I have a solution it seems.
Microsoft KB940184 details repairing corruption to a registry key
concerned with the vss writes.
If you are suffering from VSS errors during TSM backups (and when the
Scheduler starts), and get no output from the VSSADMIN LIST WRITERS
command at the windows cmd line, follow the instructions in KB940184.
I only had to complete the first step (although the COM+ service hung
and I needed to reboot) to resolve the issue.
Best of luck,
Adam 

-----Original Message-----
From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU] On Behalf Of
Timothy Hughes
Sent: 17 October 2008 14:53
To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
Subject: Re: [ADSM-L] WIndows2003 VSS errors

We have them also with a Windows 2003 R2 standard x64 Edition SP2
client. I agree I don't believe we started having these VSS Errors until
we upgraded to the 5.4/5.5 clients. I', still trying to find out what
patches they need to correct the issue.

10/17/2008 00:26:21 VssRequestor::checkWriterStatus:
VssRequestor::checkWriterStatus failed with
hr=VSS_E_WRITERERROR_RETRYABLE
10/17/2008 00:26:21 ANS5268W The Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Services
writer 'Dhcp Jet Writer' current state (VSS_WS_FAILED_AT_FREEZE) is not
valid for the current operation.
10/17/2008 00:26:21 ANS5261W An attempt to create a snapshot has failed.
Another attempt will be made to create the snapshot in 30 seconds.
10/17/2008 00:26:51 VssRequestor::checkWriterStatus:
VssRequestor::checkWriterStatus failed with
hr=VSS_E_WRITERERROR_RETRYABLE
10/17/2008 00:26:51 ANS5268W The Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Services
writer 'Dhcp Jet Writer' current state (VSS_WS_FAILED_AT_FREEZE) is not
valid for the current operation.
10/17/2008 00:26:51 ANS5271E A Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Services
writer is in an invalid state before snapshot initialization.
10/17/2008 00:26:51 ANS1327W The snapshot operation for
'WHPDC1\SystemState\NULL\System State\SystemState' failed with error
code: 4353.
10/17/2008 00:26:51 ANS1228E Sending of object
'WHPDC1\SystemState\NULL\System State\SystemState' failed
10/17/2008 00:26:51 ANS5258E An error occurred initializing a VSS
request. For more information, see the TSM client error log.
10/17/2008 00:26:51 ANS1375E The snapshot operation failed.

Manual backup produces same result

10/17/2008 09:48:47 VssRequestor::checkWriterStatus:
VssRequestor::checkWriterStatus failed with
hr=VSS_E_WRITERERROR_RETRYABLE
10/17/2008 09:48:47 ANS5268W The Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Services
writer 'Dhcp Jet Writer' current state (VSS_WS_FAILED_AT_FREEZE) is not
valid for the current operation.
10/17/2008 09:48:47 ANS5271E A Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Services
writer is in an invalid state before snapshot initialization.
10/17/2008 09:48:47 ANS1327W The snapshot operation for
'WHPDC1\SystemState\NULL\System State\SystemState' failed with error
code: 4353.
10/17/2008 09:48:47 ANS5258E An error occurred initializing a VSS
request. For more information, see the TSM client error log.
10/17/2008 09:48:47 ANS1375E The snapshot operation failed.

Tim

Lubbers, Nicholas wrote:

>We are having the same errors on one of our virtual machines. Running
>2003 Enterprise x64. I've done all the suggestions listed, including 
>the
>KB940349 patch, and still have the errors. We have an exact clone of 
>this server and no VSS errors...
>
>http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21295294
>http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=663&uid=swg21242128
>
>
>Nick
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU] On Behalf 
>Of Dwight Cook
>Sent: Friday, October 17, 2008 8:22 AM
>To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
>Subject: Re: [ADSM-L] WIndows2003 VSS errors
>
>So you folks have the following windows patches installed:
>WindowsServer2003-KB940349-v3-ia64-ENU.exe
>WindowsServer2003-KB940349-v3-x86-ENU.exe
>WindowsServer2003.WindowsXP-KB940349-v3-x64-ENU.exe
>(based on your platforms....)
>
>Dwight
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU] On Behalf 
>Of Crosskey, Adam - Corporate Core - ICT Services
>Sent: Friday, October 17, 2008 8:14 AM
>To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
>Subject: Re: [ADSM-L] WIndows2003 VSS errors
>
>Richard,
>It seems this has become an issue since upgrading the server and 
>clients from 5.3 to 5.4.
>It appears now to be a Windows problem, as the errors occur 
>independently of TSM activity, when attempting to query the VSS writers

>using the vssadmin utility.
>I will pursue it accordingly.
>Thanks for your response,
>Adam
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU] On Behalf 
>Of Richard Sims
>Sent: 16 October 2008 12:18
>To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
>Subject: Re: [ADSM-L] WIndows2003 VSS errors
>
>VSS_E_WRITER_INFRASTRUCTURE is a possible indication that the Windows
>2003 Volume Shadow Copy Service is not running or is an error state.
>A -1 return code from applications typically means that they didn't 
>even have enough infrastructure present to get started.
>We don't have context on your problem, as in whether this is a new 
>client deployment, or an older client with an unchanged configuration 
>whose backups worked before; or what you've investigated (TSM error 
>log, Windows Event Log, VSS state, etc.).
>
>   Richard Sims
>
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>

This email, including attachments, may contain confidential information. If you 
have received it in error, please notify the sender by reply and delete it 
immediately. Views expressed by the sender may not be those of Oxfordshire 
County Council. Council emails are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 
2000. http://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/emaildisclaimer