backups failing due to lack of space.

Dashrender

I have a 2012R2 server running on EXSi 5.5 that my Appassure 5.4.2 won't backup.

I've started the narrow down process to the fact that the System Reserved Partition is full.

When I try to run VSS on that partition directly I get:
Failed to create a shadow copy of volume
\?\Volume[dfd67c37-aed4-11e3-80b4-xxxxxxxxxxxx].
Error 0x8004231f: Insufficient storage available to create either the shadow copy storage file or other shadow copy data.

So I've done my Google-fu and it seems like there is probably an over run of crap laying in the SRP probably from chkdsk running on it.

Of course I can't just open the drive up and see what's going on in there,see if I can delete anything.

I found this article which tells me to use disk manager to give the SRP a drive letter, then do some clean up on (mainly using chkdsk /r and chkdsk /L:2048).
Then I need to set the max size for the VSS volume, vssadmin resize shadowstorage /for=r: /on=r: /maxsize=50MB
Finally remove the drive letter and all should be good.

I don't know about you, but this scares the hell out of me that my system won't boot again.

Thoughts, anyone else run into this before?

Dashrender

I a related article on Veeam's site that says
If the System Reserved Partition on any Windows installation is full and no shadow copies are present, please contact Microsoft support.

Bill Kindle

I do know that VSS requires at minimum 10% free space at all times on the entire volume. It may be more than just the System volume.

Dashrender

All of my other drives have at least 20% free

Dashrender

I just manually created Shadow copies for all drives except the SRP - they all worked as expected.

Dashrender

Holy cow, this is one hell of a procedure to fix it.

http://bitsandbytesofict.wordpress.com/2014/02/22/how-to-repair-windows-8-1-image-based-backup-on-gpt-disks-volume-shadow-copy-service-error-0x8004231f/

Dashrender

If I take a snap shot in VMWare, does it snap all of the drives associated with that VM?

IRJ

This is my VSS Bible. This is the best guide I have found for troubleshooting VSS issues

http://backupchain.com/hyper-v-backup/Troubleshooting.html

ignore their free tool and ads. Just go through the troubleshooting steps

Dashrender

I opened a case with Dell, once they called me back - they walked me through the procedure I mentioned above.

Logon to server in question

disk management > assign the SRP a drive letter, make sure you can see system files, take ownership of system volume information > grant full control of system volume information

delete the AAlog_* files

Give ownership back to system

remove the permissions you gave yourself, starting with the files, then the folder itself

remove the drive letter you gave the SRP

Done - you should now have over 50 megs of free space in the SRP - now try to do your backup.

@Dashrender said:

I opened a case with Dell, once they called me back - they walked me through the procedure I mentioned above.

Logon to server in question

disk management > assign the SRP a drive letter, make sure you can see system files, take ownership of system volume information > grant full control of system volume information

delete the AAlog_* files

Give ownership back to system

remove the permissions you gave yourself, starting with the files, then the folder itself

remove the drive letter you gave the SRP

Done - you should now have over 50 megs of free space in the SRP - now try to do your backup.

good job dude