Backup Failed with the following error - e0000f16 - The operation failed to acquire the minimum number of drives and media needed.

[rohitjuneja]

We have a symantec backup Exec 2010 runningon a windows server 2008 R2. everything was running fine but last weekly backup failed with the following error e0000f16 - The operation failed to acquire the minimum number of drives and media needed..

I am fairly new to the Symantec backup but these are the things i have already checked:

I checked the job properties and it is poiting to the correct media set.

tape library is not offline and it shows up in the windows device manager. i restarted the bacjup services from tools - backup exec services and everything looks fine.

Please let me know what else i can do?

[lmosla]

You should update Backup Exec to Backup Exec 2010 R3 SP4 pushing out the remote agents so they stay at the same version.  http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH66724

Also, make sure you are using Symantec drivers, these can be installed through tapeinst.exe

in addition if you are using Windows 2003 or XP make sure the removable storage service is stopped and disabled.

and if this is a Robitic Library: "Ensure that Microsoft default drivers are installed for a medium changer (Robotic Library devices on...

1. Navigate to Device Manager as follows:
   For Windows 2008: Right-click Computer > Manage, expand Server Manager > Diagnostics, then selectDevice Manager.
   For Windows 2003: Right-click My Computer > Manager, expand Computer Management, then select Device Manager.
2. Expand Medium Changer, and make sure that Unknown Medium Changer is listed.
   Unknown Medium changer means that the default Microsoft drivers are installed.
3. If OEM drivers are installed, right-click the OEM driver > Properties > Update driver.
   Updating the driver will install the Microsoft driver; Unknown Medium Changer will be displayed." 
4.  copied directly from http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH24414

[rohitjuneja]

Unknown Medium changer is listed under Medium charger in device manager.

Also LTO tape library is listed under tape drives in Device manager. and everything is up and running. I am going to run the backup again toninght and see what happens. will keep you posted.

Thanks

[rohitjuneja]

I ran the backup again and it failed again with the same error message. But when i checked under device its showing online.b2d works fine but B2T is not working.

[pkh]

Try re-creating your job.

[rohitjuneja · Accepted solution]

I just restarted the backup exec services again and this time it worked. thanks for all the replies.