Avamar: Windows File System backup error "Unable to retrieve volume information"

Summary: This article provides the resolution for Windows File System backup error "Unable to retrieve volume information"

This article applies to This article does not apply to This article is not tied to any specific product. Not all product versions are identified in this article.
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Symptoms

This issue may occur when upgrading the Avamar client software.

File system backups may either fail or complete exception errors similar to the following: 
avtar Error <0000>: Unable to retrieve volume information for 'Z:\' (Code: 0x3ed code 1005: The volume does not contain a recognized file system.  
Verify that all required file system drivers are loaded and that the volume is not corrupted.

Cause

Causes
  1. Avtar software is making a Windows system call, "GetVolumeInformation" Microsoft documentation below may never return a result when querying a specific volume/GUID. See link for more information GetVolumeInformationA functionThis hyperlink is taking you to a website outside of Dell Technologies.
  2. Virtual flash drives on DELL PowerEdge 2950 servers can cause this error to appear.
  3. It may also occur on Windows clients that have no physical floppy disk, but the BIOS indicates that there is one present:

Resolution

To resolve this issue. 
  • Upgrade the Avamar Server to.
    • 19.4.100-124 or later 
  • The fix is incorporated in Avamar 19.4 and later software releases.
  • Create an avtar.cmd file in the avs\var directory and add the following flag:
    • --no-query-vols=DRIVE LETTER (where DRIVE LETTER denotes the volume that is triggering the error)
      • For example: --no-query-vols=Z:
If the issue is due to non-existent floppy disks, the best solution is to disable the floppy drive in the BIOS of the affected servers.

Affected Products

Avamar

Products

Avamar, Avamar Client for Windows
Article Properties
Article Number: 000039609
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 11 Apr 2024
Version:  4
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