SBS2003 and VXA-1 and NTbackup not working

[age]

Hi, I have a problem with a Dell Poweredge 2600 Server, with an Exabyte VXA-1 internal tape drive plugged in to an Adaptec 39160 SCSI card (which is seperate from the RAID controller! The VXA is the only device on this card!).

The server runs SBS 2003.

Windows detects the drive ok. NTBackup is run from a script as follows:

NTBACKUP.EXE BACKUP "@C:\Backup\DailyBackup.bks" /j "Full System Backup" /v:yes /hcn /m normal /l:s /r:no /rs:no /um /p "Ecrix VXA-1"

The Backup starts ok. It gets to about 30gb of the C: and then it errors out as follows:

Backup Status
Operation: Backup
Active backup destination: Ecrix VXA-1
Media name: "Media created 20/01/2005 at 10:49"

Backup (via shadow copy) of "C: "
Backup set #1 on media #1
Backup description: "Set created 20/01/2005 at 10:49"
Media name: "Media created 20/01/2005 at 10:49"

Backup Type: Normal

Backup started on 20/01/2005 at 10:53.
The requested media failed to mount. The operation was aborted.
The operation was ended.
Backup completed on 20/01/2005 at 15:25.
Directories: 5894
Files: 45633
Bytes: 30,088,514,236
Time: 4 hours, 31 minutes, and 44 seconds

----------------------

The operation did not successfully complete.

----------------------

So it doesnt get to System State, or the Exchange Information Store (which are selected in the .bks file!).

It does this every time.

Anybody know why?

Thanks for your help!

Adrian.

 

[port443]

Check out these knowledgebase articles. My guess is you backup exceeds tape capacity.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;839591

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;840754

Thanks, Alan

 

[age]

Hi, thanks for the reply. That would suggest that the drive is not using compression, which we did consider. We are currently in lengthy discussions with Exabyte and sending them countless log files from the VXAtools diagnostic software so I'll post the outcome!

 

[MickDoev]

Hello Age,

Did you discover what was causing your problem ? I'm having the exact same issue with a HP DLT80.

I suspect in our case its because the tape is being ejected prior to the system state backup taking place. I cant find a way to prevent the tape being ejected.

Our backup is 40GB so the tape is defintely not full.