Re: NT Backup and volume shadow copy error 80042306

From: Adi Oltean [MSFT] (aoltean_at_microsoft.com)
Date: 01/21/04 

Date: 20 Jan 2004 19:17:05 -0800

Hi Leslie,

>>> Can I continue making system state backups as before and just
ignore the error return?

By default, NTBackup tries to use the VSS infrastructure to create a
shadow copy of your disk drives. This will allow NTBackup to access
open files on your system. VSS is a new tecnology introduced in
Windows XP that allows backing-up a consistent image of all the files
in the system (including open files).

Now, if VSS fails to create a shadow copy (as in your case below),
NTBackup will still ty to produce a consistent backup without a shadow
copy, by reading directly from the disk. While this might be OK in 99%
of cases, note that some files might be skipped during backup - you
should see a list of skipped files during backup if you choose to get
a detalied backup report. This is exactly how NTBackup worked in older
versions of Windows (like Windows 2000). So, as long as NTBackup
displays the message "backing up with non-shadow copy mode" (or
whatever is the equivalent in German), NTBackup should continue to
succesfully backup your system in this mode.

Regarding your question whether the backup tapes are containing the
right data, this really depends on what files were backed up on tape
(since some files might be skipped as mentioned above). First thing to
double-ckeck is the list of files contained in your backup. Second,
you might want to do some tests and try to restore this backup on a
separate test machine, just to ensure that the backup worked
correctly.

>>> Should I risk creating a new drive/partition, for example with
Disk Management, and making it the NTFS volume (my hard drive is not
partitioned)?

Adding a new, clean NTFS partition/volume in your system (with at
least 150-200 MB free space) would be the simplest solution to your
problem. This is a very low-risk operation, assuming you don't change
the partition/volume configuration for your existing partitions and
volumes.

>>> Should I risk converting my file system to NTFS, for example with
convert.exe?

Using convert.exe (to convert your drive from FAT to NTFS) is also a
possible solution. This is also a low-risk operation, although note
that this conversion is one-way only, and it migth be best to perform
a full backup of your system before the conversion. Note also, that
FAT/FAT32 disk drives are actually required by some older versions of
Windows (Windows 95/98/Me) so if you have a dual-boot machine, you
won't see this disk from Windows 98, for example.

Please see http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;314097
for more details on convert.exe on Windows XP.

Thanks, Adi

P.S. This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.

"Leslie Anne" <grega_ng@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<#$Jv3BD3DHA.3224@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl>...
> "Adi Oltean [MSFT]" <aoltean@microsoft.com> answered in
> news:151ad89d.0401131346.4c2aa6b6@posting.google.com...
> "Leslie Anne" <grega_ng@hotmail.com> message
> news:<ODCprfc2DHA.3016@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl>...
> > Hi,
> >
> > This NTBackup error was caused by the VSS infrastructure (the Volume
> > Shadow Copy service). To see what happened, can you look to the
> > Application event log for any VSS errors? If there are any, can you
> > cut & paste the event log details for these errors?
> > Usually, this specific error code (80042306) appears when you try to
> > backup a machine that does not have any NTFS volumes. VSS requires at
> > least one NTFS volume to be present on your machine (it can be any
> > volume, it just needs to be visible to the system at the point of
> > backup).
> > Thanks, Adi
> ----------------------
> Hi Adi,
>
> You were right about the VSS error. I've in the meantime discovered the
> event viewer and the event log and am pasting an excerpt of the VSS
> error at the end of this message for information purposes.
>
> As I don't have any NTFS volumes, does this mean that my previous
> system state backups are defective? The event log states that the
> backup as well as the backup check was successfully completed. I'm
> concerned that the system state backup went through the motions
> correctly but that there still may be a content problem.
> This info would help me in deciding about what backup strategy is the
> best in the future. Namely:
> - Can I continue making system state backups as before and just ignore
> the error return?
> - Should I risk converting my file system to NTFS, for example with
> convert.exe?
> - Should I risk creating a new drive/partition, for example with Disk
> Management, and making it the NTFS volume (my hard drive is not
> partitioned)?
>
> Your comments would be greatly appreciated.
> Thanks in advance!
> Leslie
>
> EXCERPT from Application event log:
>
> Ereignistyp: Fehler
> Ereignisquelle: VSS
> Ereigniskategorie: Keine
> Ereigniskennung: 4001
> [...]
> Beschreibung:
> Volumeschattenkopie-Dienstfehler: Vergleichsbereiche können zum
> Erstellen von Schattenkopien nicht gefunden werden. Fügen Sie
> mindestens ein NTFS-Laufwerk mit ausreichend Speicherplatz dem System
> hinzu. Es sind mindestens 100 MB freier Speicherplatz pro
> Volumesicherung bzw. -schattenkopie erforderlich.
>
> My translation of the "Beschreibung"-content:
> Volume shadow copy service error: comparison areas for creating shadow
> copies could not be found. Add to the system at least 1 NTFS-drive with
> enough storage space. At least 100 MB free storage space is needed for
> each volume backup or volume shadow copy.

Relevant Pages

  • RE: VSS Error 12293 & 7001
    ... In the ''Shadow copies'' tab, ... Shadow copy tasks appear similar to "VSS ... What's the backup program you are using? ... Do you use the SBS backup ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
  • RE: Shadowcopy VSS problem?
    ... it seems the third part backup exec create the VSS ... |> Volume shadow copied enabled on Volume D. ... |> Microsoft CSS Online Newsgroup Support ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
  • RE: NTBackup, VSS & Shadow Copy Problem
    ... The AD writer will report an error if you try to create a shadow copy ... NTBackup requests for a shadow copy to be created ... By the time NTBackup requests for the location of the AD database and logs, ... > this nightly backup working again. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.general)
  • RE: SBS 2003 VSS Unable to create shadow copies Event IDs 11 12292
    ... the VSS system files are not registered. ... Perform a backup operation to verify that the issue is resolved. ... Computers, My Computer, Dcom Config - make sure that the "Microsoft Volume ... Shadow Copy Service software provider" is listed. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
  • Re: Slightly OT - Event ID 12302 - WSS error
    ... got the server rebooted and ran a backup job. ... Shadow Copy Service (VSS). ... Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy ... Verify that things are working by running "vssadmin list writers" ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)