Unable to backup Windows 2008 system state with deduplication storage

[robnicholson]

Full deduplication backup of our main Windows 2008 R2 x64 file server (which is also a DC) failed at the very end. It looked like it had backed up most of the files so I made a guess it was the system state part of the backup. So set-up a separate job just to backup the system state and it fails immediately:

Error category : Resource ErrorsError : e000feb5 - A device could not be opened because it is write protected.
For additional information regarding this error refer to link V-79-57344-65205

I had a look around the forums for that error message and didn't really get very far.

The article referenced above (which Symantec's own search engine cannot find but Google can - *sigh*) is here:

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH72758&actp=search&viewlocale=en_U...

Similar ballpark but that's all about Equal Logic SAN which we don't use so suspect it's a red herring.

But... same selection but with B2D storage does work... so looks like a problem with deduplication storage.

Any ideas? For now, I'll remove system state from the main backup (so at least it completes cleanly) and do separate system state backup to B2D storage.

Cheers, Rob.

[robnicholson]

I wrote that whilst the B2D backup was still running but it has now completed. So deduplication, instant error - B2D fine.

Cheers, Rob.

[dedupe-works]

remove Active Directory GRT from the system state backup. Let me know if that allows the job to complete.

[Gurvinder]

Make sure \\.pdvfs\servername\2 path is accessible when logged in with the BE Service Account on the media server.

[robnicholson]

Hi Randey,

You cannot edit any of the options under system state backup can you? It's all or nothing with the options. See attached screenshot.

Cheers, Rob.

[dedupe-works]

Remove this option and re-run the backup.

http://imgur.com/4Ckfv

[robnicholson]

Hi Randey,

Thanks, removing that option has allowed the backup of system state to deduplication storage to start. It's currently running so not counting eggs just yet.

One quick question which I'll be able to test when the backup completes: will we still be able to restore the system state to another location? The only reason we tend to backup system state is so we can get back to old copies of the logon script incase we make a mistake when editing it.

I don't think we'd ever consider restoring AD from backup - just one of those things that one suspect would never work, esp. with Exchange in the frame. Instead we have a DC in our USA office.

Cheers, Rob.

[dedupe-works]

@robnicholson - You can redirect to a file, but its all or nothing.

Regarding the option to remove GRT and the success of the subsequent job, it would mean that the PDVFS is having an issue.

I would redirect you to Gurvinders post below and ensure the pdvfs share is online.

\\.pdvfs\SERVERNAME\2

[RpR]

Got the same error here, also to dedupe. 

The share mentioned by Gurvinder is accessible.