Backup fails after copying approximately 17 GB error E00084EC and E00084ED

[Lucas_21]

Hi all,

I had big problems about all my backups since one month.

I have backup Exec 2010 R3 running on windows server 2008 R2 the machine is an IBM bladecenter S. 

When i backup something i get the E00084EC or the E00084ED error and the display on the tape library shows the number 6.

I have excluded any hardware issues since "Windows System" backup works at the beginning but after 16 800 to 17 700 MB it fails.

The strange thing is that when i start a backup selecting the ".wmdk backup" of the entire virtual machine it works up to 40 000 / 40 800 MB of transfered data then it fails too.

I have aged, compacted, rebuilt indices and repaired the backup exec database but had no luck.

I also cleaned the device and checked out cable connections.

I ran the veritas quick assistant and it shows the following error :

event id 11    LSI_SAS    System    Error   The driver detected a controller error on \Device\RaidPort1. 

But on the windows event i saw that this error also occurred when the backup still was working.

The only alert that i get from the IBM bladecenter is to replace the battery backup unit BBU of the RAID Controller because tomorrow expires.

The xml log file gives me these errors:

- A backup storage read/write error has occurred. If the storage is tape based, this is usually caused by dirty read/write heads in the tape drive. Clean the tape drive, and then try the job again. If the problem persists, try a different tape. You may also need to check for problems with cables, termination, or other hardware issues. If the storage is disk based, check that the storage subsystem is functioning properly. Review any system logs or vendor specific logs associated with the storage to help determine the source of the problem. You may also want to check any vendor specific documentation for troubleshooting recommendations.

  </OperationErrors>

  <end_time>Backup completed on 29/02/2016 at 12:06:53.</end_time>

- <summary>

  <misc>Backed up 0 files in 0 directories.</misc>

  <backed_up_virtual_machines>Backed up 1 virtual machines</backed_up_virtual_machines>

  <backed_up_virtual_machine_disks>Backed up 0 virtual machine disks</backed_up_virtual_machine_disks>

  <new_processed_bytes>Processed 40.811.753.731 bytes in 19 minutes and 24 seconds.</new_processed_bytes>

  <vlm_hist_rateformat2>Throughput rate: 2006 MB/min</vlm_hist_rateformat2>

  <compression_type_used>Compression Type: Hardware</compression_type_used>

  </summary>

  <filler>----------------------------------------------------------------------</filler>

  </set>

  </machine>

  </backup>

- <tape_alerts>

  <tape_alert_message>Warning - The tape drive may have a hardware fault. Check for availability of diagnostic information and run extended diagnostics if applicable. Check the tape drive users manual for instructions on running extended diagnostic tests and retrieving diagnostic data. Robotic Library: Drive: IBM 0001 Slot:</tape_alert_message>

  <tape_alert_message>Critical - The start of data could not be found on the tape: 1. Check you are using the correct format tape. 2. Discard the tape or return the tape to your supplier. Robotic Library: Drive: IBM 0001 Slot:</tape_alert_message>

  <tape_alert_message>Critical - The tape drive needs cleaning: 1. If the operation has stopped, eject the tape and clean the drive. 2. If the operation has not stopped, wait for it to finish and then clean the drive. Check the tape drive users manual for device specific cleaning instructions. Robotic Library: Drive: IBM 0001 Slot:</tape_alert_message>

For additional information regarding this error refer to link V-79-57344-34029

Can you please help me?

Thank you in advance

Best regards

[CraigV · Accepted solution]

Download the IBM tape tools application and run a check against the drive to rule out hardware problems.

Also make sure you're on SP4 for BE 2010 R3 by running LiveUpdate to check for this.

Thanks!

[pkh]

The error message indicates that you are using a HBA which supports RAID. This kind of HBA are not supported unless they are listed in the document below http://www.veritas.com/docs/000038683 If your HBA supports RAID and is not listed in the above document, you need to get one which does not support RAID

[Lucas_21]

Thank you for your reply, the SP4 5 is installed already

now i'm downloading the tape tools application and i hope it willl explain the issue

[Lucas_21]

Excuse me for my ignorance but i don't know what is a host bus adapter 

How can i check what kind of hba i have? 

