ISSUE: VSS_E_FLUSH_WRITES_TIMEOUT (MS SQL database backup in VSS mode) []

This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong.
======  ISSUE: VSS_E_FLUSH_WRITES_TIMEOUT (MS SQL database backup in VSS mode)  ======
Article ID: 8081 \\ Reviewed: 22/06/2020 \\ Product Version: CloudBacko Pro : 4.1.0.0 or above  \\ OS: Windows 

===== Problem Description =====
<html>
When performing a MS SQL server database backup in VSS backup mode, the following error message is received in the backup report:
 <br/>
 <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="850">
  <tr>
   <td bgcolor="#E8E8E8" style="BORDER-LEFT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #C0C0C0  1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #C0C0C0 1px solid" valign="middle">
    No.
   </td>
   <td bgcolor="#E8E8E8" style="BORDER-LEFT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #C0C0C0  1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #C0C0C0 1px solid" valign="middle">
    Type
   </td>
   <td bgcolor="#E8E8E8" style="BORDER-LEFT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #C0C0C0  1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #C0C0C0 1px solid" valign="middle">
    Timestamp
   </td>
   <td bgcolor="#E8E8E8" style="BORDER-LEFT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #C0C0C0 1px solid" valign="middle">
    Log
   </td>
  </tr>
    
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td bgcolor="#ffffff" style="BORDER-LEFT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #C0C0C0 1px solid" valign="top">
    *
   </td>
   <td bgcolor="#ffffff" style="BORDER-LEFT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #C0C0C0 1px solid" valign="top">
    info
   </td>
   <td bgcolor="#ffffff" style="BORDER-LEFT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #C0C0C0 1px solid" valign="top">
    ...
   </td>
   <td bgcolor="#ffffff" style="BORDER-LEFT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #C0C0C0 1px solid" valign="middle">
    ...
   </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td bgcolor="#ffffff" style="BORDER-LEFT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #C0C0C0 1px solid" valign="top">
    *
   </td>
   <td bgcolor="#ffffff" style="BORDER-LEFT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #C0C0C0 1px solid" valign="top">
    <font color=red>
     erro
    </font>
   </td>
   <td bgcolor="#ffffff" style="BORDER-LEFT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #C0C0C0 1px solid" valign="top">
    <font color=red>
     YYYY/MM/DD
     hh:mm:ss
    </font>
   </td>
   <td bgcolor="#ffffff" style="BORDER-LEFT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #C0C0C0 1px solid" valign="middle">
    <font color=red>
     [VSSDatabaseExpt] VSS_E_FLUSH_WRITES_TIMEOUT
    </font>
   </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td bgcolor="#ffffff" style="BORDER-LEFT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #C0C0C0 1px solid" valign="top">
    *
   </td>
   <td bgcolor="#ffffff" style="BORDER-LEFT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #C0C0C0 1px solid" valign="top">
    ...
   </td>
   <td bgcolor="#ffffff" style="BORDER-LEFT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #C0C0C0 1px solid" valign="top">
    ...
   </td>
   <td bgcolor="#ffffff" style="BORDER-LEFT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #C0C0C0 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #C0C0C0 1px solid" valign="middle">
    ...
   </td>
  </tr>
 </table>
</html>


===== Cause =====
<html>
The message is returned by the MS SQL VSS writer, indicating that the MS SQL VSS writer was unable to create a VSS snapshot of the database(s) within the default time limit due to high disk activities on the server.
</html>


===== Resolution =====
<html>
To resolve the issue: 
<br>
<li>Check if there is other I/O intensive application(s) that is running on the client computer at the time of the backup.</li></ul>
<br>
<li>Try adjusting the backup schedule to another time when disk usage is low.</li></ul>
<br>
Check on the VSS writers:
<br><br>
<ul>
<li><font color=black>Open an Administrative command prompt and enter the following command:
<br>
<br>
   <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600">
    <tr>
     <td style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: black">
      <font size=2 color=white>vssadmin list writers</font>
     </td>
    </tr>
   </table>
   This should output a list of writers and their status, they should all be reported as stable.<br><br>

If there is writer listed at unstable, re-register the Volume Shadow Copy Service by following the instructions below:
<br>
<br>
<ul>
<li><font color=black>In an administrative command prompt, browse to ${CloudBacko-Install-Home}\bin</font></li>
<li><font color=black>Execute the 'RegisterVSS.bat' batch file.</font></li>
<li><font color=black>Reboot the machine.</font></li></ul>
</font></li>
</ul>
   
Ensure that left-over snapshots are cleaned up:
<br>
<br>
<ul>
<li><font color=black>Enter the following command in an elevated command prompt:
<br>
<br>
   <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600">
    <tr>
     <td style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: black">
      <font size=2 color=white>vssadmin delete shadows /all</font>
     </td>
    </tr>
   </table>
This will clean up all VSS snapshots.
<br>
<br>
Defect operating system may often accumulate hundreds of VSS snapshots that persist in the system and cause Windows to become un-responsive.</font></li></ul>


In some case, you may not be able to delete the VSS snapshots with the above command. Perform the following instead:
<br>
<br>
<ul>
<li><font color=black>To decrease the maximum shadow storage size, enter the following command in an elevated command prompt:
<br>
<br>
   <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600">
    <tr>
     <td style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: black">
      <font size=2 color=white>vssadmin resize ShadowStorage /For=C: /On=C: /MaxSize=300MB</font>
     </td>
    </tr>
   </table>


If there is no VSS writer error displayed, but the system is not creating a new VSS snapshot, increase the max shadow storage size on the system instead.</font></li>
<br>
<li><font color=black>To increase the maximum shadow storage, enter the following command in an elevated command prompt:
<br>
<br>
   <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600">
    <tr>
     <td style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: black">
      <font size=2 color=white>vssadmin resize ShadowStorage /For=C: /On=C: /MaxSize=10GB</font>
     </td>
    </tr>
   </table>
</font></li>
</ul>
</html>

===== Keywords =====
mssql, sql, ms, vss, timeout, flush, disk, activity, VSS_E_FLUSH_WRITES_TIMEOUT, VSS_E_FLUSH, WRITES_TIMEOUT
User Tools

Site Tools

Page Tools
