Microsoft Exchange Writer State Failed – Symantec Backup Exec failing Job

Reading Time: 2 minutes

If you are receiving the below error:

‘Microsoft Exchange Writer State Failed’ when running ‘vssadmin List Writers’ on your mail server within a command prompt.

or if your symantec backup exec is failing with the error below:

‘The VSS writer failed, but the operation can be retired. Failed during prepare snapshot operation when backing up your exchange mail stores.’

Restart the mail server or restart the information store, this should clear the issue.

Type VSSADMIN LIST WRITERS on your mail server and you should find the error has disappeared and your backup should run as normal.

If the issue continues after the reboot, try the below URL which has been tested on Windows 2008 and 2008 R2. Someone has mentioned testing it on Windows 2003 and successfuly got through it.

Please read the below notes carefully.
* VSS FIX tested on 2008 and 2008R2 servers. Please ensure you have a backup before going ahead with this.
* Copy the below commands in the same format to a notepad and save it as .bat file. Run the bat file to fix VSS writer issues. Requires elevation so right click and run as administrator.
* The bat file will re register all the VSS dlls listed below
* Has been tested on Windows 2008 and Windows 2008 R2 servers.
* After this, Run command VSSADMIN LIST WRITERS
* Check if System writer is listed. If System writer is not listed run the next set of commands.

1)
 
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”
———————————————————————————————–
2)

If System writer is not listed when you check for the writers, run the below commands with elevated command prompt or you can create another bat file and run:
 
Takeown /f %windir%\winsxs\temp\PendingRenames /a
icacls %windir%\winsxs\temp\PendingRenames /grant “NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(RX)”
icacls %windir%\winsxs\temp\PendingRenames /grant “NT Service\trustedinstaller:(F)”
icacls %windir%\winsxs\temp\PendingRenames /grant BUILTIN\Users:(RX)
Takeown /f %windir%\winsxs\filemaps\* /a
icacls %windir%\winsxs\filemaps\*.* /grant “NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(RX)”
icacls %windir%\winsxs\filemaps\*.* /grant “NT Service\trustedinstaller:(F)”
icacls %windir%\winsxs\filemaps\*.* /grant BUILTIN\Users:(RX)
 
net stop cryptsvc
net start cryptsvc

Please ensure you have a recent backup of your server before going ahead with such changes. Always good to be on the safe side.

Source: http://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/vss-fixbat

Locate Symantec Backup Server

Reading Time: < 1 minute

You are logged onto a Windows server and want to know the backup server to where the server is being backed up to due to having multiple backup servers on your network. You can check this through the remote agent. Instructions below.

If you are using Symantec Backup Exec, you should have a Symantec backup exec remote agent running on the server. Check services or Start > Programs.

To locate your backup server:

1) Click Start
2) Programs
3) Symantec Backup Exec for Windows Server
4) Click the ‘publishing tab’
5) Backup server should listed

Scheduled job with Backup Exec showing as superseded

Reading Time: < 1 minute

The above usually occurs when a template rule is used specifying  ‘If start times conflict, template A supersedes template B’

An easy fix to resolve this, is to change the ‘effective date’ with the job.

1) Modify your job
2) Click ‘Schedule’
3) Click ‘Edit Schedule Details’
4) Click ‘Effective Date’
5) Change the date to todays or the date you wish to next run the backup.

The job was automatically canceled because it exceeded the job’s maximum configured

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Issue:

Backups with Symantec Backup Exec automatically cancel with the following error: The job was automatically canceled because it exceeded the job’s maximum configured

To resolve:

Within the job properties, under priority and availability, see the available Window setting options. If you don’t want a limit on the job
the box should be unchecked.

LiveUpdate stops downloading after 3500KB

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Symantec LiveUpdate stops downloading after 3500KB and sometimes hits 7000KB and stops with the below error. You use a proxy on your network. Symantec Backup Exec 2010 installed on Windows Server 2008.

Click below image to enlarge

 

Resolution

1) Access Control Panel
2) Access Symantec live Update
3) change LiveUpdate Configuration HTTP settings to “I want to customise my HTTP settings for LiveUpdate”
4) Enter proxy IP and port number
5) Change the Update Cache size to 30MB and click” ‘remove all files from cache’.
6) Close backup Exec and open again
7) Run LiveUpdate from Backup Exec again

Resolution 2
or

 1) In C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\LiveUpdate, open and edit “Settings.LiveUpdate” using notepad

2) Locate the below lines towards the end of the file and amend the following parameters:
    PREFERENCES\INTERNET_CONNECT_TIMEOUT=45
    PREFERENCES\INTERNET_READ_DATA_TIMEOUT=45

3) Amend to 450 (see below):

    PREFERENCES\INTERNET_CONNECT_TIMEOUT=450
    PREFERENCES\INTERNET_READ_DATA_TIMEOUT=450

4) Save file