HELP!!!!! Backup server rebooting during backup job DL380

[Pete Foret_1]

I have a backup server that keeps rebooting during a backup job. No errors appear in the logs of the BKup server or the server that is being backed up. I am running BKEXEC 9.1 4691. I just applied BKEXEC service pack 3. This was happening before so I re-installed windows 2003 and started from scratch. The server is running win2k3 with sp1. It mainly happens when I am backing up a large amount of data. It has however rebooted when backing up just a few gigs. I feel it is not a server issue because I did not use backup exec to run my backup for a couple of weeks and the server never rebooted.

[Igor Karasik]

What hardware (server, tape,) you have ?
1) Try to use ntbackup (windows 2003
built-in backup tool) and see if server will restart too. It will eliminate Veritas factor.
2) Try to do "backup to folder" backup in Veritas (In case you have enough disk space).
It will eliminate tape factor

[Pete Foret_1]

I ran a backup to folder and the server rebooted. It does not seem to be a veritas issue. I could be wrong.

[Igor Karasik]

Still maybe veritas issue. Do test with ntbackup.
I suggest also to run diagnostics testing for server (from SmartStart CD) - maybe it's hardware issue (memory or something else)
Any errors in event logs/veritas logs ?

[Pete Foret_1]

Here is the log from the job that just ran. (failed) I ran a NTbackup successfully and the server did nto reboot. The event log is only showing a ms dtc error which should not be causing the server to reboot.

[Igor Karasik]

ntbackup completed successfully, "backup to folder" in Veritas failed - seems to be Veritas issue.
Open case in Symantec - Veritas

[Roger Faucher]

Pete:

Could you tell us which of the 20+ DL380 variants you're using:

http://tinyurl.com/d57ra

You may want to experiment with the latest firmwares, software, drivers, etc. Proliant Support Pack 7.40A might be worth a try. Here's the link for DL380 G3:

http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/locate/69_4706.html

The latest BIOS seems to be a fairly critical item.

Make a great day!

Roger

[Pete Foret_1]

where can I go to find which dl380 I have in my rack?

[Stuart Whitby]

Reboots normally or bluescreens? If it bluescreens, do you get a minidump file? What's the faulting module listed in that in the drwtsn32.log file? This is likely to tell you what you need to fix.

If it reboots normally, then it's something very wierd in BackupExec that appears to be causing this. Get filemon and regmon on there and just watch the outputs until reboot time. See if it reboots on access of a particular file (can't see why it would do this, but it wouldn't be impossible to set up). Do the backup again and see if it reboots at the same point. Delete that file - it could be some dodgy disk sector which is causing problems. Again, it would be unlikely, but the whole scenario here is unlikely :)

[Pete Foret_1]

It reboots normally. I have tried to run different backups on different servers and it still reboots. i will try the filemon and regmon idea. Will let you know somoething wither today or in the morning. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.

[Joshua Small_2]

Hi Pete,

VERY common problem with Veritas Backup Exec.

http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/261728.htm

The document isn't totally specific about this. What you need to do is:

Apply storport.sys update from Microsoft first (or just apply Service Pack 1) THEN install Veritas using the steps in teh above URL.

[Roger Faucher]

Pete:

Are you having any luck?

Roger

[Pete Foret_1]

It ran successful for one day without rebooting and now it is doing the same thing. The next day all of the backups ran but the server still rebooted. This is getting very frustrating. Thanks in advance to everyone who has posted.

[Nick H]

I have almost exactly the same issue and config.
ML370 G3 Veritas Backup Exec (9.1 4691) Win2K3/SP1. All Bios and Firmwares are up to date. Logs only show "previous shutdown was unexpected". No Blue Screens, ASRs or DrWatson's.
Spyware checked fine, no viruses, nothing unusual happened before these reboots, no scheduled tasks.

Do you have a UPS (battery backup)?
We seem to have a power issue.

Does your reboots happen a few hours after the backups?

[Pete Foret_1]

I think there is a problem with the advance open file option and open file configuration settings. I successfully launched two backup without the server rebooting. I placed a radio dot next to Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service. The radio dot was next to automatically select open file technology. I will post the results tomorrow morning after all of my backups finish running.

[Nick H]

I paused the backup job for one day and now it did not reboot.
I will try it again next week.

Let us know what you find.

[Pete Foret_1]

Well ½ of the backups ran without a problem. The other half queued up and never ran. I canceled the remaining backups and tried to run them individually but they would not even start. Once I rebooted the server I was able to run the back ups. Does anyone else have this many problems with BKexec?

[Roger Faucher]

Pete:

If Symantec fixed all the v9 bugs, you'd have no reason to buy v10. Also, if they posted the fixes on their website, you wouldn't need to purchase support from them. ;-)

Make a great day!

Roger

[Pete Foret_1]

You are a wise mann grasshopper... Checking backup runs from last night. Will post results shortly.