NetWorker: VSS Issue with Illegal Token and Incorrect Directory Specification Error

Filesystem Backup Fails with below Error message:

suppressed 11158 bytes of output.

87306:save: Incorrect directory specification on line 123 of 'C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\tmp\sd000001'.

C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\tmp\sd000001 line 123: illegal token

C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\tmp\sd000001 line 123: syntax error

87306:save: Incorrect directory specification on line 125 of 'C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\tmp\sd000001'.

C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\tmp\sd000001 line 125: illegal token

C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\tmp\sd000001 line 125: syntax error

87306:save: Incorrect directory specification on line 127 of 'C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\tmp\sd000001'.

C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\tmp\sd000001 line 127: illegal token

C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\tmp\sd000001 line 127: syntax error

87306:save: Incorrect directory specification on line 129 of 'C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\tmp\sd000001'.

C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\tmp\sd000001 line 129: illegal token

C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\tmp\sd000001 line 129: syntax error

87306:save: Incorrect directory specification on line 131 of 'C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\tmp\sd000001'.

C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\tmp\sd000001 line 131: illegal token

C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\tmp\sd000001 line 131: syntax error

87305:save: Incorrectly quoted directory on line 497 of 'C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\tmp\sd000001'.

C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\tmp\sd000001 line 497: illegal token

174424:save: Step (3 of 5) for PID-10504: Creating the snapshot for the selected save sets.

VSS OTHER: ERROR: VSS failed to process snapshot: Unable to create the VSS snapshot.

197048:save: Unable to save the SYSTEM STATE save sets and create the snapshot: Unable to create the VSS snapshot.


176571:save: Step (4 of 5) for PID-10504: Unable to complete the backup of the disaster recovery save sets. See the savegrp log to track the closure steps of the backup.

176572:save: Error occurred during the backup of the disaster recovery save sets.

--- Job Indications ---

<Client _Name>:<saveset>: retried 1 times

From the NetWorker Management Console (NMC), go to Monitoring tab > right-click particular Workflow > Show details > Failed section > Double-click Failed section > Get full log.

• It might be due to VSS Shadow copy on Client Server is High.
• System Writer, ASR Writer, WMI Writer, Registry Writer - All must be in a Stable state and no error.
• The initialization of VSS did not succeed and is getting stuck frequently.
• System State should be in Waiting for Completion or any other Shadow copy running in Background or Manually Triggered for the Snapshot Process.

1. Open an Administrator command prompt.
2. Stop the NetWorker client:
   net stop nsrexecd /y
3. Kill any NetWorker services which did not stop:
   taskkil /F /IM nsr*
4. Kill any NetWorker backup processes which did not stop:
   taskkill /F /IM save*
5. Rename the "Daemon" file under path: C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\logs\daemon.raw
6. Remove the "tmp" folder under the path: C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\tmp (any renamed /tmp directories also)
7. Open the SERVICES (or services.msc) prompt.
8. Look for the VOLUME SHADOW COPY service STOP and then START for this service.
9. Check the VSS system writers, it should be stable for all the VSS writers.
10. Delete all the shadows from the client server.
11. Check the servers file entry. It should be backup server name under Path:- <C:\Program Files\EMC Networker\nsr\res\servers>
12. Start NetWorker client services again:
    net start nsrexecd
13. Open a NetWorker user UI and Try to connect with the backup server on the client server.
14. Finally Trigger the Backup