Backup Exec service jammed in "starting" state

[HaroldSmith]

Been running Backup Exec 9.1 on our Windows Server 2003 R2 successfully for many years. Reboot every few weeks to apply windows updates. Rebooted last Wednesday. When restarted Backup Exec Server service stuck as "starting". I can't stop it because all greyed out. See attached screen shot. I've done Repair in Add Programs, then reboot server. Also changed Log On account the reboot server. Also set to disabled then reboot then manually start. Same outcome every time. Any help would be much appreciated.

[VJware]

Usually reboot fixes it. Are there any errors in the event viewer ? One last possibility would be to have a copy of the Data & Catalog folder, uninstall Backup Exec, reinstall Backup Exec & restore the Data & Catalogs.

[CraigV]

Hi,

Try repairing the application through Add/Remove Programs, and once done, use BEutility.exe to repair the BEDB.

After this completes, use BEutility to reset the service account details to the account you normally use and then try again. Also make sure that the SQL service is started up!

Thanks!

[Sush---]

Hello HaroldSmith,

I think this would also require some debugging logs to troubleshoot this.

Try the steps below:

1) Disable all BE services from Services console (services.msc)

2) Reboot the server

3) Then Enable all BE services (set to Automatic)

4) Ensure that SQL Express service is started

5) Started BE Remote Agent service manually...after that start BE Device and Media service.

6) Now open command prompt and change directory to Backup Exec folder. For BE 9.1 I think the default path is "C:\Program Files\Veritas\Backup Exec"

7) Then run the command "beserver.exe -console >> C:\output.txt" .... (do not use the quotes)

8) It will try to start the BE Server service and as the issue is it will be stuck in the Starting state

9) Let it run for some 5 minutes and then close the command prompt

10) You will have a file created on C:drive called output.txt

Please provide us this file which will give the logs for and propably the error why it the service is not starting. Also you can check Event viewer and provide the errors generated there if there are any.

Thanks,

-Sush...

[HaroldSmith · Accepted solution]

Thanks for your replies. I've been struggling with this for a week and was going to try the various suggestions when all users had logged off. But during the afternoon the service started successfully and the backups are running again. The servervice had been jammed in a "starting" state for a week. Nothing was changed on the server during office hours so it's a mystery as to what got it fixed. Thanks for your help.