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Title
API Call failed with message: A general system error occurred: Protocol error from VMX. -
Description
When performing a quiesced snapshot of a virtual machine, the backup fails with these error:
API Call failed with message: A general system error occurred: Protocol error from VMX.
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Cause
When API call is issued to vMware to create a quiesced snapshot, vMware returns a message to vRanger that it is unable to create a snapshot and displays following message: "A general system error occurred: Protocol error from VMX." This error is visible in the message log when you connect to your VC with vSphere client.
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Resolution
To perform a quiesced snapshot without issues:- Verify that no third-party or partner backup software on the virtual machine affects or interferes with the functionality of Volume Shadow Copy Service. For more information, see Cannot create quieced snapshots if backup or system recovery applications are installed (1009558).
- Restart VMware Tools within the guest operating system.
- Attempt the backup operation.
- If you are using VCB, disable quiescing from the VCB Proxy. This makes all backups crash-consistent.
- Use pre-freeze/post-thaw scripts to gracefully stop services which may adversely affect quiescing capabilities. For more information, see Running custom quiescing scripts inside Windows virtual machine with ESX 3.5 Update 2 and later (1006671).
- Disable the virtual machines sync driver. This prevents quiescing of the virtual machine resulting in crash-consistent backups. For more information, see A virtual machine can freeze under load when you take quiesced snapshots or use custom quiescing scripts (5962168).