VSS errors with BESR and Diskepper 2008 installed

[Geejaybee]

Since installing Diskeeper 2008 on a system with BESR 8.0 installed I am having the following error constantly logged in the application log:-

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Diskeeper
Event Category: NoneEvent Type: Error
Event Source: VSS
Event Category: None
Event ID: 12293
Date: 13/05/2009
Time: 10:59:41
User: N/A
Computer: SYN-NGT-3A
Description:
Volume Shadow Copy Service error: Error calling a routine on the Shadow Copy Provider {262b716e-bb23-41b5-aaef-e2c15e767167}. Routine details Cannot ask provider {262b716e-bb23-41b5-aaef-e2c15e767167} if volume is snapshotted. [0x80004005] [hr = 0x80004005].

Event ID: 6
Date: 13/05/2009
Time: 10:59:41
User: N/A
Computer: SYN-NGT-3A
Description:
Diskeeper Control Center - ERROR Unable to check the VSS Shadow Copy status for volume L:\ .


The provider in question is the Symantec VSS one installed with BESR. This is probably a DK problem using the wrong provider but does anyone have an answer? (BTW This service is set to auto-start and the MS service set to manual)

[marcogsp]

Sometimes scheduling Diskeeper to halt deframenting during imaging does not clear this error condition, and the Diskeeper service needs to be stopped altogether.  In my environment, I use a command script to stop the Diskeeper service before imaging, and another to restart after the imaging process has completed.  Diskeeper is not always good at giving up control of the drive resources to backup and copying processes in my experience.  Otherwise it works well in my environment, so I use the workaround to get the images captured.

Here are the commands in the batch files I use

Pre Imaging:

net stop diskeeper


Post Imaging:

net start diskeeper

[Geejaybee]

Thanks for the reply. The problem I have is not when imaging (that appears to work OK), but with DK itself, which is set for automatic defrag. Every 10 mins or so, presumably when DK attempts some action, it appears to enquire the volume VSS status, but this errors because the Symantec VSS provider is called. As we do not use volume shadow copies, I am wondering whether I should disable that in DK??

[Geejaybee]

Thanks for the reply. The problem I have is not when imaging (that appears to work OK), but with DK itself, which is set for automatic defrag. Every 10 mins or so, presumably when DK attempts some action, it appears to enquire the volume VSS status, but this errors because the Symantec VSS provider is called. As we do not use volume shadow copies, I am wondering whether I should disable that in DK??

[Geejaybee]

Thanks for the reply. The problem I have is not when imaging (that appears to work OK), but with DK itself, which is set for automatic defrag. Every 10 mins or so, presumably when DK attempts some action, it appears to enquire the volume VSS status, but this errors because the Symantec VSS provider is called. As we do not use volume shadow copies, I am wondering whether I should disable that in DK??

[marcogsp]

Geejaybee -- Oddly enough, one of my servers just developed this problem on the Diskeeper side.  The BESR interactions with VSS appear to be okay.  I tried to open the Diskeeper console to check the option for interaction with Power Management  and Microsoft VSS.  The console appeared to be extremely pared down and I could not access the configuration options or the quick launch bar.  Are you experiencing this too?

If your BESR images are being captured correctly, it seems that the Diskeeper is more of an annoyance.  I would keep the Diskeeper service active unless it is truly causing a problem.   However this is an annoyance I would like to see go away too.  I'll keep working on it at my end and let you know what I find.

[marcogsp]

Come to find out, I had Diskeeper 2007 installed on the server I mentioned before.  It still produced the same error.  I uninstalled the 2007 version and installed the 2008 version.  In Diskeeper... Configuration.....Properties..Volume Shadow Copy Service(VS....      I set both the Automatic and Manual Defragmentation methods using the Standard Defragmentation method.  So far, so good.  Since I do not have Shadow Copies of my volumes being made, this method will not overpopulate the VSS storage area and risk VSS snapshots being purged.. 

[Geejaybee]

Marco,

Thanks, I have been told by DK Corp that the latest DK 2008 install does not have this probloem, so I am waiting to install it and see.