Exchange backups failing

[zak2011]

Hi,

I am facing some strange issues when backing up Exchange.The backups are failing on one of the databases. I checked the vssadmin writers using the command in exchange and all of them seem stable. I tried backing up that database seperately and still it fails with the following message

EXCHSRVXX.company.local Full Backup-STH-DB04 Unlimted-Full -- The job failed with the following error: A failure occurred querying the Writer status.  Writer Name: Exchange Server, Writer ID: {76FE1AC4-15F7-4BCD-987E-8E1ACB462FB7}, Last error: The VSS Writer failed, but the operation can be retried (0x800423f3), State: Failed during prepare snapshot operation (8).

Thanks!
 

[Backup_Exec1]

Hi What version of exchange is this and with your above comment it seems its only failing on one database and other database backup is working fine, is this mailbox database or public folder, have you checked the events in application tab of exchange server when the backup fails Thanks

[zak2011]

This is exchange 2010.Yes only one database is failing. This is a mailbox database. I have run the vssadmin list writers on exchange and all the vss writers seem stable.

Thanks!

[Backup_Exec1]

Hi There ,have this database backup worked fine ever,have you tried dismounting the database and remounting it again. Ensure that during the backup maintainencefor that database is not running. Also ensure that curcluar logging is not enabled for that database if it is ,please disable it and then try doing backup again Thanks

[CraigV]

Hi zak,

The easiest way to eliminate BE 2012 is to run a Windows Backup Utility backup of the Information Store, and specifically the DB in question. If it still gives you the same error, then the issue lies with Windows/Exchange.

Also repair the VSS *.dlls...not sure if you have bookmarked the TN below, but here it is again:

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH70486

Thanks!

[zak2011]

,

Hi,

Just to answer your queries

have this database backup worked fine ever- Yes it has been working fine before

,have this database backup worked fine ever- No i didnt do that. Probably a restart would be better.

Ensure that during the backup maintainencefor that database is not running- It was already scheduled to run on seperate schedules

Also ensure that curcluar logging is not enabled for that database- This was already disabled.

Thanks!

[zak2011 · Accepted solution]

Hi Craig,

I ran an update of the Exchange agent and found that there were three updates. Once the agent was updated, i ran the backup again and it is working now.

Thanks again for tips. I will try them out if i face an issue again.