Can't install Veeam Agent for Windows 5.0.1 on Windows 11

[kc9kc9]

There is a known problem with Windows 11 and the installation of Microsoft SQL Server where the engine will not install unless it is installed on a different drive or VHD.

I understand Veeam Agent for Windows uses SQL Server technology which is probably why it fails to install.

Question 1: Is Veeam working on a solution independent of Microsoft?

Question 2: I installed SQL Server 2019 Express with support for local DB but Veeam Agent for Windows still fails. Is there any way to have Veeam use the existing (operational) engine instead of attempting to install its own SQL engine? I read somewhere that they are using SQL 2012 but I haven’t tried preinstalling that version.

Question 3: Is there any way to trick Veeam into installing on a different drive?

I use Veeam at work and have been pretty happy with this product for home use. I already temporarily installed another backup solution but would love to go back to Veeam.

Thanks...

[HannesK]

Hello,
and welcome to the forums.

There is a known problem

do you have a bug number, support case number or at least a link where we can find more information? I'm asking because it works fine for me.

Question 1: can be answered once you provide case / bug number
Question 2: agree SQL Express 2019 does not solve issues
Question 3: can be answered once you provide case / bug number

Best regards,
Hannes

[StefanZ]

Seen this in #05123123 - SQL LocalDB has issues with starting because it recognizes some different block size on the volume.
Seems not to affect every installation.

[HannesK]

Hello,
okay, so it seems to be related to what is described here

Question 1: yes, our plan is to remove the SQL LocalDB as requirement.
Question 3: hmm, I would guess installing the SQL LocalDB to a different drive would help more than changing the Veeam path.

Best regards,
Hannes

[kc9kc9]

Thanks for the quick response. I don't have this PC with me now but I'll try again tonight and report back.

[equilax]

Hi,
I have the same issue under Windows 11.

In the error.log file under

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C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server Local DB\Instances\VeeamEndPoint

can be found:

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2021-12-16 20:57:46.77 Server      Microsoft SQL Server 2012 (SP4) (KB4018073) - 11.0.7001.0 (X64) 
	Aug 15 2017 10:23:29 
	Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
	Express Edition (64-bit) on Windows NT 6.3 <X64> (Build 22000: ) (Hypervisor)
[...]

2021-12-16 20:57:47.09 spid5s      Error: 5178, Severity: 16, State: 1.
2021-12-16 20:57:47.09 spid5s      Cannot use file 'C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server Local DB\Instances\VeeamEndPoint\master.mdf' because 
it was originally formatted with sector size 4096 and is now on a volume with sector size 32768. Move the file to a volume with a sector size that is the same as or smaller than the original sector size.	

But the sector size on the system drive (NVME) actually seems to be 4096:

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fsutil fsinfo ntfsinfo c:

[...]

Bytes pro Sektor  :                512
Bytes pro physikalischem Sektor :        4096
Bytes pro Cluster:                4096  (4 KB)

[equilax]

Unfortunately i could not edit my previous post. I have found a workaround.

In fact, the physical sector size seems to be larger:

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fsutil fsinfo sectorinfo c:

Logische Bytes pro Sektor:                                512
Physische Bytes pro Sektor für Unteilbarkeit:             32768
Physische Bytes pro Sektor für Leistung:                  32768
Effekt. phys. Bytes/Sektor für Unteilbark. in Dateisystem:4096

There seems to be a problem with SQL Express on Windows 11 that the physical sector size is returned, which prevents the DB from starting.

https://dba.stackexchange.com/questions ... 824#303824

For me the method described there worked to set the trace flag -T1800.

For SQL Express 2012 version:

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New-Item -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11E.LOCALDB\MSSQLServer\Parameters' -Force
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11E.LOCALDB\MSSQLServer\Parameters' -Name 'SQLArg0' -Value "-T1800" -PropertyType String -Force

After restarting the computer, the Veeam Agent now works.

[HannesK]

Hello,
and welcome to the forums.

Thanks for posting the workaround. Just curious... what SSD vendor are you using? Samsung?

Best regards,
Hannes

[equilax]

Hello Hannes,

of course, it's a Samsung 980 PCIe 3.0 NVMe M.2 SSD, 1 TB.

Best regards,
Andreas

[gcoupe]

Unfortunately i could not edit my previous post. I have found a workaround.

Thank you, thank you, for this workaround. It works for me as well.

I reported this issue on the release of Windows 11 back in October to Veeam. Unfortunately, since I am using the free version of Veeam Agent, Support brushed me off and closed the request.

Now at last I can resume backups.

[kc9kc9]

I'm also using a Samsung 980 PCIe 3.0 NVMe M.2 SSD, 1 TB.

Thanks equilax, I'll try this workaround tonight.

[kc9kc9]

Hello Hannes,

of course, it's a Samsung 980 PCIe 3.0 NVMe M.2 SSD, 1 TB.

Best regards,
Andreas

Thanks equilax...

[marcofabbri]

Thanks for sharing Equilax!

[kc9kc9]

EUREKA… IT WORKS!!!

I’m finally able to resume using Veeam Agent for Windows on my PC.

It turns out that it was the swapping of my NvME drive from 250 GB to 1 TB that messed things up (Samsung 980 PCIe 3.0 NVMe M.2 SSD, 1 TB) .

Thanks to Andreas aka equilax for figuring this out

[Dima P.]

Hello folks,

Thank you for sharing the news! We've published the official kb article Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows can't be started or installed after upgrade to Windows 11 and raised a case with Microsoft regarding this issue.

We are tracking the types of affected hardware so please keep updating this thread with your hard drive type if you faced this problem. Thanks again for your help!

[Dima P.]

Small update: we've also received the updated KB article from the Microsoft team: Troubleshoot errors related to system disk sector size greater than 4 KB.