Windows Server 2003 x64 - VSS Writer Error 12302 ?

Hi All,

I'm having problem in the VSS Writer,

when i execute the command "vssadmin list writers" it shows nothing and generate three times of the following attached error message:

Code:

---

Event Type:        Error
Event Source:        VSS
Event Category:        None
Event ID:        12302
Date:                23/09/2009
Time:                9:07:14 PM
User:                N/A
Computer:        WIN2003X64_VCBP
Description:
Volume Shadow Copy Service error: An internal inconsistency was detected in trying to contact shadow copy service writers.  Please check to see that the Event Service and Volume Shadow Copy Service are operating properly.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 2d 20 43 6f 64 65 3a 20  - Code:
0008: 42 55 45 43 58 4d 4c 43  BUECXMLC
0010: 30 30 30 30 37 32 39 32  00007292
0018: 2d 20 43 61 6c 6c 3a 20  - Call:
0020: 42 55 45 43 58 4d 4c 43  BUECXMLC
0028: 30 30 30 30 37 32 31 39  00007219
0030: 2d 20 50 49 44 3a 20 20  - PID: 
0038: 30 30 30 30 31 38 36 34  00001864
0040: 2d 20 54 49 44 3a 20 20  - TID: 
0048: 30 30 30 30 34 30 30 38  00004008
0050: 2d 20 43 4d 44 3a 20 20  - CMD: 
0058: 76 73 73 61 64 6d 69 6e  vssadmin
0060: 20 6c 69 73 74 20 77 72    list wr
0068: 69 74 65 72 73 20 20 20  iters 
0070: 2d 20 55 73 65 72 3a 20  - User:
0078: 57 49 4e 32 30 30 33 58  WIN2003X
0080: 36 34 5f 56 43 42 50 5c  64_VCBP\
0088: 41 64 6d 69 6e 69 73 74  Administ
0090: 72 61 74 6f 72 20 20 20  rator 
0098: 2d 20 53 69 64 3a 20 20  - Sid: 
00a0: 53 2d 31 2d 35 2d 32 31  S-1-5-21
00a8: 2d 32 36 36 31 30 30 31  -2661001
00b0: 30 38 37 2d 33 36 35 37  087-3657
00b8: 37 32 31 38 31 32 2d 33  721812-3
00c0: 32 32 32 33 39 31 34 36  22239146
00c8: 32 2d 35 30 30 20 20 20  2-500

---

This makes the backup of my Windows Server 2003 x64 Std. Edition to failed using VCB v1.5 snapshot.

Creating snapshot of Virtual Machine

Cannot create a quiesced snapshot because the create snapshot operation exceeded the time limit for holding off I/O in the frozen virtual machine.

I've installed the VMWare tools and make sure that the VSS service are all ON
FYI: this is clean install Windows, nothing in it apart from VMWare tools the latest version from ESXi 4

Any kinds of help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Finally,

The following trick actually works for me

1. Backup the following regkey: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\EventSystem\
2. Erase the regkey HKLM\Software\Microsoft\EventSystem\{26c409cc-ae86-11d1-b616-00805fc79216} an below
3. Reboot.
4. Verify that things are working by running

vssadmin list writers
vssadmin list providers.

and then in the services.msc list of services snap ins, make sure the following services are Started Automatically:

1. COM+ System Application
2. Distributed Transaction Coordinator
3. Volume Shadow Copy
4. VMware Physical Disk Helper Service

Automatically but not started:

1. Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider
2. VMware Snapshot Provider

now the backup is all working great

hope this thread can be ablessings for everyone out there.

Cheers,

Albert WT