unable to open the item \\remoteservername\\system?state\registry\software-skipped

[aberndt]

This error started appearing daily about 1 month ago.  Backups were running great for about 1 1/2 years before this with no changes to anything.  The server is running BE 9.1 rev 4691 with a remote agent installed.  The error occurs backing up the system state on the remote server.  I updated the main server to SP5 yesterday and the problem still occurs.  I inherited this network so I'll try to provide some details and then maybe someone could assist me as I'm hesitant to just uninstall and reinstall everything without some guidance.  The main server is a database server running SQL 2000 (it also runs the software that runs our business), the remote server is a terminal server (Win2K).  The remote server has a BackUp Exec 9.1.4691 installation if you go to add/remove programs.  Is that the remote agent as is that where I should uninstall the remote agent from or should I do it from the main server???  The remote server launches the BackUp Exec setup wizard when you click on the desktop icon (I just clicked on cancel).  If I try to reinstall the remote agent by pushing it out from the main server, will that stop the SQL processes that are running on the main server?  If so, then I need to do this after hours.  Is this (uninstall and reinstall) even the right solution to the problem of the skipped file???  I apologize for all of the newbie questions.  Please let me know if I can provide any more information.  Thank you in advance for your help!!!

[aberndt]

Twice in the last 2 days!!!  I made no changes since it failed the night after I reinstalled the Remote Agent, so I have no idea what fixed it.  Delayed reaction perhaps???  I'll see what happens last week.

[pkh]

Barry,

My problem is still an outstanding one with the SEP support staff.  It is on open status since middle of last year.  If I have any updates, I will let you know.

Luckily, my server does not have a connection to the Internet so I can get away with not installing SEP.  However, the aim is to install it.

[barrywohl]

pkh's post led me to try to remove Endpoint Protection 11.0.3 from my Win2K Server SP4 computer, hoping to be able to back up the registry.  It worked but the price wasn't worth it.  Or maybe it was.

I tried to remove SEP but the removal failed.  Then I contacted Symantec tech support.  After some difficulties and messing with the registry, the tech got SEM removed, and I was able to back up the system state,  but my network card no longer worked.  We worked for four more hours to get the network card going. Network cards are a good thing for an application server.

Symantec gave up on the network card and I turned to Dell.  The Dell technicians also worked for a few hours to get the card properly reinstalled, but nothing worked. I mean nothing. Removing drivers. Trying original drivers. Trying new drivers.  Safe mode. Recovery Console. Emergency Repair Disk.

So I reinstalled the operating system, including formatting and repartitioning the hard drives.  Rather than restore from an available tape, and possibly reinstall the corrupted registry, I installed from scratch.  I have just finished manually installing all the applications and profiles.

It was a chore, but I didn't lose any data, and now I have a much cleaner install.  I am very hesitant about reinstalling SEP.  I think I will, but only after I have some really good full backups sitting on a shelf available to streamline my next recovery.

And I can reliably back up the system state with NTbackup and with Backup Exec 12.5.

Barry

[aberndt]

Backup has been successful 6 times in a row.  I have no idea what fixed it except uninstalling and reinstalling the Remote Agent was the only significant thing I did.  Thank you all for your help.

[CraigV]

Cool dude...can you close it off as a solution then?