So What is This About?

I have been running Windows Home Server for about 9 months. I always intended to write some posts about my experience but hadn’t got around to it yet. Anyway, I woke up a couple of mornings ago and switched on the PC in my bedroom (while lying in bed – yes how sad is that!!) to be greeted by the Red WHS (Windows Home Server) system tray icon warning me of a “Network health is critical” Problem.

Windows_Home_Server_Systray2

Well nothing startling about that as WHS seems to find I have a disk problem fairly regularly despite the fact that the system is less than a year old and built from good quality components including the disk drives. In fact the health warning relating to disk drives has been going on since the first couple of weeks so I treat it as just another “MS annoyance”. I just take the appropriate remedial action and it goes away (but now I am wondering if it is an indicator of some deeper problems with WHS like the well known data corruption bug!).

So I opened up the WHS Console to find the following:

(Click on screenshots to enlarge if necessary)

Windows_Home_Server_Failure_Icon

Windows_Home_Server_Failure_Screen

This was a first – the backup service was not running. OK probably just needs a system restart so the first thing I tried (as anyone probably would) was to shutdown and restart the system. When it restarted the problem was still there.

Now you should all be aware that WHS is meant to be a “User Friendly” and restricted version of Windows Server that your granny can use.

I duly clicked on the “How do I correct this problem” link which opened up a browser window with instructions on what to do in 5 stages, this can be found at:

How to troubleshoot the “Backup service is not running” error message in Windows Home Server

The first thing to notice is that this Knowledge Base article has not been updated since January 2, 2008. Bearing in mind that WHS has been out for a short time this seems a long time for a problem that has not been fixed when my research shows there is more information on potential solutions available, but more of that later.

Windows_Home_Server_Failure_Article_Date

The solutions offered are:

Windows_Home_Server_Failure_Article_Solutions

On This Page

INTRODUCTION

MORE INFORMATION

Before you troubleshoot this problem

Troubleshooting methods

Method 1: Restart your home server

Method 2: Reconnect any disconnected hard disks to your home server

Method 3: Remove hard disks by using the Remove a Hard Drive Wizard

Method 4: Repair hard disks that are identified as “Unhealthy”

Method 5: Reset the backup database

Well I had already tried method 1 with no success.

Methods 2 and 3 were not applicable as I had not added or removed any external disks as part of the storage pool.

Method 4 was also not applicable as there were no disks marked as unhealthy
( and unless there are you can’t do any sort of check/repair from the WHS consol)e.

This left Method 5 – Reset the Backup Database.

Ok that sound reasonable until you read what it actually means: (Emphasis in red added by me)

Method 5: Reset the backup database
You should reset the backup database only as the last option. When you do this, all the home computer backups are deleted. These backups include any customized backup configurations, such as excluded hard disks or folders. Reset the backup database only after you complete the previous troubleshooting methods. If you have a database inconsistency error, follow these steps to reset the backup database:

1. Log on to the Windows Home Server Console from any home computer.
2. Click Settings, click Backup, and then click Delete All in the Backup Cleanup area.
3. Restart your home server.
4. Log on to the Windows Home Server Console from any home computer.
5. Click the Computers & Backup tab.
6. Right-click each of your home computers in the list, and then click Configure Backup to reconfigure the backup.

If you receive a “Backup Service is not running” error message, follow these steps to reset the backup database: 1. Log on to the Windows Home Server Console from any home computer.
2. Click Settings, and then click Delete All to reset the database.
3. Restart your home server.
4. Log on to Windows Home Server Console from any home computer.
5. Click the Computers & Backup tab.
6. Right-click each of your home computers, and then click Configure Backup to reconfigure the backup.

You should reset the backup database only as the last option. When you do this, all the home computer backups are deleted.

Sorry – What was that!!!!

You should reset the backup database only as the last option.

When you do this, all the home computer backups are deleted

OK Microsoft, I bought WHS to backup several PC’s and laptops conveniently, without fuss, to a schedule and so I had a set of restore options going back many months if not years. Now you are telling me that I have to delete them in order to get WHS backup working again, unbelievable!

That is just not acceptable in a backup server system!!!

Yes I know WHS does several other things but they can all be done with freeware, or NAS boxes, etc. The only thing I shelled out my hard earned money for was a simple, secure and disk efficient backup system for my computers.

So What Next

Well I wasn’t about to give in without a fight and as my WHS system is not on a “headless” server system I attached a screen, keyboard and mouse and logged in.

