Can BackUp Exec v8.6 cause a server to reboot and then crash?

[dannydanny]

Hi,

Win2k Server SP3. BackUpExec v8.6 (both Japanese versions)
Dell PowerEdge 2600 with internal SCSI LTO drive.

We recently installed a new server. Everything from the hardware to the software is brand new. But recently the server crashes a couple of times a week. It only crashes during a BackUp Exec`s job, whether the job is scheduled or not.

At first all the Windows error logs pointed to a hardware problem (event id 9, source mraid2k). But Dell replaced the motherboard, SCSI cable and LTO drive. Still get the same crash effect.

Upon reboot, I logon to Windows and find an error message that at least 1 service failed to start. I look at the service lists and find that some Backup exec services failed to automatically start.

So now I`m suspicious that Backup Exec could be causing the crashes....

Has anyone experienced problems like these? It seems strange that a software could cause a hardware related crash, but Dell insists that I re-install my OS and softare....

Any info much appreciated
Danny

 

[AGA]

Change the memory.

 

[dannydanny]

turns out the source of the problem was the Dell Raid card. Doesn`t like it when you connect a RAID disk subsystem and a SCSI LTO drive on the other channel. Problem was solved by installing another SCSI card and moving the LTO drive to that. Server works flawlessy now.
Danny

 

[basball]

The good news is this is not a dell specific problem, how do i know this cause I was doing a search and found this forum:

I have a supermicro 370dde dual processor

scsi 3210s ultra 160 2 channel raid controller
from adaptec and

I'm using adaptec backup exec 8.50 with an hp surestore dat 40

this is a windows 2000 server ,sp4 machine using matrox g450
video card. I noticed about a few months ago that my server every two weeks on thursday at about 11:45 will power down completely with an unexpected shut down error in the event log. I suspect this is a conflict with sp3 or sp4 and either adaptec scsi controller or backup execfrom veritus. when i say power down, i mean power down, as if you shut down the power manually, this is not a crash with a keyboard lockup. no lights..........

I'm also runing norton antivirus corporate 7.60.926. The server part is installed on this machine which is also my pdc.

I have other machines which are identical and this problem is only ocuring with the machine that has this raid controller and tape backup.

avram.berman@ajba.com if you wish to discuss more.

 

[justin2000]

It will be the same with any RAID card - Veritas do not support any tape drive on a RAID card as well, for obvious reasons above.
Even though it may work OK, the server will do wierd things like rebooting, not running jobs, not finding the tape devices stuff like that.

 

[basball]

It worked ok for quite a while, it was only with sp3 or sp4 that it started to do strange things. There was always a problem, where if I didn't shut down and simple did a warm reboot, the tape light would blink and I would have a service failure, the solution was always the same and always worked which was to simply shut down and turn back on and everything was ok. thanks for the reply. backup exec is probably more complex then what i need. can i simply use the backup in windows 2000 server. any reason why i wouldn't want it. all i'm looking to do is back up some directories, nothing fancy. i'm also looking to backup up files from other servers.

 

[justin2000]

basball,

you can use NTbackup, do a Help About on it, see who wrote it ;-)
You can't however do remote backups with NTbackup - one of its limitations, can only backup the server it is on.

Maybe you should look at other inexpensive backup solutions out there - there are quite a few of them - can't think of any at the moment though

 

[dogmata]

another tip: if you have the open file option installed, remove it and see if the issues occur.

Ta
Dog

 

[basball]

It's funny you mention that because I went through the settings again and realized that open file option should be set try and then never if not installed for unattened backup. I had my set with "yes with a lock." I have been told by veritas techs that thier software does not like to work in environments where a tape backup is attached to a raid controller, it should be on a dedicated controller. i have a fairly recent adaptec raid controller with 3 channels and i'm only using one, so i connected the tape backup to one of t he remaining two. i also updated the hp surestore i40 driver, so it should be interesting to see if it still happens in 2 weeks.

 

[basball]

what would you suggest is a sufficient dedicated scsi card to handle my hp suredate i40 dds4 4mm drive with it's wopping 40 meg capacity? p.s. i also have a nas server and i want to copy all my server data to it nightly as another way of backing up and wanted to know what the best to do this would be. e.g., should i make an image of each hard drive and transfer that image nightly?

 

[slave2it]

Danny-
I had problems exactly like this with our 2550. It ended up being a motherboard problem with the server. Initially Dell didn't fess up too this problem but I kept at 'em. They ended up dropping in a new mobo and all has been well since. I actually found this thread when I started having problems.

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=...23fDKGDHA.2176%40TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl&rnum=18

Hope this helps,
Doug