Backups fail due to 'ghost files'

Question

Hello fellow networkers,

I've got a strange problem: The backups of a single host fail due to, what I call, "ghost files". The backups always fail with the following error messages:

1 retry attempted
System Writer - Get file attributes returned error 3 for VSS file \\?\GLOBALROOT\Device\HarddiskVolumeShadowCopy226\program files (x86)\common files\aelita shared\migration tools\migration attendant for exchange\rcmd.exe
System Writer - Error saving file path C:\program files (x86)\common files\aelita shared\migration tools\migration attendant for exchange\rcmd.exe that is associated with Shadow Copy path \\?\GLOBALROOT\Device\HarddiskVolumeShadowCopy226\program files (x86)\common files\aelita shared\migration tools\migration attendant for exchange\rcmd.exe. The system cannot find the path specified.

But, the software containing this file, has been removed. When I create a snapshot using vshadow and assign the snapshot a drive letter, the named file is not present in that snapshot. And no, it isn't hidden either. Furthermore, the directories "migration tools\migration attendant for exchange" don't exist either. I've already rebooted the system to no avail.

My question: Why does NetWorker come to the conclusion that it needs to backup that file? Or files, because the backup failed on a different file earlier. I've recreated that file using "echo > rcmd.exe". Yup, same name but different directory. I'm not able to verify if file in those deleted directories are opened as I get the 'maintain objects list' flags needs to be set (and thus the system rebooted...). Al though, the system has been rebooted, how can a file that has been removed be opened?

Can anyone of you shed some light on this issue?

Kind regards, freundlichen Gruessen, vriendelijke groet, Edgar.

masonb · Accepted Answer

Edgar,

I think you will find there will still be some registry entries for the software which was removed and this is where VSS is picking up the file names to be secured.

Search the registry and see if you can find references.

Regards,

Bill Mason

36115_carloscor · Answer

Hi Edgar,

This is a known MS issue, as per KB http://support.Microsoft.com/kb/955078 and some others.

EMC created a workaround to backup Windows using VSS in this particular case, as per solutions below:

http://solutions.emc.com/emcsolutionview.asp?id=esg109691

http://solutions.emc.com/emcsolutionview.asp?id=esg116035

Depending on the version of Networker client you have installed you would need only to apply the backup command:

save -a '"ignore-all-missing-system-files=yes"'

And give it a try.

If it doesn't work I would suggest you to use any registry cleaner too (as described in MS KB) and remove those entries on the registry, pointing to those files that are no longer present on the system after uninstalling that software.

Please let us know if this information helped you to solve the issue.

Thank you.

Carlos.

NetWorker

Backups fail due to "ghost files"

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