Backup Fails - Final error: 0xe000fed1 - A failure occurred querying the Writer status.

[shabbaranker]

This seems to be an ongoing problem with no "real" solution. We had this error about a week ago, I checked and double checked all ideas that were offered - not changing anything as everything was configured correctly (or so it seems). By this time the next backup had run and completed without error - same job policy etc. And now checking it this morning the error "Final error: 0xe000fed1 - A failure occurred querying the Writer status" has come back. Now I will bet tomorrow's backup will run fine and I havent changed anything.

Why does this happen? Surely there should be a constant error or not - not sometimes yes sometimes no?

Thanks
 

[sammy_perfect]

Hi,

In you case if the job are failing intermittent with same error, I will like you to suggest please refer event viewer application log for same time stamp & also if you have not installed the VSS patch if it is win2003 then you can install from the following link

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/833167

Also you can refer the symantec document on same

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH42921

Thank You

[shabbaranker]

The VSS witer timed out with error:

Writer name: 'Microsoft Exchange Writer'
   Writer Id: {76fe1ac4-15f7-4bcd-987e-8e1acb462fb7}
   Writer Instance Id: {1cecf613-0c34-4208-9b1a-e286d4c84b0e}
   State: [9] Failed
   Last error: Timed out

All resolutions seem to point to a Server 2003 hotfix but we are using SBS 2008 - is there any known fix for this?

Thanks

[sammy_perfect]

Hi ,

You can follow the link for MS which gives some information about VSS issue right as like win2003 there is no hotfix for win2008 so in this case if the issue persist you may have to call Microsoft were they can debug the VSS to trace the error

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb218863%28EXCHG.80%29.aspx

Thank You

[pkh]

You might want to try re-registering your VSS DLL's.  See the solution in the discussion below

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/failure-occurred-querying-writer-status-server-2008-r...

[shabbaranker]

Tried re-registering the dll's and it still error's. As I say its not all the time, Ive had 25 successful backups and then it failed again last night with the same error.

[CraigV]

Hi there,

No AV scans running at the time, or some other maintenance taks that might have caused this?

[Dev_T]

I faced the same issue, I rebooted the problem server and the issue got resolved...

hope this helps...

[shabbaranks]

This is still on going. Rebooting the server works but its only a temporary fix the problem rears up again afterwards. Not always straight away and not all the time. There must be a fix out for it I cant see how you can call a reboot a fix??

[CraigV]

...a reboot isn't a fix , but it is the first step in most troubleshooting steps...

I have seen issues being resolved in other forums by installing the latest SP for Windows Server 2008. I'd suggest trying that and running Windows Update to see if there are other available patches. Try the backups again, and post the results here...

If you already have the latest SP installed, reinstall it and try the backups.

[shabbaranks]

The SBS 2008 machine is up to date and still the backups fail randomly. Apart from using event viewer to see errors can I setup a log within backupexec?

The event error is:

Information Store (2528) Shadow copy instance 3 aborted.  

[shabbaranks]

Updated yesterday and still get this error:

Writer name: 'ASR Writer'
   Writer Id: {be000cbe-11fe-4426-9c58-531aa6355fc4}
   Writer Instance Id: {fba6de36-f371-48c2-9f38-cfc02c05aa60}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error

Writer name: 'System Writer'
   Writer Id: {e8132975-6f93-4464-a53e-1050253ae220}
   Writer Instance Id: {680f24fe-ec25-47ac-967f-6f287eee70aa}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error

Writer name: 'SqlServerWriter'
   Writer Id: {a65faa63-5ea8-4ebc-9dbd-a0c4db26912a}
   Writer Instance Id: {974d987f-6cec-4c75-9036-0a9453d78200}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error

Writer name: 'FRS Writer'
   Writer Id: {d76f5a28-3092-4589-ba48-2958fb88ce29}
   Writer Instance Id: {de161ba2-b9b3-4b6f-a506-2dd92918bebd}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error

Writer name: 'SharePoint Services Writer'
   Writer Id: {c2f52614-5e53-4858-a589-38eeb25c6184}
   Writer Instance Id: {4b2454a9-7c6a-4a69-88f4-e500fe073d47}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error

Writer name: 'FSRM Writer'
   Writer Id: {12ce4370-5bb7-4c58-a76a-e5d5097e3674}
   Writer Instance Id: {0d1686e3-658c-4fe4-bf48-c64ee757195c}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error

Writer name: 'IIS Config Writer'
   Writer Id: {2a40fd15-dfca-4aa8-a654-1f8c654603f6}
   Writer Instance Id: {66084997-2844-4f6a-b0ef-4eb50b926cca}
   State: [9] Failed
   Last error: Timed out

Writer name: 'Certificate Authority'
   Writer Id: {6f5b15b5-da24-4d88-b737-63063e3a1f86}
   Writer Instance Id: {ae03fe3f-1c61-497c-9d66-8dabea68a4d0}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error

Writer name: 'COM+ REGDB Writer'
   Writer Id: {542da469-d3e1-473c-9f4f-7847f01fc64f}
   Writer Instance Id: {b0b69e0f-d964-4d5d-93c7-9f8054ad84c9}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error

