Backup FAILED: An error occurred retrieving the WMI repository..

[Robin_Farrell]

An error occurred retrieving the WMI repository data directory.
The WMI repository could not be backed up.

I have been getting this error for 2 weeks now and every nights backup fails because of it, I have tried the fixes in the knowledge base and have even written a batch file to automatically rebuild the repository on the main server (on which backupexec is installed).

We are using this to back up 7 servers, can someone please tell me if its a different server I should be concentrating on or is it contained to the server backup exec is installed on??

Also can someone please tell me how to get rid of this error as it doesn't seem like veritas' OR microsofts solutions work:/

[Tonya_Murray]

I started getting this error on one of my backups on the 14th of June. I am running BE10 on Windows 2003.Message was edited by:
Tonya Murray

[Robert_Dietz]

I too have been plagued by this error since 6/07/05. It has consistently failed the backup job everyday since it's appearance no matter if it's a full or differential backup. The server is W2K and there have been no changes on the server. Sounds like the high level of service that Veritas is known for is slipping. Hope this is not a sign of things to come now that they are part of Symantec.

[Don_Mulvihill]

Robert, if you remove that folder from the main backup, does it run ok? Are you able to backup the system32\wbem folder separate of the main backup?

This problem occured just once for me and it's no longer an issue here. But I keep coming back to this message board because I would like to know what caused it.Message was edited (spelling error) by:
Don Mulvihill

[Robert_Dietz]

I am unable to backup system32\wbem folder by itself, it fails with the same error. I will exclude that folder just to confirm that the backup will complete w/o it.

[Keith_Moody_2]

I am having the same problem where the \WBEM directory cannot be backup up using BE9.1. It hangs BE completely and requires a reboot in order to clear the job. I am backing up 3 Win2k servers remotely and the errors appear on each one. I do not get the error on the local backups.

Can anyone comfirm that this problem is isolated to remote backups (using the BE Agent)?

Any help would be appreciated!

[Don_Mulvihill]

It happened for me on a local backup.

[Tonya_Murray]

Well, mine was on a remote backup, but for the first time since I started getting that error, my backups ran fine last night. Don't know if it has cleared up, but I was surprised that it ran, after several failed backups in a row. I didn't do anything other than try backing up the WBEM directory by iteself yesterday, which failed.

[Don_Mulvihill]

Hmmm, that's how it went for me, too. The problem occured once and never reappeared. It would be nice to have an answer on this from Veritas.

[Tonya_Murray]

Well, unfortunately, the error is back. My backups failed last night.

[Don_Mulvihill]

I just got this info from a Veritas tech:

Hi Don ,

It would be hard to tell why exactly the error occurred since it has not returned .

However you may refer the document at the following link for more information on WMI :



http://support.veritas.com/docs/194721

Following steps can be performed to resolve this issue :

PART-1:
On the server having error related with WMI,
1.Go to Start > Settings >
Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services.
2. Find the WMI service and verify whether the startup type is set to
Automatic and its status to Started.

If the issue persists, then try to backup WMI manually:

1. Right-click on My Computer and click on Manage.
2. Expand Services and Applications in the left window pane.
3. Right-click on WMI control and click on Properties
4. Click on the Backup/Restore tab and then click on the Back Up Now button
5. Type in a name for the file in the File Name field and click on the Open
button.

If this generates any kind of error during the backup, then it could be WMI database related issue. Microsoft Support should be contacted for immediate attention


Part-2:
If the windows backs up the WMI data successfully then follow these steps.

Check the physical space on the C:\drive where WMI data resides, Make sure at least 1 GB of free space is available.

Perform the backup again.


Part-3:
Incase it still fails with the same error, follow these steps.

Go to Local\remote server \\Server
1) Stop Windows Management service
2) Move out everything under c:\winnt\system32\wbem into temp directory
3) Start Windows Management service.

Run the backup again.


Part-4:
Incase the issue remains unresolved, please deselect the following folder from backup because this directory gets backed up automatically during SYSTEM STATE backup.

C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\WBEM directory .
Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM)

In windows 2003, WMI is a part of SHADOW COPY COMPONENTS.

[Robert_Dietz]

I have found that sometime during the backup of the problem server, it is stopping the BE9.1Remote Agent. I started the RA yesterday and it's stopped again today. Also there is a in case anyone missed it yesterday (06/22/05)

[Robin_Farrell]

Apologies Everyone, I have been in the United States for the last 2 weeks and had my colleague researching this with no luck. I will try some of the things people have been posting today and will get back to you all soon with the results,
Thanks again for your suggestions.

Robin.

[Robin_Farrell]

I have backed up the wbem directory manually and it is successful with no errors.
What now?

[Robin_Farrell]

I have also tried the full backup again with the wbem folder ommitted and the backup still fails with the WMI repository error.

[Don_Mulvihill]

Robin, I'm assuming that your full backup ran at it's usual time and that it was sometime after work hours. I'm no expert, but I would try running your full backup right after your test of the lone wbem folder succeeds. That might help narrow things down a bit.