How can I workaround this problem? 

thank you very much for the support 

[pkh]

Check with your hardware vendor

[Larry_Fine]

Excuse me for my ignorance but i don't know what is a host bus adapter 

How can i check what kind of hba i have? 

Host Bus Adapter (HBA) is frequently called a SAS card, a PCI card or in the old days, a SCSI card.  It could be built into the motherboard, so it may not even be a physical card any more.  You will have to watch the POST messages when the server boots and/or do some exploring in Windows Device Manager, etc to see what you have in your machine.

event id 11    LSI_SAS    System    Error   The driver detected a controller error on \Device\RaidPort1. 

This indicates that you are probably using an LSI branded card, or at least an adapter with an LSI chipset.  There is nothing wrong with LSI cards, but you need to make sure that you are using a non-RAID card, as there are no LSI RAID cards that are supported by BE

RAID is good for disks. RAID is bad for tape drives.

Is Backup Exec running on a physical machine or a virtual machine?  Running BE on a virtual machine with SAS tape drives is not supported.

[Lucas_21]

Thank you very much for the informations!

Tomorrow I will check the post messages on boot.

Backup exec is running on a physical machine where vsphere is installed also

[Larry_Fine]

  <tape_alert_message>Warning - The tape drive may have a hardware fault. Check for availability of diagnostic information and run extended diagnostics if applicable. Check the tape drive users manual for instructions on running extended diagnostic tests and retrieving diagnostic data. Robotic Library: Drive: IBM 0001 Slot:</tape_alert_message>

  <tape_alert_message>Critical - The start of data could not be found on the tape: 1. Check you are using the correct format tape. 2. Discard the tape or return the tape to your supplier. Robotic Library: Drive: IBM 0001 Slot:</tape_alert_message>

  <tape_alert_message>Critical - The tape drive needs cleaning: 1. If the operation has stopped, eject the tape and clean the drive. 2. If the operation has not stopped, wait for it to finish and then clean the drive. Check the tape drive users manual for device specific cleaning instructions. Robotic Library: Drive: IBM 0001 Slot:</tape_alert_message>

For your information, these TapeAlerts are coming from the hardware itself.  These errors are not produced by Backup Exec.  BE is simply the messenger passing on the alerts.  Please re-clean the tape drive and continue to investigate your hardware enviroment.

I have excluded any hardware issues since "Windows System" backup works at the beginning but after 16 800 to 17 700 MB it fails.

This statment isn't clear to me.  Does the other backup complete successfully or not?  If it doesn't complete successfully, then I don't think that you have excluded hardware issues.

You should probably download and run the vendor diagnostics.  What tape drive(s) and/or tape library are you using?

[pkh]

This means that you are running BE in a VM. Unless the tape library/drive is connected to the virtualized media server by iSCSI then you configuration is not supported

[Lucas_21]

No, I didn't make myself perfectly clear: the server running Be exec is physical. VSphere is also installed on this server which can manage the other virtual machines.

The cable connecting the entire IBM Bladecenter to the tape library is a mini scsi cable, this type in particular:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/SFF_8088.jpg

[pkh]

What is the OS of this machine?  vSphere is a suite of products. By vSphere, do you mean vCenter or an ESXi host?  You cannot load BE onto an ESX host.

The connector is irrelevant.  It is what the model of the HBA and whether it supports RAID that matters.

[Lucas_21]

Thank you for your reply, right after I have run the vendor diagnostics the tape library returns an error. It is an IBM ULT3580-H44, now i will contact IBM to hear what they say. 

[Lucas_21]

Thank you all, the problem was the tape library, now that I've changed it the backup starts correctly.

Thank you very much again to all of you! 

[CraigV]

Glad to have helped!