Backup Exec Services Do Not Start on Reboot

[Chaplain_Doug]

Backup Exec 2010 R3.  Windows Server 2008 Enterprise R2.

I Changed the login account for my Backup Exec services.  There are a total of seven (7) services that show up for Backup Exec when I run services.msc.  All of the services have a startup type of "Automatic," with the exception of Backup Exec Management Service which is set to manual.  After a reboot, only "Backup Exec Remote Agent for Windows Systems" and "Backup Exec Error Recording Service" show as started.  However, if I select any of the other services and choose to start them up, they start up without a problem.  So it does not appear to be the credentials of the login account.  What might be causing these services to not start up after reboot, even though they are set to "Automatic" for startup type and have apparently valid credentials?

[CraigV]

Hi,

Open up BEutility, right-click the name of your server and choose the option to change the service account details. Put in your username: DOMAIN\user_name and the password and let BEutility reset this.

Once done, check and see if the BE services have started up. If not, open up BE, and go to the Network and Security section and put in the new account there. Make that the default account and try restarting the services.

Thanks!

[VJware]

However, if I select any of the other services and choose to start them up, they start up without a problem

Under Tools - Backup Exec Services - Service Credentials - Enter the Service Credentials , verify if the appropriate account & password is used ?

Also, under Network - Logon Account, is the appropriate account with password used ?

[Chaplain_Doug]

I checked all that you mention and there is no problem.  I am just experiencing the services not automatically starting even though they have a valid login account associated.

[Chaplain_Doug]

I did all you mention prior to posting.

[VJware]

If any AV scan running, exclude it from scanning / blocking those services...

Is startup setup to Automatic under Tools - BE services ?

Any events recorded in the event viewer ?

[Lesta_G]

what rights does this new account have?

Is it a domain admin or something else?

[Chaplain_Doug]

The account being used (backupexe) was created as a copy of my domain administrator account.  It is a member of the following groups:

Administrators

Debugger Users

Domain Admins

Domain Users

Enterprise Admins

Group Policy Creator Owners

Organization Manangement

Performance Monitor Users

Schema Admins

and four SQLServer2005 groups

I checked again this morning and most of my BackupExec services were not running.  Thus, the backup that kicked off at 9:00 PM last night failed.  There could not have been a restart of the server since updates go in at 3:00 AM.  I went into services and restarted the BackupExec services and all came back up without a problem.

WHAT COULD BE CAUSING MY SERVICES TO STOP?!

[Striker_303]

Check Win event viewer on media server for exact time of BE services crashing or stopping

you may also find the cause nearby or if complete system was rebooted at same time.

[Chaplain_Doug]

I changed the automatic updates to the system to happen only Monday at 3:00 AM.  Normally these updates seem to require an automatic reboot.  It is after this reboot and ONLY after this reboot that the BackupExec services DO NOT restart.  It happened again this Monday morning when the system rebooted after updates.  However, I was able to go into services.msc and do a restart on the Backup Exec services, and every one of them started without a problem.  Here are the services that are currently started and running.  Each is set to start Automatically and uses account "GOODNEWSJAIL\BACKUPEXEC",except for "Backup Exec Error Recording Service", which uses "Local System."

Backup Exec Agent Browser

Backup Exec Device & Media Service

Backup Exec  Error Recording Service

Backup Exec  Job Engine

Backup Exec  Management Services

Backup Exec  Remote Agent for Windows Systems

Backup Exec  Server

Should any of these NOT be set to automatic start?

I am really perplexed by this problem.  ANY help will be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

[VJware]

If these services do not start automatically post updates and server reboot, check the task mgr for any LiveUpdate processes running such as lugetupdates.exe

if you do see them, kill those processes & see if the services start up automatically or not

[Chaplain_Doug]

I just checked and there were no discernable processes that looked like a live update.  However, if you mean for me to check immediately post update/boot, then that is another matter.  I was thinking that perhaps something in my Symantec Endpoint Protection program (which is running on the Backup Server) might block startup of these process immediately upon reboot.  I see the startup option of "Automatic (Delayed Start)" and was thinking of trying this option.  However, it provides no place to set the amount of delay.  How much delay is there on this type of startup?

[VJware]

Automatic (Delayed Start) starts up the services once the system has completed booting and started the initial services...dont think you can configure the delay...i guess its apporx 2 mins after system boots up...

Was thinking if those liveupdate processes are still running after server reboot, they can prevent the services from starting up

[Chaplain_Doug]

VJ:

You see my list of services above, all of which are set to Automatic startup.  Originally they were not all set to automatic.  I believe at least one was manual, but I do not remember.  Is there any harm in having them all set to automatic or automatic (delayed)?  Do you know if any of them should be set to manual or something else?  Thanks.

[VJware]

All are to be set to automatic...you may try setting them up to start delayed to see if it makes any difference

[CraigV]

Hi Doug,

If you use BEutility you can simply re-add the same user account in. Select the option to change the service account...this will reset any start-up parameters ont he services.

Thanks!

[Chaplain_Doug]

After setting all Backup Exec services to startup type Automatic (Delayed), I rebooted the system and all Backup Exec services restarted after reboot.  I thought "The problem is solved!"  But alas, the problem showed back up this morning after a reboot after automatic updates.  The Backup Exec Management Service, Backup Exec Job Engine, and Backup Exec Server services DID NOT restart after the reboot after automatic updates were applied at 3:00 AM. 

Looking at the Events log I found that at every automatic update attempt since 1/26/2012 (which is about when I began having this restart problem) there is an update which has failed every time.  Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Service Pack 4 has failed to install each time with error code 534.  I know that Backup Exec uses SQL Server 2005 Express to manage its backup database.  I am beginning to suspect that this update failure in some way is affecting the startup of the Backup Exec services upon reboot after the update attempt.  Any ideas or suggested solutions?

[CraigV]

Hi,

You've got these options:

1. Use BEutility and run a BEDB repair. You can go further than this and run a comprehensive repair of the BEDB as per the Symantec TN below:

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH67239

2. Use Add/Remove Programs to do a repair of your installation itself.

3. Stop all the BE services, including SQL, and rename your current Catalogs/Data folders to *.old, and then restart the BE services. BE should recreate these folders. Restart the server and see if this allows the services to start up or not.

Thanks!

[Chaplain_Doug]

On option 1, it says to expand All Media Servers.  It shows GNHost (the name of the server on which Backup Exec is installed), with a status of "unknown."  it then says to create a new server.  I am afraid that this will hose up my backup setup entirely.  Should I really create a new server when I have been running backups now for a couple of months?

On option 2, do you mean that I should repair SQL Server 2005 Express or Backup Exec?

On option 3, where do I find the catalog/data folders?

[CraigV]

1. Don't create a new server...not needed. Right-click the server and you will see an option to repair the BEDB. For good measure you can stop the BE services in Task Manager too.

2. Repair Backup Exec...sorry.

3. You'd find those folders under: Installation_Dir\Symantec\Backup Exec