>> On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 09:51:59 -0500, Elana Samuels <elana AT 
>> TIER1DATASOLUTIONS DOT COM> said:

> Unfortunately these users are also our customers.  Not so easy to do that.

The core problem here is that Windows is making a solemn assertion
that the file on disk is inconsistent: that's the only reason to put
that sort of a read lock on a file.  Why it should keep e.g. a PST in
an inconsistent state for hours on end is beyond me, but that's what
it's doing.

Under those circumstances, however, you -CANNOT- get a good backup off
the disk.  Period, end of subject.  You can get a pile of bytes, but
Windows is telling you in letters of fire nine miles high "THIS IS NOT
A CONSISTENT FILE IMAGE".

You may get inconsistencies which are not immediately evident, but
Windows is swearing up and down that the file is bad.  So tell your
customers that you can only back up consistent files.



Think of it this way: Would you expect a filesystem backup of a MSSQL
data store to be usable?  What about an Exchange store?

This is a liability of the strategy M$ has decided to use for their
applications.


- Allen S. Rout