This message showed up in the Windows Server backup console when the backup job is initiated. In the cmdlet when you run the command vssadmin list writers the SPSearch4 VSS Writer shows in a failed state.
Writer name: ‘SPSearch4 VSS Writer’
Writer Id: {35500004-0201-0000-0000-000000000000}
Writer Instance Id: {34a1fd6e-667d-4671-a551-2d4689c4e508}
State: [8] Failed
Last error: Inconsistent shadow copy
More Symptoms:
Event Viewer
Log Name: Application
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Backup
Date: 5/5/2012 12:36:46 AM
Event ID: 521
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords:
User: SYSTEM
Computer: xxx.xxx.local
Description:
The backup operation that started at ‘2012-05-05T04:36:27.540000000Z’ has failed because the Volume Shadow Copy Service operation to create a shadow copy of the volumes being backed up failed with following error code ‘2155348129’. Please review the event details for a solution, and then rerun the backup operation once the issue is resolved.
Screenshot from the Windows Server Backup Console
Solution:
The SharePoint services writer is waiting for completion. Did you install any SharePoint updates lately? (It could be due to the Sharepoint SP 1). If this is installed, then you need to fix SharePoint before your backup will work.
1. Open an Administrative command prompt.
2. Change directory to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\14\BIN
3. Run PSConfig.exe -cmd upgrade -inplace b2b -force -cmd applicationcontent -install -cmd installfeatures
Try to run a backup after running this command. Exceptionally the server might be needed a restart otherwise we are good to after running this command.
OR
The second solution is to run these command. Make sure to copy n paste as in the exact these are pasted here and rename it to .BAT and execute it as Run As Administrator
rem FILENAME: FIXVSS08.BAT
rem
net stop “System Event Notification Service”
net stop “Background Intelligent Transfer Service”
net stop “COM+ Event System”
net stop “Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider”
net stop “Volume Shadow Copy”
cd /d %windir%\system32
net stop vss
net stop swprv
regsvr32 /s ATL.DLL
regsvr32 /s comsvcs.DLL
regsvr32 /s credui.DLL
regsvr32 /s CRYPTNET.DLL
regsvr32 /s CRYPTUI.DLL
regsvr32 /s dhcpqec.DLL
regsvr32 /s dssenh.DLL
regsvr32 /s eapqec.DLL
regsvr32 /s esscli.DLL
regsvr32 /s FastProx.DLL
regsvr32 /s FirewallAPI.DLL
regsvr32 /s kmsvc.DLL
regsvr32 /s lsmproxy.DLL
regsvr32 /s MSCTF.DLL
regsvr32 /s msi.DLL
regsvr32 /s msxml3.DLL
regsvr32 /s ncprov.DLL
regsvr32 /s ole32.DLL
regsvr32 /s OLEACC.DLL
regsvr32 /s OLEAUT32.DLL
regsvr32 /s PROPSYS.DLL
regsvr32 /s QAgent.DLL
regsvr32 /s qagentrt.DLL
regsvr32 /s QUtil.DLL
regsvr32 /s raschap.DLL
regsvr32 /s RASQEC.DLL
regsvr32 /s rastls.DLL
regsvr32 /s repdrvfs.DLL
regsvr32 /s RPCRT4.DLL
regsvr32 /s rsaenh.DLL
regsvr32 /s SHELL32.DLL
regsvr32 /s shsvcs.DLL
regsvr32 /s /i swprv.DLL
regsvr32 /s tschannel.DLL
regsvr32 /s USERENV.DLL
regsvr32 /s vss_ps.DLL
regsvr32 /s wbemcons.DLL
regsvr32 /s wbemcore.DLL
regsvr32 /s wbemess.DLL
regsvr32 /s wbemsvc.DLL
regsvr32 /s WINHTTP.DLL
regsvr32 /s WINTRUST.DLL
regsvr32 /s wmiprvsd.DLL
regsvr32 /s wmisvc.DLL
regsvr32 /s wmiutils.DLL
regsvr32 /s wuaueng.DLL
sfc /SCANFILE=%windir%\system32\catsrv.DLL
sfc /SCANFILE=%windir%\system32\catsrvut.DLL
sfc /SCANFILE=%windir%\system32\CLBCatQ.DLL
net start “COM+ Event System”
net start “System Event Notification Service”
net start “Background Intelligent Transfer Service”
net start “Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider”
net start “Volume Shadow Copy”
After running the above commands, try to execute the SystemState backup, I am sure the issue will be resolved.
For running systemstate here is the command
wbadmin start systemstatebackup -backupTarget:<VolumeName>
For example: wbadmin start systemstatebackup -backupTarget:G:
All the Best..!!
~SG~
I do not have sharepoint installed.. what else could be wrong? You focused on one cause only.. Please help
Jonathan, what is the exact error message? Is it coming up at the time of taking a server using Windows Server backup?
I have same issue as Jonathan. The error comes up after Windows Server Backup prepares for a few minutes. The VSS writer that fails is SQLServerWriter with error text of ‘inconsistent shadow copy.’
No SharePoint installed.
Also check the state of the writers by running the following command in command prompt from system32 prompt.
Start > Run > cmd
cd\
cd windows\system32
vssadmin list writers
Check the state of the writers. If any of them is in a failed state then do the following.
Start > Run > regedit
Goto HKLM/Software/Microsoft/EventSystem/{26c…./Subscriptions.
Backup and delete the above registry key.
Reboot the server.
Also make sure that the c:\windows\system32\volsnap.sys driver is updated.
This is the updated one : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/979457
Good Luck !!
~AA~
The registry key you refer to does not exist on my system.
Also, the volsnap.sys hotfix only applies to Windows Server 2003, not 2008.
If you have sbs installed you have sharepoint installed . There is no way around it.
I was trying to “wbadmin start backup” and I got this error. I just turn off the Hyper-V service and it work. Thanks
awesome thank you
Thank you!! Worked like a charm, didn’t have to reboot.