VSS Backup does not work when App-V is installed and drive Q is created
Update:
Microsoft has released a hotfix to solve this problem
Hotfix Package 4 for Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.6 RTM: October 2010
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/2432513
This is a server backup issue. On a Windows Server, you install App-v 4.6 and Q(or other drvie letter) drive will be created. You are trying to use Windows Server Backup on host machine to perform online backup of Hyper-V guest machine, and trying to use the commands "vssadmin list volumes" or "vssadmin list shadowstorage", but you get the following error:
"Error: The shadow copy provider had an unexpected error while trying to process the specified command."
Right clicking on the C: volume and clicking "Configure Shadow Copies...", the following error is shown:
"Failed to retrieve volumes that are eligible for shadow copies.
Error 0x8004230f: The shadow copy provider had an unexpected error while trying to process the specified operation."
Additionally, in the event log, you could notice the VSS event 12293, 8193, 12348.
Background:
What is Q drive
Q drive is the location that you can save files while you are sequencing an application from App-v.
The App-V drive you specify must be accessible on targeted computers. If drive Q is not accessible, you can choose a different drive letter.
This issue is actually caused by the additional Q drive.
The Q drive created by App-V is not NTFS which prevent a backup from being performed.
Uninstall App-V 4.6 can resolve it.
More information:
All disks being used by the virtual machine are configured within the guest operating system as NTFS-formatted basic disks. Virtual machines that use dynamic disks or the FAT32 file system prevent an online backup from being performed.
See details at:
Comments
Anonymous
September 15, 2011
That hotfix doesn't resolve the problem. We opened a case with MS support and they said it's a known issue and will not be fixed because it would require a complete overhaul of App-V.Anonymous
March 02, 2012
Confirming: The HF doesn't help. But see this blog for a fix that DOES: blog.gridmetric.com/.../enabling-service-process-access-to-appv-ve