VSSFreezer: Failed to prepare guest, wait timeout 600 sec

[psmith]

We are getting the following error; "VSSFreezer: Failed to prepare guest, wait timeout 600 sec"

We are using Veeam Backup version 3.0.1
ESX 3.5.0 153875 cluster
HP EVA 4400 fiber SAN
And we are backing up a Windows Server 2008 file server running DFS replication that has one 20GB disk and one 300GB disk.

In the Windows Event Log at the start of the backup there is an entry that states:

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Log Name:      System
Source:        Service Control Manager
Date:          4/21/2009 2:34:24 AM
Event ID:      7036
Task Category: None
Level:         Information
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      fileserver.domain.com
Description:
The VeeamVssSupport service entered the running state.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
    <Provider Name="Service Control Manager" Guid="{555908D1-A6D7-4695-8E1E-26931D2012F4}" EventSourceName="Service Control Manager" />
    <EventID Qualifiers="16384">7036</EventID>
    <Version>0</Version>
    <Level>4</Level>
    <Task>0</Task>
    <Opcode>0</Opcode>
    <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2009-04-21T06:34:24.000Z" />
    <EventRecordID>27900</EventRecordID>
    <Correlation />
    <Execution ProcessID="0" ThreadID="0" />
    <Channel>System</Channel>
    <Computer>fileserver.domain.com</Computer>
    <Security />
  </System>
  <EventData>
    <Data Name="param1">VeeamVssSupport</Data>
    <Data Name="param2">running</Data>
  </EventData>
</Event>

At the failure point there is an event log entry of:

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Log Name:      System
Source:        Microsoft-Windows-User-PnP
Date:          4/21/2009 2:53:06 AM
Event ID:      20001
Task Category: None
Level:         Information
Keywords:      
User:          SYSTEM
Computer:      fileserver.domain.com
Description:
Driver Management concluded the process to install driver FileRepository\volsnap.inf_b06f2d33\volsnap.inf for Device Instance ID STORAGE\VOLUMESNAPSHOT\HARDDISKVOLUMESNAPSHOT5 with the following status: 0.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
    <Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-User-PnP" Guid="{eea178e3-e9d4-41ca-bb56-cede1a476629}" />
    <EventID>20001</EventID>
    <Version>0</Version>
    <Level>4</Level>
    <Task>0</Task>
    <Opcode>0</Opcode>
    <Keywords>0x8000000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2009-04-21T06:53:06.643Z" />
    <EventRecordID>27901</EventRecordID>
    <Correlation />
    <Execution ProcessID="4040" ThreadID="672" />
    <Channel>System</Channel>
    <Computer>fileserver.domain.com</Computer>
    <Security UserID="S-1-5-18" />
  </System>
  <UserData>
    <InstallDeviceID xmlns:auto-ns2="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events" xmlns="http://manifests.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/windows/userpnp">
      <DriverName>FileRepository\volsnap.inf_b06f2d33\volsnap.inf</DriverName>
      <DriverVersion>6.0.6001.18000</DriverVersion>
      <DriverProvider>Microsoft</DriverProvider>
      <DeviceInstanceID>STORAGE\VOLUMESNAPSHOT\HARDDISKVOLUMESNAPSHOT5</DeviceInstanceID>
      <SetupClass>{533C5B84-EC70-11D2-9505-00C04F79DEAF}</SetupClass>
      <RebootOption>false</RebootOption>
      <UpgradeDevice>false</UpgradeDevice>
      <IsDriverOEM>false</IsDriverOEM>
      <InstallStatus>0</InstallStatus>
      <DriverDescription>Generic volume shadow copy</DriverDescription>
    </InstallDeviceID>
  </UserData>
</Event>

Followed this entry:

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Log Name:      System
Source:        Service Control Manager
Date:          4/21/2009 2:53:28 AM
Event ID:      7036
Task Category: None
Level:         Information
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      fileserver.domain.com
Description:
The VeeamVssSupport service entered the stopped state.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
    <Provider Name="Service Control Manager" Guid="{555908D1-A6D7-4695-8E1E-26931D2012F4}" EventSourceName="Service Control Manager" />
    <EventID Qualifiers="16384">7036</EventID>
    <Version>0</Version>
    <Level>4</Level>
    <Task>0</Task>
    <Opcode>0</Opcode>
    <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2009-04-21T06:53:28.000Z" />
    <EventRecordID>27902</EventRecordID>
    <Correlation />
    <Execution ProcessID="0" ThreadID="0" />
    <Channel>System</Channel>
    <Computer>fileserver.domain.com</Computer>
    <Security />
  </System>
  <EventData>
    <Data Name="param1">VeeamVssSupport</Data>
    <Data Name="param2">stopped</Data>
  </EventData>
</Event>

