Windows Server 2003 - Tape Backup Fails

ArmoVanBuuren · 29 Nov 2007 at 09:32

Hi, wondering if any of you would be kind enough to help me out. On a server at work the backup keeps failing. We are using the Windows Server 2003 Backup Utility with a LT02 (200/400GB) tape and trying to backup around 320GB of data but it now keeps failing by saying the tape failed to mount when the data is copied to the tape via shadow copy. This has only recently just happened and it used to backup 380gb before I cleared some files onto another server as I thought it might be due to the amount it is trying to backup. The backup starts at 6PM and usually takes and usually finishes about 9am the next morning and is a full backup everyday.

Backup Status
Operation: Backup
Active backup destination: LTO Ultrium
Media name: "Server Backup"
Volume shadow copy creation: Attempt 1.
Backup (via shadow copy) of "E: Data"
Backup set #1 on media #1
Backup description: "Full Backup"
Media name: "Server Backup"
Backup Type: Normal
Backup started on 28/11/2007 at 18:02.
Backup completed on 29/11/2007 at 06:58.
Directories: 104297
Files: 1270543
Bytes: 313,374,493,556
Time: 12 hours, 56 minutes, and 2 seconds
Backup (via shadow copy) of "System State"
Backup set #2 on media #1
Backup description: "Full Backup"
Media name: "Server Backup"
Backup Type: Copy
Backup started on 29/11/2007 at 06:58.
The requested media failed to mount. The operation was aborted.
The operation was ended.
Backup completed on 29/11/2007 at 07:00.
Directories: 94
Files: 603
Bytes: 194,540,217
Time: 1 minute and 27 seconds
----------------------
The operation did not successfully complete.
----------------------

Event log report

Event Type: Error
Event Source: NTBackup
Event Category: None
Event ID: 8019
Date: 29/11/2007
Time: 07:00:17
User: N/A
Computer: Server
Description:
End Operation: Warnings or errors were encountered.
Consult the backup report for more details.
For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Anybody got any ideas why this is failing?

sidethink · 29 Nov 2007 at 09:54

Can you try a different backup job on a subset of the files (say 1 gig or so) just to prove that everything works? Setup new media and a new job from scratch.

ArmoVanBuuren · 29 Nov 2007 at 10:03

Cheers sidethink,

I have just started a 1gb backup, will let you know how it goes. Should be finished in around 5 minutes.

ArmoVanBuuren · 29 Nov 2007 at 10:08

Finished the 1gb backup and that completed successfully without any errors.

Backup Status
Operation: Backup
Active backup destination: LTO Ultrium
Media name: "Media created 29/11/2007 at 09:45"
Volume shadow copy creation: Attempt 1.
Backup (via shadow copy) of "E: Data"
Backup set #1 on media #1
Backup description: "Set created 29/11/2007 at 09:45"
Media name: "Media created 29/11/2007 at 09:45"
Backup Type: Normal
Backup started on 29/11/2007 at 09:48.
Backup completed on 29/11/2007 at 09:51.
Directories: 1161
Files: 4138
Bytes: 1,240,669,175
Time: 3 minutes and 15 seconds
----------------------

Edit: Looks as if it is the system state where the tape is not mounting, so system state is not getting backed up. So trying a backup now of just the system state.

ArmoVanBuuren · 29 Nov 2007 at 10:23

System state backed up successfully:

Backup Status
Operation: Backup
Active backup destination: LTO Ultrium
Media name: "Media created 29/11/2007 at 09:45"
Volume shadow copy creation: Attempt 1.
Backup (via shadow copy) of "E: Data"
Backup set #1 on media #1
Backup description: "Set created 29/11/2007 at 09:45"
Media name: "Media created 29/11/2007 at 09:45"
Backup Type: Normal
Backup started on 29/11/2007 at 09:48.
Backup completed on 29/11/2007 at 09:51.
Directories: 1161
Files: 4138
Bytes: 1,240,669,175
Time: 3 minutes and 15 seconds
----------------------
Backup Status
Operation: Backup
Active backup destination: LTO Ultrium
Media name: "Media created 29/11/2007 at 09:59"
Volume shadow copy creation: Attempt 1.
Backup (via shadow copy) of "System State"
Backup set #2 on media #1
Backup description: "Set created 29/11/2007 at 09:59"
Media name: "Media created 29/11/2007 at 09:45"
Backup Type: Copy
Backup started on 29/11/2007 at 10:01.
Backup completed on 29/11/2007 at 10:04.
Directories: 193
Files: 2959
Bytes: 658,591,474
Time: 3 minutes and 8 seconds
----------------------

So now I am puzzled for ideas, is it possible I am trying to backup too much even though it used to do 380GB and the tapes are 200/400gb LT02?