Problem description
Windows File server backups complete with errors (show the status as ‘Successful with Errors’). Progress logs show ‘Failed to take snapshot of “C:” or “D:”. Check event log for detail error. Backing up live data.’
Cause
Snapshot creation for disk volumes (C:\, D:\ etc) fails because of VSS writers not working as expected
Traceback
level=info ts=2023-02-28T22:00:10.914441+05:30 filename=snapshot_windows.go:126 message="Executing PhoenixFSSnapshot" path="C:\\Program Files\\Druva\\Phoenix Agent\\PhoenixFSSnapshot.exe"
level=info ts=2023-02-28T22:30:10.967287+05:30 filename=snapshot_windows.go:140 message="PhoenixFSSnapshot executable timed out"
Resolution
Connect to the File Server
Open Task manager, Background processes show 3 Phoenix Processes
Kill those processes (Phoenix.exe , PhoenixCPHwnet64.exe and PhoenixFSBackupAgent.exe) (Right click on the process and End task)
Stop the Hybrid Workloads Agent Client Service
Open command prompt and run the below command
vssadmin list writersShows no output (keeps running in the background)
Cancel the command (Press Control+C on the keyboard)
Restart the Volume Shadow Copy service (If it times out with a message that it did not respond in timely fashion, try to start it again)
Start the Hybrid Workload Agent Client Service
Run the
vssadmin list writerscommand again, should show the writers in stable stateTrigger a manual backup of the affected server. This time it should complete successfully
Verification
Observe the next scheduled backup to ensure that it runs successfully without any errors