W2K16 Standard Server with IBM Spectrum Protect 8.1.0 system state backup warnings

RajeshR

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PREDATAR Control23

Hello,

I am getting below warning message for all my W2K16 x64 Hyper-V VM Guest's for System State backup.

TSM Client 8.1.0
TSM Server 7.1.6.0

ANS4251W System Writer file '\\HostName\c$\Windows\servicing\Version\10.0.14393.0\amd64_installed': not found.
ANS4251W System Writer file '\\HostName\c$\Windows\servicing\Version\10.0.14393.0\x86_installed': not found.

When i checked these files doesn't exist.

I have even used below option in my client option file.
SKIPMISSINGSYSWFILES YES

Log says system state backup completed successfully and i could query the same. But my schedule backup ending with RC8.
Any further suggestions.

Thank you.
 
PREDATAR Control23

ANS4251W System Writer file '\\HostName\c$\Windows\servicing\Version\10.0.14393.0\amd64_installed': not found.
ANS4251W System Writer file '\\HostName\c$\Windows\servicing\Version\10.0.14393.0\x86_installed': not found.

When i checked these files doesn't exist.

I have even used below option in my client option file.
SKIPMISSINGSYSWFILES YES
In this situation, it's working as designed: http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21632674
If you don't use SKIPMISSINGSYSWFILES, you get an error and finish with RC=12
If you use SKIPMISSINGSYSWFILES , you get a warning and finish with RC=8

The issue is that at the beginning of the systemstate backup, Spectrum Protect queries all the VSS system writer to get the list of files that needs to be backed up for systemstate. In your case, those two files were in the list. It's not possible for Spectrum Protect to determine if the missing system files are important or not, for that reason they are reported. You can see that list using:
Code:
dsmc query systeminfo sfp
Review dsminfo.txt for the results of the above command. You should find your two files in that list.

There used to be a Microsoft KB about this, it's no longer on their site, but Google has a cached copy:
https://webcache.googleusercontent....om/en-ca/kb/2011841+&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca

Here's the resolution from the MS KB:
Resolution
  • The file referenced is a device driver and the corresponding device is found in device manager listed with a Yellow exclamation mark
    • If the device is no longer in use, uninstall the device.
    • If the device is needed, reinstall the device following the directions provide by the vendor.
  • The file referenced is not present on the specified path.
    • This may be the result of improperly uninstalled software. The path and filename reporting as failed is listed in the registry but is missing.
    • Attempt to identify the associated software and vendor. There may be additional information available from the vendors on manually removing the references.
    • If the software is needed, reinstallation may be resolve the issue.
    • To workaround around this error, the identified registry key might be deleted but the results could be unexpected. Ensure you have a method of recovering the system prior to making any modifications to the registry.
 
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PREDATAR Control23

before using SKIPMISSINGSYSWFILES also The RC of backup is 8 and status of schedule is completed.
Will try to find out which device driver installed and uninstalled and try for some work around.

Hope in recovery scenario it doesn't effect any.
 
PREDATAR Control23

before using SKIPMISSINGSYSWFILES also The RC of backup is 8 and status of schedule is completed.
Will try to find out which device driver installed and uninstalled and try for some work around.

Hope in recovery scenario it doesn't effect any.

Hi,

I know this thread is a few months old, but we encounter the same behaviour, like other people on the net do, too.

W2k16 VMWare VMs, TSM 8.1, and every backup/server generates these messages in the DSMError.log

ANS4251W System Writer file '\\HostName\c$\Windows\servicing\Version\10.0.14393.0\amd64_installed': not found.
ANS4251W System Writer file '\\HostName\c$\Windows\servicing\Version\10.0.14393.0\x86_installed': not found.

With every Update MS generates a new folder in ...\servicing\version\ according to some kind of OS Version

Mai Update should be "10.0.14393.1051"
June Update is "10.0.14393.1439"

In the youngest/newest folder (with the latest version) these 2 files (x86_installed & AMD64_Installed) exists, but not in the other ones.

It seems not per se a TSM Problem, other Backup solutions seem to encouter this, too.
As far as I found out it has something to do with the Windows System State Backup. If I exclude the system state, the error deosn't appear.
Internet says there's no way to exclude files from a WindowsSystemState backup.

And I haven't found a viable solution yet, since this message is pretty annoying in an otherwise clean eventlog :(

Imo this has nothign to do with any devices in the Device Manager, since it's totally clean here.

