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Title
Backup failure due to SqlServerWriter error when database logs are not available -
Description
Backup failure where the VSS writer 'SqlServerWriter' failed during the 'DoSnapshotSet' phase with error WriterErrorNonRetryable
Core UI error:
Error
The transfer failed: 'There was a problem with the VSS subsystem on ' '.'
The VSS writer 'SqlServerWriter' failed during the 'DoSnapshotSet' phase with error WriterErrorNonRetryable. The VSS writer state is FailedAtPrepareSnapshot
In the application logs, there are instances of event id 9001 error that indicates the " " database logs are missing or not available with error such as
"The log for database ' ' is not available. Check the event log for related error messages. Resolve any errors and restart the database."
Followed up with application logs event id 3041
"BACKUP failed to complete the command BACKUP DATABASE ' '. Check the backup application log for detailed messages."
vshadow failure error:
ERROR: Selected writer 'SqlServerWriter' is in failed state!
- Status: 8 (VSS_WS_FAILED_AT_PREPARE_SNAPSHOT)
- Writer Failure code: 0x800423f4 ()
- Writer ID: {a65faa63-5ea8-4ebc-9dbd-a0c4db26912a}
- Instance ID: {e895dbef-de2c-4b4d-8a43-99ad8babaac9}
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Cause
When AutoClose is set to true, Appassure re-opens the database every minute to get metadata information, so closing and re-opening the database too often will cause this. This appears to be whats happening when this machine was protected as a cluster node.
The VSS writer 'SqlServerWriter' failed during the 'DoSnapshotSet' phase with error WriterErrorNonRetryable (151899) -
Resolution
To resolve this backup issue,
1. Determine which sql database that is either missing or unavailable.
2. login to the SQL mgmt console, right click on the database and open Properties.
3. Under Options find AutoClose and make sure it is set to false.
You may need to restart the sql server service for this database before it lets you set it to auto close if it is already failing.
These application errors will no longer reoccur and backups will be successful.