APPLICATION LOG

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Log Name:      Application
Source:        Desktop Window Manager
Date:          4/21/2009 2:43:20 AM
Event ID:      9003
Task Category: None
Level:         Information
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      fileserver.domain.com
Description:
The Desktop Window Manager was unable to start because a composited theme is not in use
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
    <Provider Name="Desktop Window Manager" />
    <EventID Qualifiers="16384">9003</EventID>
    <Level>4</Level>
    <Task>0</Task>
    <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2009-04-21T06:43:20.000Z" />
    <EventRecordID>2009</EventRecordID>
    <Channel>Application</Channel>
    <Computer>fileserver.domain.com</Computer>
    <Security />
  </System>
  <EventData>
  </EventData>
</Event>

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Log Name:      Application
Source:        Microsoft-Windows-Winlogon
Date:          4/21/2009 2:43:20 AM
Event ID:      4101
Task Category: None
Level:         Information
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      fileserver.domain.com
Description:
Windows license validated.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
    <Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Winlogon" Guid="{DBE9B383-7CF3-4331-91CC-A3CB16A3B538}" EventSourceName="Winlogon" />
    <EventID Qualifiers="16384">4101</EventID>
    <Version>0</Version>
    <Level>4</Level>
    <Task>0</Task>
    <Opcode>0</Opcode>
    <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2009-04-21T06:43:20.000Z" />
    <EventRecordID>2008</EventRecordID>
    <Correlation />
    <Execution ProcessID="0" ThreadID="0" />
    <Channel>Application</Channel>
    <Computer>fileserver.domain.com</Computer>
    <Security />
  </System>
  <EventData>
    <Data>0x00000000</Data>
    <Data>0x00000001</Data>
  </EventData>
</Event>

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Log Name:      Application
Source:        Microsoft-Windows-CertificateServicesClient
Date:          4/21/2009 2:43:20 AM
Event ID:      1
Task Category: None
Level:         Information
Keywords:      
User:          ADVANCE\administrator
Computer:      fileserver.domain.com
Description:
Certificate Services Client has been started successfully.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
    <Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-CertificateServicesClient" Guid="{73370bd6-85e5-430b-b60a-fea1285808a7}" />
    <EventID>1</EventID>
    <Version>0</Version>
    <Level>4</Level>
    <Task>0</Task>
    <Opcode>0</Opcode>
    <Keywords>0x8000000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2009-04-21T06:43:20.409Z" />
    <EventRecordID>2010</EventRecordID>
    <Correlation />
    <Execution ProcessID="3664" ThreadID="3220" />
    <Channel>Application</Channel>
    <Computer>fileserver.domain.com</Computer>
    <Security UserID="S-1-5-21-54814608-1071128794-317593308-500" />
  </System>
  <EventData>
  </EventData>
</Event>

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Log Name:      Application
Source:        Desktop Window Manager
Date:          4/21/2009 2:46:10 AM
Event ID:      9009
Task Category: None
Level:         Information
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      fileserver.domain.com
Description:
The Desktop Window Manager has exited with code (0x40010004)
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
    <Provider Name="Desktop Window Manager" />
    <EventID Qualifiers="16384">9009</EventID>
    <Level>4</Level>
    <Task>0</Task>
    <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2009-04-21T06:46:10.000Z" />
    <EventRecordID>2011</EventRecordID>
    <Channel>Application</Channel>
    <Computer>fileserver.domain.com</Computer>
    <Security />
  </System>
  <EventData>
    <Data>0x40010004</Data>
  </EventData>
</Event>

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Log Name:      Application
Source:        ESENT
Date:          4/21/2009 2:53:07 AM
Event ID:      103
Task Category: General
Level:         Information
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      fileserver.domain.com
Description:
DFSRs (1792) \\.\D:\System Volume Information\DFSR\database_FAF0_88F2_F088_B683\dfsr.db: The database engine stopped the instance (0).
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
    <Provider Name="ESENT" />
    <EventID Qualifiers="0">103</EventID>
    <Level>4</Level>
    <Task>1</Task>
    <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2009-04-21T06:53:07.000Z" />
    <EventRecordID>2012</EventRecordID>
    <Channel>Application</Channel>
    <Computer>fileserver.domain.com</Computer>
    <Security />
  </System>
  <EventData>
    <Data>DFSRs</Data>
    <Data>1792</Data>
    <Data>\\.\D:\System Volume Information\DFSR\database_FAF0_88F2_F088_B683\dfsr.db: </Data>
    <Data>0</Data>
  </EventData>
</Event>