- Excludes don't work
- different TSM Clients wont work
- ExcludeFromBackup Paths in the Windows Registry won't work

Any suggestions/Ideas?
Cheers
Alex
 
PREDATAR Control23

yes, number of warnings increasing for every MS update.
ANE4251W System Writerfile '\\xxxxxx\c$\Windows\servicing\Version\10.0.14393.350\x86_installed': not found.
ANE4251W System Writerfile '\\xxxxxx\c$\Windows\servicing\Version\10.0.14393.693\x86_installed': not found.
ANE4251W System Writerfile '\\xxxxxx\c$\Windows\servicing\Version\10.0.14393.1051\x86_installed': not found.
ANE4251W System Writerfile '\\xxxxxx\c$\Windows\servicing\Version\10.0.14393.0\amd64_installed': not found.
ANE4251W System Writerfile '\\xxxxxx\c$\Windows\servicing\Version\10.0.14393.350\amd64_installed': not found.
ANE4251W System Writerfile '\\xxxxxx\c$\Windows\servicing\Version\10.0.14393.693\amd64_installed': not found.
ANE4251W System Writerfile '\\xxxxxx\c$\Windows\servicing\Version\10.0.14393.1051\amd64_installed': not found.
ANE4251W System Writerfile '\\xxxxxx\c$\Windows\servicing\Version\10.0.14393.0\x86_installed': not found.

June month MS updates yet to install :)
 
PREDATAR Control23

Wondering what to do here.
It fills the logs and generates false positiv error messages, which trigger workflows.

- Just move/delete the empty folders? My Test VM works pretty well without those, but I can't assure that there won't be following problems. But delete those folders after every(!) backup? meh...

- Exclude SystemState from Backup? Not really ideal.

- What about an official IBM support Call? But they'll say: "Ask Microsoft, not our fault..."

No idea...
 
PREDATAR Control23

Excluding SS backup for a warning msg doesn't make any sense. your schedule will complete but with rc8.
There won't be any issue while restoring system state anyway.
Just ignore until we find a solution.
If you are using Operation center it will show you in red mark for this server, so you just bypass it by ignore all warnings to see it green :).
 
PREDATAR Control23

Atm @ TSMBAC 08.00.0311

There's a new one from May'17, I'll try. I'll update if that one works.
 
PREDATAR Control23

May'17 8.1.0.2-TIV-TSMBAC-WinX64 released, my current version is 8.1.0.0.
 
PREDATAR Control23

Nope, v8.1.0.2 didn't help

ANE4251W System Writerfile '\\xxxxxx\c$\Windows\servicing\Version\10.0.14393.350\x86_installed': not found.

Still there.
 
PREDATAR Control23

Nope, v8.1.0.2 didn't help

ANE4251W System Writerfile '\\xxxxxx\c$\Windows\servicing\Version\10.0.14393.350\x86_installed': not found.

Still there.
It would not help just by how the systemstate backups work. Review my earlier comment up here, post #2.
 
PREDATAR Control23

I see 3 possible solutions, I listed them in order of my personal preference. Note, that's generic, not targeted at any specific missing files:
  1. Re-install and/or un-install the software/driver that these files belong to
  2. Work with the software vendor of missing files to either get the missing files or remove their reference from the VSS System Writer
  3. Create a dummy empty file with the same path and name as the missing file
I know 3 will work because the Spectrum Client will backup that file and not report it as missing. The reason I put creating a dummy file that as the last option is that if a file is listed in the System Writer as an important file to backup at some point, it's that there was a reason for it. If it was my system, I'd rather know from the vendor of that file if that file is important or not first before faking its existence.
 
PREDATAR Control23

The issue is that at the beginning of the systemstate backup, Spectrum Protect queries all the VSS system writer to get the list of files that needs to be backed up for systemstate. In your case, those two files were in the list. It's not possible for Spectrum Protect to determine if the missing system files are important or not, for that reason they are reported.

Yeah, you're right.
And the question is, why says Windows/VSS that there are these files?
There's nothing in the registry, no sinlge entry with that path.
I have no idea what to do. If ound nothing really helpful on the internet.

This is just annoying, since every error starts a workflow, to check the backup errors.


