
    Level 6
    16 years ago

    Please ensure, following updates are applied:
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/887827
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/833167
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940349

    Also, see if you can go to properties of c:\(assuming windows folder is there), and go to shadow copy tab to check the settings of VSS on c:\. Make sure it is set to unlimited growth for the shadow copy. Also, make sure you have enough space on c:\. if not, change the drive for snapshot creation to an alternate volume from the shadow copy tab in the volume properties.

    Please mark it a solution, if this is useful.

    Thanks

  • rsmccall's avatar
    rsmccall
    Level 5
    16 years ago
     As far as checking the VSS settings are you referring to the Backup Exec server or the server I'm trying to perform the backup on?

    On the Backup Exec server Shadow Copies on volume C is Disabled.  I should enable it correct?
    The Max Size was set to a limit of 2565MB on drive C but I changed it to No Limit


  • Hemant_Jain's avatar
    Hemant_Jain
    Level 6
    16 years ago

    It has to be done on the server you are backing up and not the Backup Exec server. I hope you provided the results of "vssadmin list writers" from the server being backed up. All the steps are suggested for target server and not Backup Exec server.

    Thanks

  • rsmccall's avatar
    rsmccall
    Level 5
    16 years ago
    On drive C of a target server under Shadow Copies tab of properties it shows volumes C and D as Disabled for Next Run Time.  Do these need to be enabled? 
  • Hemant_Jain's avatar
    Hemant_Jain
    Level 6
    16 years ago

    No, you dont need to enable these. You can go to settings and ensure enough space for shadow copies to be created.

    Thanks