VDR and Windows Server 2008 R2

[landen]

I have been unable to use Data Recovery to successfully backup a Windows Server 2008 R2 VM. I consistently get the error: "Cannot create a quiesced snapshot because the create snapshot operation exceeded the time limit for holding off I/O in the frozen virtual machine."

It seems to work fine on 'regular' Server 2008 VMs.

[admin]

Are you able to create a manual snapshot of the same VM through the Vi Client?

[landen]

Yes. A manual snapshot works fine.

[asitdesai]

Data Recovery perform file system quiesced snapshot, so make sure to check "Quiesce guest file system" when manually creating the snapshot to test the behavior when Data Recovery creates the snapshot. You may want to check the system and application event logs in the Windows 2008 R2 VM. That may give you a clue on what is causing the quiescing to fail. If you do not have any applications that need quiescing, you can uninstall VSS component from the VMware Tools so that it would perform crash consistent quiescing. But if you have applications such as SQL/Exchange that need quiescing, it is better to figure out what is causing the quiescing to fail.

[landen]

I did check "Quiesce guest file system" when I manually created the

snapshot, and the manual snapshot worked fine.

[admin]

The error you're seeing is usually propogated from Windows. It basically means that there was too much I/O going on at the time VSS was invoked. Is it possible the VM is doing something at the time you're trying to backup that's different when you attempt to create a manual snapshot? Another thing is to look in the Event Viewer in Windows and see if there are any VSS-related messages/errors in there.

[landen]

It's a basic Server 2008-R2 VM that I just installed. Nothing is

running on it. There are no errors or warnings in either the System or

Application logs. I'm curious to hear if anyone has successfully backed

up a Server 2008-R2 virtual machine with Data Recovery.

[GT5700]

I'm having exactly the same issue. VM is not doing anything special, and the error message appears almost immediately...I'm not sure what the timeout duration it is referring to is, but it must be very short. The only way I have backed up the VM is by shutting it down first...not an ideal situation..

[ceemour]

2008 r2 is x64 only. vmware vss driver is not supported on x64 2008 still I think. so any backup wont be absolutely consistent

plese correct me if i am wrong

[GT5700]

You may be correct, but I do have a 2008 x64 being backed up by VDR with no issues...its only 2008 R2 that's having this issue...

[landen]

Same here. It's only R2 that I'm having the trouble with.

[black88mx6]

Bump - Same issue here with 2008 R2. I able able to create a snapshot from the vCenter Gui

[Veral]

Exactly the same issue here using VCB

[Veral]

The only workaround I found so far is uninstalling the mware tools vss driver or shutting down the guest before creating the snapshot.

I hope there will be a better solution available quickly.

[Kreuger3434]

I called support and was told that R2 in there eyes is experimental, and they do not know when the support will be built in to VCB framework. So for now we wait, and try to push the issue. The only way I have been able to back it up is enable VSS on the VM shut it down and then do the backup, but for many of us including me this is not really an option or a solution we can live with.

SO VMWARE TEAM WE NEED R2 AND WINDOWS 7 SUPPORTED IN THE NEW VCB FRAMEWORK ASAP

[davidb1234]

Yes we do need support for 2008 R2. We are having the same problems and cannot back up 2008 R2.

[RParker]

Yes. A manual snapshot works fine.

I don't think so... Do the snapshot again this time make SURE you are using the "quiesce guest file system" option, I think you will find that it STILL does NOT work.

By default a snapshot taken manually does not enable this option.

[Dworkins]

Hello,

I got the same issue but i resolve it following that KB: KB Article: 1009073

Hope this help

Gabriel

[Dworkins]

double post sorry

[landen]

Are you using ESX 4.0? KB 1009073 does not apply to ESX 4.0.