Before proceeding with the below solutions, verify that a volume has enough free space to storage a VSS shadow copy. If a volume does not, then freeing up storage should resolve the issue.
If the problem is suspect to be an AppAssure change log growth issue, you can use TreeSize to verify this or use Workaround 2 to gain access to the directory where there change logs are stored. If the AALogs are the culprit, perform one of the following solutions below:
SOLUTION 1:
This will only work for Agents on 5.4.x, 6.x and above. 5.3.x Agents will not see results with this solution.
Removing a volume from protection through the Core UI will clear the AALog files from that volume. This will then force a new base image if that volume is added back to protection.
1. Navigate to the Summary page within the Core UI for the troubled Agent
2. Check the block for the volume and click "Set a schedule"
3. In the Protection Schedule window, deselect the scheduled snapshot intervals and click Save.
4. Before adding the volume back to protection, go to the access the Agent's System event logs and look for event AAFsFlt 9292
5. Back on the Core UI, select all volumes that were originally part of the protection group (a grouping of volumes that are snapped and backed up at the same time) and re-enable the backup interval. Note: If you only select the "Not Protected" volume, you will place this volume in a separate protection group.
6. Monitor the backups and you will notice that a new base image will be performed for only the affected volume.
7. If the backup still fails, remove the Agent from protection keeping recovery points and add it back to protection. This will also clear the AALogs from the protected volumes.
SOLUTION 2:
This method involves stopping the Agent service, navigating to the System Volume Information folder for the suspect volume, deleting the AA_logs, and then restarting the Agent service. This will also force a new base image. For video instructions, please watch the video here: https://support.quest.com/appassure/kb/118402
- Stop the Agent process, and then open Disk Manager.
- Look at the SRP partition, and see if it is 100% full.
- If so, proceed to Step 3.
- If not, check if there are any drives that do not have more than 300MB free (minimum requirement to use VSS).
- Right-click a drive, select Properties, and then select the Shadow Copy tab.
- Ensure all Shadow Copies are disabled, and set to no limit on all drives.
- Go to the SRP partition, and assign it drive letter B:.
- Open the B: drive via Disk Manager, and then search for the System Volume Information folder. Note: If needed, change the folder options so that you can view hidden files, folders, and drives. Also uncheck the "Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)" option.
- Right-click the System Volume Information folder, and select Properties.
- On the Security tab, click Edit, and then add the Everyone group with full control to the folder.
- Open the System Volume Information folder (you should see log files that are full), open a command prompt running as an Administrator, and then type the following commands to unload the filter driver. ***PLEASE NOTE – unloading the filter driver will cause a new base image of all volumes on that server.***
- Navigate to the System Volume Information folder, and type the following commands:
- B:\>CD System Volume Information
- B:\System Volume Information>DEL AALOG_* (this will delete all the log files and then recreate a new one)
- B:\System Volume Information>CD\
- B:\>FLTMC LOAD AAFSFLT
- Close the command prompt window.
- In Windows, right-click the System Reserve folder, and remove the Everyone Group.
- In the Disk Manager, remove the B: drive (and click Yes when the window prompts with a warning).
- Start the Agent process and resume protection of the Agent on the Core Console.
- Force a snapshot.
Some Microsoft OSes are set to create shadow copy on the schedule, which cause VSS shadow copy storage to be always full. To resolve that please perform the following steps on protected server:
- Right click any disk and select "Configure Shadow Copies". This will bring a window with list of all partitions, Schedule Enabled/Disabled and used space. If there's a word "enabled" then
- Select that partition and click on Settings, then on Schedule button
- Delete schedule tasks
- Back to the list, select all shadow copies in the list below and delete them all
On Windows desktop OSes (Windows 7, 8.x, 10), the VSS storage space can be modified through:
- Open Control Panel
- Click on System
- Click on System Protection
- Select a disk with Protection set to On and click on Configure button
- Move a slider to 5 or even 10%
- Click OK
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