Backup Exec 12.5 job hangs at Snapshot Processing

[ASB_Tech]

This issue has been persisting for the last 2 months or so..

We backup parts of 4 different servers within a single job & have begun to have issues with the last server in the job. The job with process Servers 1, 2, & 3 fine but when it gets to Server 4 it will stop @ Snapshot Processing and not make any progress on the job.  I tagged Symantec's support when we first started seeing this issue (over 2 months ago) and we are still dealing with the same problem. 

What I've done:

BE is fully up to date, with SP's & hotfixes.
Uninstalled BE Remote Agent from Server4 & re-installed via push from BE server.
Verified that BE is using proper credentials to authenticate to Server4 (simple but not out of the realm of possibility).
I have applied the VSS patch for win2k3 on Server4 as instructed by Symantec Support.
 

Symantec support has stated "that this is an issue they have not seen before".. I'm not really buying that line as we can't be the first environment to stumble across an issue like this one.. Any help that you can provide would be greatly appreciated as I am slowly losing both my sanity & my hair... I need to find a solution to this problem yesterday as I'm not willing to be unemployed, bald, & crazy in the near-future..

Thank you,
ASB_Tech
 

[CraigV]

Hi there,

What is the result of running vssadmin list writers from a command prompt? Any issues with the VSS writers there?

Did Symantec support point you in the direction of reregistering your VSS *.dlls?

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH70486

Thanks!

[AmolB]

Check if you are able to take a successful backup through Windows NT backup.

[ASB_Tech]

Running the vssadmin list writers cmd does not provide details on the state of the writers it only gives the following message: "Waiting for responses. These may be delayed if a shadow copy is being prepared."  I could leave that prompt up all morning & not have the writers come up..

Support did not mention the *.dlls,,

[CraigV]

OK, then that is your problem. If your VSS writers are not stable, you're going to get some form of VSS error.

Run the *.dll reregister and restart the server if you can just to make sure the writers are forced to restart. Once done, run the vssadmin list writers command again and make sure ALL of the writers are Stable and Running.

If they are, run a backup on that server of a couple of files and make sure it moves past the Snapshot Processing section. If it does and you get a backup, problem solved...in which case what the techie said to you is strange as these sort of issues have been around for a while...

[ASB_Tech]

I'll give the .dll's a kick in the pants and see if that doesn't get us on the right track & gets the vss writers to at least report back.. After which I'll see if I can perform a backup on select files within S4.

I I never enjoy hearing tech support say that I'm having a problem that they have never seen before,, & I had a hard time swallowing it as the version we have has been out for quite a while & when I heard that I figured it may be time to find an alternate means of support,,

[ASB_Tech]

I followed the support article for win2k3 & I am still getting the "Waiting for responses. These may be delayed if a shadow copy is being prepared." message when I run vssadmin list writers..

Also, I just ran into the 2nd half of my issue again (sorry for leaving out previously).. when I am in BE and working on the selection list for S4 I can select normal drives fine (i.e. c:\ , d:\ , etc..), however, when I try to select either the System State or the Shadow Copy Components on S4 it will lock up the entire BE application & I need to force it closed via Task Mgr.. not sure what that means or what to do to fix it...

[ASB_Tech]

What purpose does runing a local NT backup serve?

[CraigV]

...have you tried to download and install the VSS Rollup Patch for Windows Server 2003?

Also, with regards to the locking up of BE when trying to access the selection list, have you tried leaving it for a couple of minutes to see if it opens?

[ASB_Tech]

I have tried the VSS patch rollup for win2k3 without success..

Leaving BE open will not eventually select the SS or the SCC components for this server. I've left it open for an entire morning & not had it select it.

I have thrown in the towel, so to speak, on this issue.  After a brief deparmental meeting it was determined that it would be best to pull this server completely out BE jobs.  It is being successfully backed up in other areas and we feel comfortable that we would be able to restore all pertinnet information without using the BE job information.  I'm not thrilled, or proud, of giving up on this but it's been 3 months now since BE could back this server up & Symantec support has been less than ideal on it and seems more keen on passing it off as a Microsoft problem. 

I appreciate you input on this 'CraigV' but we have decided that it is a better use of time & resources to pull this server from this particular backup job.

Regards,

ASB_Tech

[Soledad_Torchia]

Dear ASB_Tech, 

                              When facing a situation where we have the status on the VSS showing:

"Waiting for responses. These may be delayed if a shadow copy is being prepared." 

We do have to refer you to Microsoft, as it is a Microsoft related issue.  Even when BE works with VSS, it is a requirement that we need to be able to run the software in your systems.  If VSS is showing an issue, like the one stated before, you will need to contact Microsoft to make sure that the VSS on your server are running successfully as part of a requirement on your system to run BE. 

Thank you. 

Soledad Torchiaro. 

[ASB_Tech]

I may be wrong on this, but I’m assuming that (in some way, shape, or form) you represent, or are a representative for Symantec… Whether this is a Symantec issue or a Microsoft is not the point. The fact of the matter is that we have been having this issue since June (3 months ago) and are only now finding out that Symantec ‘does not have to fix this’ & that we must contact Microsoft if we want Symantec’s BE program to work.

 We contract for support for many reasons.  However, none of those entail waiting for several months to find out that we need to contact someone else. We will be evaluating our backup strategy in the coming month & I would not be surprised if BE & Symantec were removed and replaced by an alternative solution due to this situation.

[CraigV]

...the other option to try is to load up a temporary version of BE 2010 R3 with SP1 and try the backup that way. At least you can rule out a BE problem, and if it doesn't work, then you have your justification to move...

[pkh]

All users in any of the fora in Symantec Connect, including us Trusted Advisors, are not employees or representatives of Symantec.  Symantec employees have either an Admin, Symantec Employee or a Technical Support badge against their names.

This is a user-supported forum and as such, Symantec is under no obligation to reply/solve any of the user's problems/questions posted in this forum.  If you want to be sure that your problem is looked into, then you should open a support case with Symantec which you are entitled to since you have a support contract.

[ASB_Tech]

We do have to refer you to Microsoft, as it is a Microsoft related issue.  Even when BE works with VSS, it is a requirement that we need to be able to run the software in your systems.  If VSS is showing an issue, like the one stated before, you will need to contact Microsoft to make sure that the VSS on your server are running successfully as part of a requirement on your system to run BE. 

 Thank you. Soledad Torchiaro. 

I understand that this is a user forum, however, unless someone is actually a representative of Symantec then they should refrain from using the verbage that 'Soledad' used in their post.  When you start throwing 'we' around in relation to a company then you are stating that you are a representative of said company.

Opening a tech support case 3-months ago has just led us to this point. Which is what led me to post here to see if the customer base of Symantec had any viable suggestions because Symantec's support was less than helpful or mindful of any sort of time-table that we had. I know that questions posted in a company's public forums are not required to be answered or solved by Symantec, I was just hoping someone would have had insight into this problem that would prove useful to us..

[ASB_Tech]

I appreciate the suggestion CraigV but that was what a couple of the techs tried to sell us as 'fixes' instead of investigating the issue in the first month.. I don't really have a problem with the BE program. I think it's good at what it does, when it works. But my concerns center around the support and responsiveness of that support, or lack thereof, of Symantec on this issue we have been having. Maybe I expect too much, but I think that I have that right to tdo that since we have a support contract..

Like I said I appreciate your input on this topic, but unless we really can't find anything better, we'll probably be moving away from this product due to the lack of quality support.

[Ben_L_]

ASB_Tech,

Can you send me a private message with the case number?  I'd like to take a look into the issue.