Re: NTBackup Freezing Server

You can open a cmd prompt on the SBS and run "dcdiag" without the quotes to
check the AD. Also, "vssadmin list writers" will theoretically let you know
if any of the VSS writers are reporting errors. However, I have not found
this to be the most reliable source of information about the writers -
sometimes it'll report no error for all of them, when they are logging
errors in the application log.

Trying to find more info on Google about this, I found two separate people
who said it was fixed by BIOS updates, something I never would have
considered. A few others point to hardware issues, although without giving
much clear information. I would think that hardware issues would show other
symptoms, and also that if it were hardware, either backup to disk or to
tape would succeed. I suppose if both the disks and the tape are on the
same scsi controller, you could look into that. Overall, there would be no
harm in browsing the manufacturer's web site for any driver or firmware
updates that may be available. I'd probably not just randomly install
everything they offer, but I'd at least read the release notes to see if any
issues are addressed that may be relevant.

This is just system state, right? If you back up C, D, or whatever other
drives you have, those backups succeed? The server is up to date with all
patches including SBS SP1?


"Tylan" <Tylan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:4C019594-9324-40A9-BB6E-B18BE37EE012@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I just tried your suggestions. No luck.

I installed the hotfix you linked to, but the server still froze during
the
system state backup.

On my next try, I stopped just about every service that I could. The
first
backup of the system state ran fine, but the second time it did not. The
second backup froze the server.

Process Explorer didn't reveal anything special, but it freezes along with
the rest of the server.

For what it's worth, I've noticed something - - - During the system state
backup it seems that ntbackup always freezes during the active directoy
portion of the job. Could there be an issue with AD & VSS?




"Dave Nickason [SBS MVP]" wrote:

I'm assuming you've checked the event logs? Maybe VSS is logging
something
when this happens?

I'd also install this patch. I had an issue with VSS errors at the time
of
MSDE backups, that were fixed with this, even though not specifically
addressed in the KB.

Availability of a Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) update rollup package
for
Windows Server 2003 to resolve some VSS snapshot issues
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3ben-us%3b940349

Since it seems that you can reliably reproduce the behavior, there are
two
things I'd try. Shut down all the 3rd party (non-Microsoft) services and
see if you still get the freeze during backup. If you don't, enable
small
groups of services until you narrow it down to the one that's behind the
freezing, and troubleshoot that. And, you could try bringing up a
Process
Explorer window. Get the server to freeze and see if you can tell a
service
that started using resources just before the freeze. I wouldn't bet the
farm on this solution, but it'll only take a second. Process Explorer
can
be run right from the exe - I usually run it from my tools USB drive.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/ProcessesAndThreads/ProcessExplorer.mspx


"Tylan" <Tylan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:596CE11A-D7B3-45F0-B957-27C434FA9467@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I'm working with a 2003 SBS Standard Server SP2. However this issue is
more
a general Windows issue not specific to SBS.

At some point the NTBackup application started freezing the server. We
thought the issue was the tape hardware, but upon backing up to a BKF
file
we
still have the same problem.

There were some errors about VSS, but I found some MS KB articles that
had
me re-register quite a bit of dlls. I still get a 6013 VSS error when
SQL
(MSDE) for ACT! is running. When I stop the ACT! services I do not get
any
errors during NTBackup (to disk). The server will freeze (lock up)
during
backup and require a push of the reset button. There are no errors in
any
of
the event logs.

Here's the strangest part: The server will let me get a system state
backup
about 1 out of 5 times. Since there aren't any errors when it does
freeze
I'm not sure what to try next. Any suggestions?

Thank





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