Don

[Robin_Farrell]

The full backup takes 8 hours to complete so I don't think doing it during business hours is a good idea, as backupexec can be a bit of a CPU pig and it is on our main fileserver.

I honestly don't see how the time the backup is being done at could be affecting it and as one of the other posters here is complaining of the same problems I doubt it is a coincidence either.

Do Veritas employees even read these things?

[Don_Mulvihill]

What's your OS? Have you tried these steps:

Have you tried these steps?

PART-1:
On the server having error related with WMI,
1.Go to Start > Settings >
Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services.
2. Find the WMI service and verify whether the startup type is set to
Automatic and its status to Started.

If the issue persists, then try to backup WMI manually:

1. Right-click on My Computer and click on Manage.
2. Expand Services and Applications in the left window pane.
3. Right-click on WMI control and click on Properties
4. Click on the Backup/Restore tab and then click on the Back Up Now button
5. Type in a name for the file in the File Name field and click on the Open
button.

If this generates any kind of error during the backup, then it could be WMI database related issue. Microsoft Support should be contacted for immediate attention


Part-2:
If the windows backs up the WMI data successfully then follow these steps.

Check the physical space on the C:\drive where WMI data resides, Make sure at least 1 GB of free space is available.

Perform the backup again.


Part-3:
Incase it still fails with the same error, follow these steps.

Go to Local\remote server \\Server
1) Stop Windows Management service
2) Move out everything under c:\winnt\system32\wbem into temp directory
3) Start Windows Management service.

Run the backup again.


Part-4:
Incase the issue remains unresolved, please deselect the following folder from backup because this directory gets backed up automatically during SYSTEM STATE backup.

C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\WBEM directory .
Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM)

In windows 2003, WMI is a part of SHADOW COPY COMPONENTS.

[Robin_Farrell]

> What's your OS? Have you tried these steps:
>

Windows 2000


> Have you tried these steps?
>
> PART-1:
> On the server having error related with WMI,
> 1.Go to Start > Settings >
> Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services.
> 2. Find the WMI service and verify whether the
> startup type is set to
> Automatic and its status to Started.
>
The service is running fine.

> If the issue persists, then try to backup WMI
> manually:
>
> 1. Right-click on My Computer and click on Manage.
> 2. Expand Services and Applications in the left
> window pane.
> 3. Right-click on WMI control and click on
> Properties
> 4. Click on the Backup/Restore tab and then click on
> the Back Up Now button
> 5. Type in a name for the file in the File Name field
> and click on the Open
> button.
>

The Repository has no problem backing up through the microsoft GUI.

>
>
> Part-2:
> If the windows backs up the WMI data successfully
> then follow these steps.
>
> Check the physical space on the C:\drive where WMI
> data resides, Make sure at least 1 GB of free space
> is available.
>

There is plenty of free space.

> Perform the backup again.
>
>
> Part-3:
> Incase it still fails with the same error, follow
> these steps.
>
> Go to Local\remote server \\Server
> 1) Stop Windows Management service
> 2) Move out everything under c:\winnt\system32\wbem
> into temp directory
> 3) Start Windows Management service.
>

This is the same as the batch file I wrote to rebuild the repository to no avail.


> Run the backup again.
>
>
> Part-4:
> Incase the issue remains unresolved, please deselect
> the following folder from backup because this
> directory gets backed up automatically during SYSTEM
> STATE backup.
>
> C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\WBEM directory .
> Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM)

This also had no effect and the backup still fails.

I have decided to take the wbem folder out of all remote nodes being backed up tonight also as maybe this might narrow it down to which server is causing the problem if it isn't the server that backupexec is installed on.

[Don_Mulvihill]

Why are there no Veritas technicians providing assistance on this?

At 9:08 EST I clicked the "9.0 Moderated Support Forum" link at the top of this page. That takes you to a page which shows a bunch of threads and how many times they've been viewed and posted-to. This ticket has had around 1300 views while the next two highest had only 108 and 38, respectively.

This seems to be a very important issue because many people are viewing this ticket. Yet Veritas reps continue to neglect it. This is a disappointingly poor showing by Veritas.

I've had great phone service with them. Looks like the company isn't as serious about web support. It's a shame, really, because they could be helping a good deal of customers, not to mention saving themselves the tech support phone calls on this issue.

Will this posting prompt Veritas to get more involved? I hope so, but am doubtful.

Don Mulvihill

This is a copy of the stats from the "9.0 Moderated Support Forum" page. It shows the name of the thread and the number of page views.

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[Arnold_Rivera]

I think they're waiting for us to die so they can close this ticket.

I'm still getting the error when I run test backups. I've had to exclude the folders for 2 servers and put the other servers' folders into a separate job.

This "solution" is quite unacceptable. I would expect tech support to at least acknowledge that there is something happening with this issue.