I see 3 possible solutions, I listed them in order of my personal preference. Note, that's generic, not targeted at any specific missing files:
  1. Re-install and/or un-install the software/driver that these files belong to
  2. Work with the software vendor of missing files to either get the missing files or remove their reference from the VSS System Writer
  3. Create a dummy empty file with the same path and name as the missing file
I know 3 will work because the Spectrum Client will backup that file and not report it as missing. The reason I put creating a dummy file that as the last option is that if a file is listed in the System Writer as an important file to backup at some point, it's that there was a reason for it. If it was my system, I'd rather know from the vendor of that file if that file is important or not first before faking its existence.

1- Reinstall Updates doesn't work.
2- Work with MS... yeah.... no. I don't think this'll work. And I wont to pay for a ticket for this.:(
3- also nut sure about this

Or 4- just delete those old folders.
As I said, my test-VM works fine without those, but I can't tell this for future problems.
 
PREDATAR Control23

There are only two ways to get rid of the warning: get the missing file(s) back in it's original place (real or fake) by whatever means possible or remove the file(s) from the list of Windows System Protected Files aka VSS System Writer.

I don't understand how deleting the directory those files belong in would make them to no longer be missing, but hey, if it works for you, that's all that matters.
 
PREDATAR Control23

Do you know how to "remove the file(s) from the list of Windows System Protected Files aka VSS System Writer."?
 
PREDATAR Control23

Do you know how to "remove the file(s) from the list of Windows System Protected Files aka VSS System Writer."?
No, I don't. I researched in the past and couldn't find anything. Might be something obscure on MSDN because 3rd party software developers that write drivers usually add their files as system protected files.
 
PREDATAR Control23

I also haven't found anything. There are some Reg-keys, but they don't seem to have any impact.
 
PREDATAR Control23

Hello everyone, I wanted to address this issue as we have seen it come up a couple of times recently with windows 2016 systems. At this time to my knowledge it is limited to 2016.

Let me be clear, this is a Windows issue that Microsoft needs to address. There will not be a change made to any future IBM Spectrum Protect client code to allow parts of the systemstate to be missing and not report a warning or error. We have been made aware by customers that Microsoft support may be reluctant to do anything about this and may site documents that list these files as being "optional" as part of the systemstate backup. However, a backup product such as IBM Spectrum Protect, cannot and will not pick and choose what files that belong to the systemstate. Files either belong the systemstate or do not. These files are registered as part of the systemstate for a reason, they are supposed to be required for system functionality. This means that either ALL of the files enumerated as part of the systemstate are able to be backed up and the backup is successful or, if any item are missed, it is not successful and will report failed or a non zero return code. If the files are not required to be part of an functioning system then by definition they should not be included as part of the systemstate.

In the past we have seen software or drivers installed on systems that registered files to the systemstate, and after uninstalling the software did not remove the files from the writers associated files list. This results in an error being reported when the file is not found during the backup. The solution to this is to either reinstall the software to put the file back, make a dummy file so a file is found, or contact the vendor to fix the issue so that the software uninstalls correctly and removes its association with the system writer/s. In this case that vendor is Microsoft its self.

Phillip Gerrard
IBM Spectrum Protect L2
 
PREDATAR Control23

Hello Mr. Gerrard,

thank you for your input and the straight forward statement!
I think we all cleary understand why you make this decision and nobody will blame you, since (imo & I agree) this is more a Microsoft issue than a Backup Software issue.
Logically totally valid point you made here.

None the less a few questions, since you seem very competent in that topic.

- How are files registered in the Systemstate, and how do I manually unregister files?
Is it possible to unregister those files via command (on my own risk of course)?
My GoogleFu seems way to bad to find an answer to this question.

- I think the folders/files help software & updates determine, what OS version is be installed.
Is that right? Any idea what may happen when we just create dummy files?

- De- / ReInstalling is (I think) no real option, since these are the Update Packs from Microsoft.
Do you have any other idea, how we may work around this issue?

Thanks for your time!
Cheers
Alex
 
PREDATAR Control23

I have not done any work on this issue specifically, I am just aware of the issue. In the past I believe we have used regsvr32 to remove DLL files that were left from software that was removed, but I am not sure about these files. I really cannot suggest you take any actions without talking to MS support first for there assistance, they SHOULD be able to tell you how to do this. I also cannot comment on why they have chosen to do this now, but so far I am only aware of it on windows 2016 systems. The only other real option is to put a dummy file in place to backup.

Phillip Gerrard
IBM Spectrum Protect L2
 
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