Writer name: 'Dhcp Jet Writer'
   Writer Id: {be9ac81e-3619-421f-920f-4c6fea9e93ad}
   Writer Instance Id: {751363b7-ebc0-4190-8164-765084bd7211}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error

Writer name: 'IIS Metabase Writer'
   Writer Id: {59b1f0cf-90ef-465f-9609-6ca8b2938366}
   Writer Instance Id: {6bfd358d-e1cf-40e2-90bf-d09b8c250265}
   State: [9] Failed
   Last error: Timed out

Writer name: 'Registry Writer'
   Writer Id: {afbab4a2-367d-4d15-a586-71dbb18f8485}
   Writer Instance Id: {c1c4565f-eaa5-418a-aa6f-0872c05d2560}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error

Writer name: 'TS Gateway Writer'
   Writer Id: {368753ec-572e-4fc7-b4b9-ccd9bdc624cb}
   Writer Instance Id: {8d83b8d1-b3cf-4b74-be9e-25fd257c1b2e}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error

Writer name: 'Microsoft Exchange Writer'
   Writer Id: {76fe1ac4-15f7-4bcd-987e-8e1acb462fb7}
   Writer Instance Id: {ce7acb70-ae6c-41f6-93e1-45b175530354}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error

Writer name: 'Shadow Copy Optimization Writer'
   Writer Id: {4dc3bdd4-ab48-4d07-adb0-3bee2926fd7f}
   Writer Instance Id: {f8d5129a-1825-48fc-81e5-bcd29b3e9b57}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error

Writer name: 'NTDS'
   Writer Id: {b2014c9e-8711-4c5c-a5a9-3cf384484757}
   Writer Instance Id: {8212e007-aeaf-44bc-9487-94b04e616d43}
   State: [9] Failed
   Last error: Timed out

Writer name: 'WMI Writer'
   Writer Id: {a6ad56c2-b509-4e6c-bb19-49d8f43532f0}
   Writer Instance Id: {f8d43403-411c-491b-958a-fee5c04f0026}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error

Writer name: 'BITS Writer'
   Writer Id: {4969d978-be47-48b0-b100-f328f07ac1e0}
   Writer Instance Id: {372cbbfe-7b87-4b1d-8bb4-a676b4e5830c}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error

Writer name: 'NPS VSS Writer'
   Writer Id: {35e81631-13e1-48db-97fc-d5bc721bb18a}
   Writer Instance Id: {c4c12665-b5b0-43fc-be99-07dc4e3ecb18}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error

Writer name: 'MSSearch Service Writer'
   Writer Id: {cd3f2362-8bef-46c7-9181-d62844cdc0b2}
   Writer Instance Id: {4aa1236d-3a12-400b-8e60-ab66f822a9ea}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error

Writer name: 'SPSearch VSS Writer'
   Writer Id: {57af97e4-4a76-4ace-a756-d11e8f0294c7}
   Writer Instance Id: {faac1664-3eed-4909-9551-bfc99e3af129}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error

Im not convinced it was "release 3" which I installed as it just came back with hotfixes - how do I determin which release Im at?

Thanks

[CraigV]

Well...did you upgrade? You can't do it through LiveUpdate, so it must have been a manual installation if you did.

To check which version you have installed, go to:

Help --> About --> It's going to show you which version...

Thanks!

[shabbaranks]

Thanks thats what I thought - I went via the live update. I'll download the release 3 update and install today - I dont suppose you have a link please? I've searched and cant find it.

[CraigV]

...check here:

http://www.symantec.com/business/products/trialware.jsp?pcid=pcat_storage&pvid=57_1#

You're able to use your current licenses with R3...

[shabbaranks]

Just looking at the error I pasted - theres nothing wrong with the Exchange writer process but looking at the KB for this known error it states that a Exchange Writer time out causes this

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH42921

Whats fraustrating is that the cause of the problem is never consistant yet the result is always the same. Also the error isnt consistant - and the solution purchase a different copy of the backup software??? Surely Symantec "should" have a proper fix rather than suggesting purchasing another copy of a product which doesnt work properly?

[shabbaranks]

Ive spoken to a sales rep and they said you cant use the serial from 2010 to install 2010 R3 - we dont have a support plan either.

Craig - do you have different information to what I have been told?

Thanks

[CraigV]

...if you read that TN, they don't mention purchasing another copy of the backup software. Actually, neither of those TNs mention that. The upgrade would be to check if it resolved the issue...also the upgrade is free.

That said, where is your failure? Is it with the registry? Exchange?

Are you running the latest MS service pack? Is your Windows fully patched?

[CraigV]

...that is weird, because I have used the serial #s I got with BE 2010 to upgrade to BE 2010 R2, and will use them for BE 2010 R3...

[shabbaranks]

Turns out by luck more than judgement we are within our time for support as the software was purchased just under a year ago.

Would you advise a clean install - or install over the top?

Thanks with all your input/help on this