Problem description
Phoenix VM backups fail with VMWARE_VMOMI1 or VMWARE_GOVMOMI 7:
An error occurred while saving the snapshot: Failed to quiesce the virtual machine.
Traceback
The VMware.log shows that the error has occurred while quiescing the virtual machine.
2020-01-03T16:44:46.963Z| vmx| I125: SnapshotVMX_TakeSnapshot start: 'Test', deviceState=0, lazy=0, logging=0, quiesced=1, forceNative=0, tryNative=1, saveAllocMaps=0 cb=BDDB500, cbData=32476790
2020-01-03T16:44:46.984Z| vmx| I125: DISKLIB-LIB_CREATE : DiskLibCreateCreateParam: vmfsSparse grain size is set to 1 for '/vmfs/volumes/6edcdf5b-b46dc6d5/fics8/fics8-000001.vmdk'
2020-01-03T16:44:46.988Z| vmx| I125: DISKLIB-LIB_CREATE : DiskLibCreateCreateParam: vmfsSparse grain size is set to 1 for '/vmfs/volumes/6edcdf5b-b46dc6d5/fics8/fics8_1-000001.vmdk'
2020-01-03T16:44:46.988Z| vmx| I125: SNAPSHOT: SnapshotPrepareTakeDoneCB: Prepare phase complete (The operation completed successfully).
2020-01-03T16:44:47.165Z| vcpu-3| I125: ToolsBackup: changing quiesce state: IDLE -> STARTED
2020-01-03T16:44:52.917Z| vmx| I125: [msg.snapshot.quiesce.vmerr] The guest OS has reported an error during quiescing.
2020-01-03T16:44:52.917Z| vmx| I125+ The error code was: 5
2020-01-03T16:44:52.917Z| vmx| I125+ The error message was: 'VssSyncStart' operation failed: IDispatch error #8454 (0x80042306)
2020-01-03T14:14:59.707Z| vmx| I125: Msg_Post: Warning
2020-01-03T14:14:59.707Z| vmx| I125: [msg.snapshot.quiesce.vmerr] The guest OS has reported an error during quiescing.
2020-01-03T14:14:59.707Z| vmx| I125+ The error code was: 3
2020-01-03T14:14:59.707Z| vmx| I125+ The error message was: Quiesce operation aborted
Verification
Manually take a snapshot using vSphere client or using web client with the help of the following steps:
Select VM in vSphere Client → Actions →Snapshots →Take Snapshot | |
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Resolution
If snapshots have failed, follow these steps in sequence:
Older Version of VMware Tools:
Verify if the latest version of VMware Tools is installed. If not, upgrade to the latest version.
Expired Licenses:
Ensure that the vStorage API and vCenter licenses are active.
Orphaned Snapshots:
Check for orphaned snapshots in the datastore folder. The snapshot manager may show zero snapshots, but orphaned snapshot files might still be present in the datastore. Refer the VMWARE Article
Review VMware.log:
Look for Error 3 or Error 5 in the VMware.log file.
Ensure the Following Services Are Running:
Microsoft VSS
VMware Tools service
VSS Writers: Run
VSSADMIN LIST WRITERSto list available writers and their states. Reboot the machine to bring any failed writers back to a stable state.
Insufficient Space for Snapshots:
Verify that sufficient space is available for VSS snapshots on all drives. Create a shadow copy for the drives, ensuring that the "No limit" option is checked for snapshot size.
Reinstall VMware Tools:
If the issue persists, uninstall and then reinstall VMware Tools.
VSS Errors:
Review the event viewer for VMware provider errors related to VSS. The VMware provider for VSS may conflict with the Microsoft VSS provider or other third-party VSS providers. Uninstall or disable third-party VSS providers and use the Microsoft VSS provider if conflicts are detected.
For Windows Server 2019 with GPT Partition Type:
Review the VMware.log for errors like:
vbnetCopy code[2020-01-03 09:39:30,287] [ERROR] Error in Deleting TL Files from streamset: Fileset/Streamset does not exist. (#1000000a2) (Error Code: PHOENIX162)
To resolve snapshot issues with Windows Server 2019, refer to the relevant VMware article and install the security update MS KB kb4534321.
If Manual Snapshot with Quiescing Fails:
If a manual snapshot with Quiescing enabled from the vSphere web client fails with the error "
An error occurred while saving the snapshot: msg.snapshot.error – QUIESCINGERROR," log in to the VM and disable the VMware Snapshot Provider service as detailed in the VMware Knowledge Base article.Disabling the VMware VSS Provider service will prevent VMware Tools from coordinating application-level quiescing inside the guest OS. As a result, the backup will be crash-consistent instead of application-consistent.
Crash-consistent backup: Captures data in the same state as it would be after a sudden power loss. It includes all disk data but may not capture in-flight transactions or pending I/O operations.
Application-consistent backup: Uses Microsoft VSS (Volume Shadow Copy Service) to ensure all applications like SQL Server, Exchange, or Active Directory flush their data to disk before the snapshot, providing a clean and recoverable state.
If the VM hosts critical applications (e.g., databases or mail servers), it is recommended to investigate and fix the underlying VSS issue instead of keeping the service disabled permanently.
NOTE : Alternatively, please schedule a reboot during after-hours if the above steps do not resolve the quiescing snapshot error. If the issue still persists, kindly consider reaching out to VMware/Broadcom Support for further assistance to fix the quiescing snapshot error.