(Warning – be careful in doing this or gaining access through a remote connection session as you can make changes that will break WHS)

I tried restarting the service but it just stopped again.

I tried checking the disks but there was no problem

I looked at the event logs and looked up the error codes but got nothing more to work with.

So then I tried a couple of Google searches on the Internet and found some information on the forums.

It seems that the problem may be corruption of the index/database files for the backups.

This is backed up by information I can see using the “Event Viewer” add-in to WHS

“Unexpected error 0×26 from unexpected EOF on D:\folders\{00008086-058D-4C89-AB57-A7F909A47AB4}\Index.4096.dat: Reached the end of the file.”

From information on some of the forums it seems that the 3 most probable causes are:

  1. Manually stopping a backup when it is running
  2. Power failure in the middle of a running backup
  3. Windows Update restarting the system during a backup

I reckon I could only have been the victim of number 3 – if true, well done you developers!

Forum links are:

forums.microsoft.com/Wind...tID=2324660&SiteID=50

forums.microsoft.com/Wind...tID=1744726&SiteID=50

forums.microsoft.com/Wind...tID=2294698&SiteID=50

You should also note that the Microsoft KB article does not list these as possible causes – why not?

It seems that there are some possible solutions that involve deleting files and copying backups that need access at a DOS command level, well beyond the abilities and experience of the average user. I will give them a try and see where I get to. It also seems that some tools may be available soon from MS to help deal with these sort of problems but as it has taken more than six months without a fix released for the data corruption problem I am not holding my breath. At the moment I am thoroughly disillusioned by the apparent robustness of WHS and tools (not) available to correct the most basic of problems.

If anyone has any information on other measures or tools available, etc. any suggestions would be most welcome.

Fortunately for me I do not rely on WHS as my sole means of backup. All my critical data is backed up elsewhere in addition to WHS. I also have images of the OS’s on most of my computers but some are rather old. I now need to make sure that other NAS and removable drive backups are up to date, WHS was meant to overcome the need for such manual checking and starting of backups.

If I have to reset the WHS backups I will loose a lot of potential system backups for the individual machines and that is a real pain if anything goes wrong with any of them in the near future.

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12 Responses to “Microsoft WHS (Windows Home Server) Backup Service Failure – Almost a Total Disaster!!!”
  1. WatchUOnline INDONESIA Windows XP Mozilla Firefox 3.0 says:

    I have not heard this type of windows before. hope you’ll find the solution.

    lesson learned: do NOT auto-update your PC!

    WatchUOnlines last blog post..remote area medical

  2. Barry Cleave UNITED KINGDOM Windows XP Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.13 says:

    Hi WatchUOnline,

    Windows Home Server promises a lot and will be good IF MS ever sort out the problems :)

    As to AutoUpdate, I normally set this to “Notify me” and then manually decide what to allow when I have had a chance to see if problems are being reported on the web.

    As I wanted WHS to be a “set and forget” backup solution and because it isn’t running lots of non MS utilities which might be messed up by AutoUpdate I didn’t worry. Now I realise that I should have done!

    Regards

    Barry Cleave

  3. John UNITED STATES Windows XP Internet Explorer 7.0 says:

    Well, at least it tells you it’s having a problem.

    I was an administrator for a government financial database, fortunetly I did my job well enough that I couldbe pro-active with potential problems, and so I did a restore of the database to the backup hardware… turns out the database wasn’t being backed up at all for over a year, since the file was ‘open’ by the DB software…

    (open files isn’t an issue with backup software that uses the shadowing service like WHS does)

    But yeah, I’m doing the delete the backup database bit myself now. which is rather lame.

    (five minute edit thing here is great!!)

  4. Microsoft registry cleaner NETHERLANDS Windows XP Internet Explorer 7.0 says:

    Install another backup system (take a look at amanda – its opensource). But you ar eright that this just should work without these ugly hacks.

    Microsoft registry cleaners last blog post..Registry Cleaner Reviews

  5. man friday UNITED STATES Windows XP Mozilla Firefox 3.1b2 says:

    I have had some kind of WHS since Beta now a full version all Frankenstein builds. Firstly I do not trust any single piece of computing technology. Who of us does? That’s why we have backups of backups.
    I to have had an WHS auto update start and force a reboot as a manual backup was underway but only just underway, apart from the frustration of have M$ thinking it knows what I need there were no ill effects as a result. Once the WHS rebooted I was underway again.
    Since this time I have turned off duplication and opted for an external drive array. I use synctoy to periodically backup the media content from the WHS to said array. I opted for this approach because duplication al la WHS protects against physical drive failure and not logical corruption.
    I use the WHS backup to backup non system client drives, these drives hold Acronis backups that I know do work in restore situation, after all, it is all about restore.