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Log Name:      Application
Source:        ESENT
Date:          4/21/2009 2:53:19 AM
Event ID:      102
Task Category: General
Level:         Information
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      fileserver.domain.com
Description:
DFSRs (1792) \\.\D:\System Volume Information\DFSR\database_FAF0_88F2_F088_B683\dfsr.db: The database engine (6.00.6001.0000) started a new instance (0).
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
    <Provider Name="ESENT" />
    <EventID Qualifiers="0">102</EventID>
    <Level>4</Level>
    <Task>1</Task>
    <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2009-04-21T06:53:19.000Z" />
    <EventRecordID>2013</EventRecordID>
    <Channel>Application</Channel>
    <Computer>fileserver.domain.com</Computer>
    <Security />
  </System>
  <EventData>
    <Data>DFSRs</Data>
    <Data>1792</Data>
    <Data>\\.\D:\System Volume Information\DFSR\database_FAF0_88F2_F088_B683\dfsr.db: </Data>
    <Data>0</Data>
    <Data>6</Data>
    <Data>00</Data>
    <Data>6001</Data>
    <Data>0000</Data>
  </EventData>
</Event>

Any help getting this to work would be greatly appreciated.

[psmith]

It appears that if I turn off the VSS on the backup it will complete successfully and I was able to recover files.

Since this is a file server running DFS Replication, what might I loose without having VSS enabled on the backup? I would assume if I had to recover the entire server, my DFS would not operate but have not yet tested this recover option yet.

[Gostev]

You can use regular VMware Tools queiscense for file servers since they only require file-level freeze. However, if you want to nail down the issue with Veeam VSS, it would be best if you open support and provide all logs from Help | Support information. Support may need extra logs from VSS agent too - they will instruct you how to get those.

[Ben Milligan]

Hello PSmith, I just wanted to update this thread with a possible solution to this problem.

This issue typically involves a very active transactional application contained within the virtual machine, and it is apparently taking longer than expected per the default timeout for freezing the I/O for this application/VM. It is likely this error is intermittant, but logs would be needed in most cases to determine the exact time that it is taking for this process.

You can change this timeout by heading over to the following value to the registry: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VeeaM\Veeam Backup and FastSCP"

At that Veeam registry path please add the new DWROD VALUE (Default Value is 10 * 60 * 1000 in miliseconds which equals 10 min.):

VssPreparationTimeout 10 * 60 * 1000

To extend it further to accomodate this timeout please add 700000 (700 sec), etc. It is always good to contact our support at support@veeam.com in any case that you need any assistance making these types of changes to your configuration.

Here is how the entry should appear given 700000 is the given value:



Hope this helps!

[petr]

Hello!
May ba I have a simular problem with VSS Freezer.
Error log.

Creating snapshot VSSFreezer: -2147212542 Cannot subscribe the freeze writer with VSS COM error: Code: 0x80042302 CreateSnapshot failed, vmRef "vm-1015", timeout "1800000", snName "VEEAM BACKUP TEMPORARY SNAPSHOT", snDescription "Please do not delete this snapshot. It is being used by Veeam Backup.", memory "False", quiesce "True" Virtual machine is configured to use a device that prevents the snapshot operation: Device '' is a SCSI controller engaged in bus-sharing.

Can someone help me with this problem?
Thanks!

[Vitaliy S.]

Hello Petr,

Can you please tell us if you're able to make a snapshot of this VM manually using vSphere Client? Because it seems like you're using unsupported configuration (with bus sharing) by VMware for snapshotting.

Thank you!

[petr]

Hello Vitaly,

Realy, I can't take snapshot of virtual machine using vShere Client...
Forgive for a silly question, but whether you can say what customisations it is necessary to make on Virtual Machine that I could do snapshots?
I have 4 disks connected to Virtual Machine: 1 Virtual disk connected to SCSI controller, that without SCSI bus sharing, and 3 physical drives that connected to SCSI controllers configured Physical bus sharing.
In Veeam I try to backup only Virtual Disk.

Thanks!

[Vitaliy S.]

Petr,

I believe you should ask VMware for the steps you should take to make snapshots working in your environment, because I'm not a great expert in this theme (bus sharing setups) and VMware should have better knowledge of it.

Thanks!

[Gostev]

I don't believe VMware supports snapshots on VMs with SCSI bus sharing in use.