Open files being skipped with NTBACKUP when /snap:on specified

[Guest Ken L]

I am trying to backup a Win2003 Server system (that normally has files open

on it) with Microsoft's NTBACKUP. I am getting the following messages:

 

Warning: Unable to open "\\KCNGSB\C$\#SYSMAINT\WMBackup.ldb" - skipped.

Reason: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by

another process.

 

I've specified /snap:on in the command line. I found that the VSS service

wasn't running on this new server build (I don't know why it should have not

been started automatically). I started it, but still get the same error

message..

 

The Windows docs say that open files should be backed up to a "crash

consistent" state, rather than being skipped.

That form of backup is OK with me . . .

 

There were no additional messages in the event log (other than the warning

that not all files were backed up).

 

I found several articles in the KB about errors when running SQL Server, but

it is not installed on that machine.

 

Can anyone clue me in to what I am doing wrong and why these open files are

being skipped?

 

Thanks. (Note: additional documentation appears below)

 

Ken

 

 

 

Add'l Info:

 

Windows 2003 Server R2 - All service and maintenance available in Windows

Update site has been applied.

 

Command line for backup:

 

ntbackup backup @\\KCNGSB\c$\#SysMaint\KCNGSB-TEST.bks /d

KCNGSB_FULL_2007-08-21 /v:yes /r:no /rs:no /hc:off /m normal /snap:on /j

KCNGSB_FULL_2007-08-21 /l:s /f G:\#BKUP\KCNGSB-TEST_FULL_2007-08-21.bkf

 

Backup Log:

 

 

Backup Status

Operation: Backup

Active backup destination: File

Media name: "KCNGSB-TEST_FULL_2007-08-21.bkf created 8/21/2007 at 12:57 PM"

 

Volume shadow copy creation: Attempt 1.

Backup of "C$"

Backup set #1 on media #1

Backup description: "KCNGSB_FULL_2007-08-21"

Media name: "KCNGSB-TEST_FULL_2007-08-21.bkf created 8/21/2007 at 12:57 PM"

 

Backup Type: Normal

 

Backup started on 8/21/2007 at 12:57 PM.

Warning: Unable to open "\\KCNGSB\C$\#SYSMAINT\WMBackup.ldb" - skipped.

Reason: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by

another process.

 

Warning: Unable to open "\\KCNGSB\C$\#SYSMAINT\WMBackup.mdb" - skipped.

Reason: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by

another process.

 

Backup completed on 8/21/2007 at 12:57 PM.

Directories: 3

Files: 15

Bytes: 46,990

Time: 1 second

[Guest Ken L]

Re: Open files being skipped with NTBACKUP when /snap:on specified

 

All:

 

After much experimentation, I finally found the source of the problem. The

..bks files I was using were transferred over from

an old machine being used to run all backups. It used UNC's to reference

the files and directories to be backed up.

 

For example, the .bks file on the "backup" server contained the following:

 

\\KCNGSB\C$\#SYSMAINT\

 

For volume shadow copy to work, it must run on the machine being backed up.

This is documented in Microsoft's info on the VSC functionality. We had

decided to change over from "pulling" the backups from the backup server to

"pushing" them over to the server from the machine being backed up to take

advantage of the function.

 

I had copied the .bks file over from the "pull" backup server to the

\\KCNGSB machine where the "push" backup was to be run.

 

Evidently, then use of a UNC in the .bks file "negates" the volume shadow

copy (even though the UNC points at the same machine where the backup is

being run). When negated, NTBACKUP runs like the old Win 2000 version and

will skip backup of open files. To get my backup to work, I had to change

the .bks file to the following:

 

C:\#SYSMAINT\

 

After that change was made, the backup worked like it should, including

backup of the open files.

 

A suggestion for Microsoft (if any employees are lurking), why don't you

include an error message telling the user that the use of the UNC will

negate the backup of open files (especially when the user has specifically

requested the VSC function with the /SNAP:on parameter).

 

Ken

 

 

 

"Ken L" <wxmet@nospam.nospam> wrote in message

news:uRn4pOC5HHA.5796@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>I am trying to backup a Win2003 Server system (that normally has files open

>on it) with Microsoft's NTBACKUP. I am getting the following messages:

>

> Warning: Unable to open "\\KCNGSB\C$\#SYSMAINT\WMBackup.ldb" - skipped.

> Reason: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by

> another process.

>

> I've specified /snap:on in the command line. I found that the VSS service

> wasn't running on this new server build (I don't know why it should have

> not been started automatically). I started it, but still get the same

> error message..

>

> The Windows docs say that open files should be backed up to a "crash

> consistent" state, rather than being skipped.

> That form of backup is OK with me . . .

>

> There were no additional messages in the event log (other than the warning

> that not all files were backed up).

>

> I found several articles in the KB about errors when running SQL Server,

> but it is not installed on that machine.

>

> Can anyone clue me in to what I am doing wrong and why these open files

> are being skipped?

>

> Thanks. (Note: additional documentation appears below)

>

> Ken

>

>

>

> Add'l Info:

>

> Windows 2003 Server R2 - All service and maintenance available in Windows

> Update site has been applied.

>

> Command line for backup:

>

> ntbackup backup @\\KCNGSB\c$\#SysMaint\KCNGSB-TEST.bks /d

> KCNGSB_FULL_2007-08-21 /v:yes /r:no /rs:no /hc:off /m normal /snap:on /j

> KCNGSB_FULL_2007-08-21 /l:s /f G:\#BKUP\KCNGSB-TEST_FULL_2007-08-21.bkf

>

> Backup Log:

>

>

> Backup Status

> Operation: Backup

> Active backup destination: File

> Media name: "KCNGSB-TEST_FULL_2007-08-21.bkf created 8/21/2007 at 12:57

> PM"

>

> Volume shadow copy creation: Attempt 1.

> Backup of "C$"

> Backup set #1 on media #1

> Backup description: "KCNGSB_FULL_2007-08-21"

> Media name: "KCNGSB-TEST_FULL_2007-08-21.bkf created 8/21/2007 at 12:57

> PM"

>

> Backup Type: Normal

>

> Backup started on 8/21/2007 at 12:57 PM.

> Warning: Unable to open "\\KCNGSB\C$\#SYSMAINT\WMBackup.ldb" - skipped.

> Reason: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by

> another process.

>

> Warning: Unable to open "\\KCNGSB\C$\#SYSMAINT\WMBackup.mdb" - skipped.

> Reason: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by

> another process.

>

> Backup completed on 8/21/2007 at 12:57 PM.

> Directories: 3

> Files: 15

> Bytes: 46,990

> Time: 1 second

>