Hyper-V VSS Writer State : [7] Failed Last error : Timed out

Had an issue of the Hyper-V VSS when I typed to check.

vssadmin list writers

In the event viewer I got as the following :

\

I want to get the VSS back to be stabilize but not wanting to restart the server, therefore I restart a service.

Service to restart : Microsoft Virtual Machine Management

Keyword :

Volume Shadow Copy Service error: Unexpected error querying for the IVssWriterCallback interface. hr = 0x80070005, Access is denied.. This is often caused by incorrect security settings in either the writer or requestor process.Operation:  Gathering Writer Data Context:  Writer Class Id: {e8132975-6f93-4464-a53e-1050253ae220}  Writer Name: System Writer  Writer Instance ID: {bc497fa6-6627-47fb-a005-ac94fa83904e}Error : 8194 vssadmin list writer Hyper-V State 7 timed out

Killing a Hung VM in Task Manager (Another PowerShell command)

This is another command of how to kill a Hung VM by identify the Process ID using PowerShell command :

For Windows 2012

Get-WmiObject -Namespace root\virtualization -class msvm_computersystem | select elementname, operationalstatus, processid, name| ft –auto

For Window 2012 R2

Get-WmiObject -Namespace root\virtualization\v2 -class msvm_computersystem | select elementname, operationalstatus, processid, name| ft –auto

Once the Process ID is obtain, launch the Task Manager and kill the VMWP.exe process with the correspondence Process  ID to that particular VM.

Hope this helps.

keywords : hang VM, hung VM, stuck VM, Hyper-V virtualization stuck Server 2012 R2, vmwp.exe, killing vwmp.exe

DPM 2012 Reporting Issue (ID : 220)

After upgrading from SCDPM 2012 SP1 to SCDPM 2012 R2, I hit the issue when I tried to configure the Reporting to be send out periodically in the Report Module of SCDPM 2012 R2.

The steps taken was the following :

• Launch the Reporting Services Manager (in my example is SQL 2008 R2, since it’s upgraded gradually from SCDPM 2012 SP1 to SCDPM 2012 R2)
• Ensure to the correct database that I’m pointing to  (e.g. MSDPM2012)
• Navigate to E-Mail Settings.
• Key in the valid Sender Address and SMTP Server.
• Click Apply

• Launch the SCDPM 2012 R2 – Reporting
• Configure the schedule reporting with emails, tested with no issues.keywords : SCDPM 2012, DPM cannot enable e-mail subscription for reports unless SMTP details are configured in the remote SQL Server Reporting Service Installation. SMTP details need to be configured manually when an existing SQL Server is chosen to be used for DPM during DPM setup.  Please enter the SMTP server name, SMTP port number and SMTP From address manually in the SQL Server Reporting Services configuration File.

Configuration file path : c:\Program Files\Microsoft DPM\SQL\MSRS10.MSDPM2010\Reporting Services\ReportServer\RSReportServer.config

The SMTP Server  details on the SMTP Servers tab in the Options dialog enables only DPM alert notifications. For more details, see DPM Help (ID : 220)

SCDPM Report error, Systems Center Data Protection Manager Report Error, cannot configure email distribution in DPM report

Class 20409B - Server Virtualization with Windows Server Hyper-V and System Center

 

Just finished conducting a 5-days class on Server Virtualization using Hyper-V and System Center.  During class, I shared real life scenarios on how it was implemented, what are the obstacles they will face if planning were not done properly in the first place before rolling out.

Feeling happy that the students went back with knowledge.

keywords : 20409, Hyper-V, virtualization, backup, protection, VMM, virtual machine manager, dpm, azure, cloud, vmmlibrary,

Unable to Backup using DPM or Local Windows Backup–missing VSS

Here’s the scenario :

• Two Windows Server 2012 running Hyper-V
• Two Node Clusters
• Backup software : DPM 2012 SP1

When the VM resides on Host1, the DPM can backup VMs with no issue.  However when the VMs resides in Host2, the DPM fails to backup.

Checked on the Host2 and found many errors of 8194.

To isolate further, I tried to backup Folders of Host2 using DPM, it still failed.  Additional to that, tried the Windows Backup locally on Host2, that too failed.

Next is to try a tool which comes in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2012.  It’s called the Diskshadow.

C:\Diskshadow Diskshadow > set context persistent Diskshadow > set verbose on Diskshadow > begin backup Diskshadow > Add volume D: alias VolumeD

The output as follow :

Next I did a comparison of Host1 and Host2 by using the command as follow in the Diskshadow

Diskshadow > list providers

Found out that Host1 has all 4 but Host2 has only 2 of the providers.  The missing ones are highlighted in the pink box.

So go to the following registry in Host1:

HKEY LOCAL MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENT CONTROL SET\SERVICES\VSS\PROVIDERS

Export both the missing key registry from Host1

Then in the Host2, I import both the keys that was exported above from Host1.

In the Host2, I use the Diskshadow to check the providers :

Tried the backup from DPM, and it’s working already.  Hope this helps . 

keywords : Microsoft Hyper-V VSS Writer failed retryable error, VSS Issue error 8194, DPM 2012 SP1, DPM backup fail ,

Creation of recovery points for Backup Using Child Partition Snapshot on have failed. The last recovery point creation failed for the following reason: (ID: 3114)
DPM encountered a retryable VSS error. (ID: 30112)