  6. Microsoft WHS Windows Home Server Backup Service Failure UNITED STATES says:

    [...] Microsoft WHS Windows Home Server Backup Service Failure Posted by root 6 days ago (http://proreviewer.com) You should reset the backup database only as the last option jabbertags new comment united states php powered by wordpress mandigo Discuss  |  Bury |  News | Microsoft WHS Windows Home Server Backup Service Failure [...]

  7. BSB CANADA Windows Server 2003 Internet Explorer 8.0 says:

    yup similar issues here green tags across the board but whs backup is eating 90% of the cpu time. Ok thinks I turn off backups seeing as so many have problems.

    AAARGHH backup no takes 97% of cpu time even though none yup NONE of the machines are set to back up. Then try install the connector or re-install if you have backups for a machine turned off.

    I used a pirate version of WHS for my evaluation and it ran perfectly well. I went out and bought a legit copy and did a fresh install and all I have had is problems related to whsbackup.

    ALL updates are in. no awkward add ins. ust a clean install. done all the chkdsk things with NO ERRORS. NO file conflicts or similar but WHS BACKUP SUCKS like it was made by a high school kid after a night playing “halo” here you go i made this in 30 seconds and its perfect” NOT!!!

    MS needs to go back to the drawing board on whs backup as it has been a constant pain to them and more so to users from beta onward.

    Anyone care to tell me why backup chews my cpu time when i dont have any machines set to actually back up ? ? ? What the hell is it backing up ???

    My homemade box is above spec for whs but it seems the more I give it the more it uses !

  8. BSB CANADA Windows XP Internet Explorer 8.0 says:

    OK i fixed it but the method involved deleting a folder and all the backups (WTF !)
    I have now had a few weeks of no problems but it meant I lost backups.

    I also had to re-install the connector on all the machines too.

    I cant remember the exact process (wish I had bookmarked the page)
    I now have Acronis on the server to back up the backup database ! just in case.

    This seems to be an awfully heath robinson approach to what I can only see as a Microsoft problem.
    The whole idea of WHS is simplicity of use and a plug and play approach but with issues like this there is no doubt in my mind that once users have to go through any of the MANY backup problems they are going to be put off the whole thing.

    MS get off your ass and fix your crap. SBS 2003 has been around long enough that MS should have an excellent handle on the whole thing but alas NO !

  9. Global UNITED STATES Windows XP Mozilla Firefox 3.5.3 says:

    LoL @ BSB. MS is too busy Binging away to fix those smaller things.
    -Jack

  10. JC UNITED STATES Windows XP Mozilla Firefox 3.5.5 says:

    Hi Barry Cleave and all,

    You are going to LIKE my solution!

    I have a USB drive attached to the WHS to hold misc file. I then had a need to copy many Gigs off elsewhere and doing over the net would’ve taken me hours. So I tried to ‘Safely remove the USB device’ but it wouldn’t let me. I mean, no errors or anything, but it wouldn’t give me the ‘It is now safe to remove…’ pop-up. Since no backups were running (nor scheduled) I properly shut down the WHS to take the USB drive to the other PC. When done with my copying, I plugged the USB drv back onto the WHS and powered on. And this is how I landed on your site!

    The WHS console showed all my machines grayed-out and the ‘Backup Now” was not available for any of them. Then I saw the “WHS backup settings are not available” notice as you describe. I googled and read some other postings before landing here. But before I could follow up and try to do something about it I had to run to a meeting…

    An hour later I come back to ‘mess’ with it, but I soon as I get to it I see that everything is back to normal!

    Awesome! My doing nothing gave the WHS a chance to ‘recover’ itself.

  11. Kat UNITED KINGDOM Windows XP Internet Explorer 7.0 says:

    I installed WHM some time ago and I experienced similar problems to what you are encountering. I did try some of the points you raised here but eventually found a great registry cleaner at this site http://cleanregistryerrors.com

    After the scan everything fired into life and has been working ever since. Thanks for the great tips and keey up the good work.

  12. vps server TURKEY Windows XP Mozilla Firefox 3.5.8 says:

    very nice article. Thank you for sharing

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