Is open file agent installed or running on all clients on which you are getting error?

No, I have been instructed not to install the open file agent (the product is rolled out through Corporate governance)

By corporate governance what do you mean?
When you install Avamar client software, while finishing, a option comes ie. to install open file agent. Just check it. Then click finish. Then you follow instructions and install open file agent.
Just try that for one client for which you are getting this error and then take backup and see whether that resolves your problem or not. Hopefully it should work.

Hello Randeep; thanks for helping me with this one. With governance I mean that this product is being rolled out by our headquarters, I'm managing an affiliate. I submitted this issue with them but did not get any feedback....

I installed the open file agent but it did not change anything; still got the ntsecurity errors. This is not the same client as the log sample I submitted earlier.

2009/05/04-10:17:19.34100 [avtar] <0953> WARN: ntsecurity error:init:GetFileSecurityW(1) "C:\Documents and Settings\nl00118\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories", LastError=2 (code 2: The system cannot find the file specified)
2009-05-04 12:17:19 avtar Warning <7273>: Cannot backup Security Descriptor for file "C:\Documents and Settings\nl00118\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories". Error=2 (code 2: The system cannot find the file specified)
2009/05/04-10:17:19.34100 [avtar] <0953> WARN: ntsecurity error:init:GetFileSecurityW(1) "C:\Documents and Settings\nl00118\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools", LastError=55 (code 55: The specified network resource or device is no longer available)
2009-05-04 12:17:19 avtar Warning <7273>: Cannot backup Security Descriptor for file "C:\Documents and Settings\nl00118\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools". Error=55 (code 55: The specified network resource or device is no longer available)

As i can see 2 outputs you have put here:

There is very much difference in two:

No error has came now: file access error is no longer there, neither pagefile.sys warning. Remaining are only the warnings. For that you can see the files which are coming in warnings and find out whether they exist or not.

Hi Randeep,

Your right. I installed the openfile agent on the 1st machine. Now there's no error anymore about the pagefile. The log has changed and only the ntsecurity errors remain. I find it very strange that this error occurs as I added "c:/documents and settings/*/Local Settings/*" to the exclusion list. Why would Avamar bother about directories that are excluded?

2009/05/04-11:51:55.72300 [avtar] <0953> WARN: ntsecurity error:init:GetFileSecurityW(1) "C:\Documents and Settings\NL097545\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\Q05H7NJF\images[2].jpg", LastError=3 (code 3: The system cannot find the path specified)
2009-05-04 13:51:55 avtar Warning <7273>: Cannot backup Security Descriptor for file "C:\Documents and Settings\NL097545\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\Q05H7NJF\images[2].jpg". Error=3 (code 3: The system cannot find the path specified)

I tried to actiavte more backup's at the same machine. Things have changed after I installed the open file agent. This is the error that keeps coming back now:

2009-05-04 14:35:05 avtar Error <0000>: VSS: GetSnapshotProperties failed with 'VSS_E_OBJECT_NOT_FOUND'
2009-05-04 14:31:39 avtar Error <5244>: Unable to open directory "C:\" (code 1005: The volume does not contain a recognized file system. Please make sure that all required file system drivers are loaded and that the volume is not corrupted).

Very strange finding; I activated the backup about 6 times and 1 backup was fully completed without any error. Now what's going wrong with the other 5? It seems this has something to do with the VSS, does it?

Cause for VSS can be due to :
1. Incomplete O/S installation.
2. Reboot may be required to complete installation.
3. There is a security program running on client system that is preventing the installation from completing.

Resolution:
Use the steps below to determine if VSS installation has not completed.
On the client system:
1. Does the file C:\WINDOWS\System32\vssvc.exe exist on that client system"
2. Test if VSS has been completely installed.
* Open a command shell.
* Issue the commands below. Sample expected output has been provided in blue.

1. vssadmin list providers

vssadmin 1.0 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool
(C) Copyright 2001 Microsoft Corp.

Provider name: 'MS Software Shadow Copy provider 1.0'
Provider type: System
Provider Id: {b5946137-7b9f-4925-af80-51abd60b20d5}
Version: 1.0.0.7

2. vssadmin list writers

vssadmin 1.0 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool
(C) Copyright 2001 Microsoft Corp.



Writer name: 'WMI Writer'
Writer Id: {a6ad56c2-b509-4e6c-bb19-49d8f43532f0}
Writer Instance Id: {cd191a14-af3e-414f-84af-9f5f723921c6}
State: [1] Stable



Writer name: 'MSDEWriter'
Writer Id: {f8544ac1-0611-4fa5-b04b-f7ee00b03277}
Writer Instance Id: {881e5af9-029b-46ac-8c1c-5d79cff14483}
State: [1] Stable



Writer name: 'Microsoft Writer (Bootable State)'
Writer Id: {f2436e37-09f5-41af-9b2a-4ca2435dbfd5}
Writer Instance Id: {1bdf6ecf-e0b0-4452-aad1-9f9b944d243e}
State: [1] Stable



Writer name: 'Microsoft Writer (Service State)'
Writer Id: {e38c2e3c-d4fb-4f4d-9550-fcafda8aae9a}
Writer Instance Id: {97909440-0a3b-40a7-a81f-89ae70409324}
State: [1] Stable


3. vssadmin list shadows

vssadmin 1.0 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool
(C) Copyright 2001 Microsoft Corp.

No shadow copies present in the system.


Review the output for errors.
+

Writer name: 'WMI Writer'

Writer Id: {a6ad56c2-b509-4e6c-bb19-49d8f43532f0}

Writer Instance Id: {d8147937-9d70-450b-8fed-c2d050fc998d}

State: [5] Waiting for completion

+

The error above implies VSS has not been completely installed.


Recommended action.


1. Check if there is any software running such as virus scanners, malicious software scanners, or any other utility that is inhibiting the installation of any software.
2. Check both the client and servers for these applications.
3. Disable these utilities and then reboot.
4. Rerun the tests to verify installation is complete.

for avtar error 5244; check whether volume is there or not or its not corrupted. Is this error 5244 cannot find directory specified coming again and again.?

Hi Randeep,

I wanted to let you know that in the end we have not been able to find a direct cause for the problem. We are pretty sure that the problems are due to the fact that the hard disks is just not able to respond quickly to the Avamar back-up task; the disk is just too busy..... (antivirus, encryption and the user that is working on it).

What we did find out is a sort of work around. I found out that the exceptions shown, can be corrected by just (simply) defragmenting the hard disk. First we only reacted on clients with problems but it's just a matter of time before the symptoms are coming back.
Now we have equipped all our laptops with a monthly scheduled defragmentation. It maintains the hard-disk so we should not encounter exceptions easily.

Thanks for your help and best regards,

Jan