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Windows Home Server

Pre-note: This problem is troubling. I have old machine backups that I need to maintain my business as well the family PCs. It concerns me greatly that this critical backup system has been brought down without intervention by me (that I know of). If this is caused by bad updates why isn't MS fixing it? As a customer all I want is a solid platform and reliable tools that are properly maintained. This has wasted many many hours trying to track down. Now that the product has been dumped (another incompatible product has been released) I am extremely nervous about investment my time and money in Microsoft software.

Problem
  • Cannot mount backups (see image #1 below)
    • Gets to 81% complete and fails.
    • Popup: "You need to format the disk in drive Z: before you can use it" 
    • Popup: "Cannot mount backup"
    • All backups fails. All client PCs fail.
  • Cannot restore disks (see image #2 below)
    • Run - C:\Program Files\Windows Home Server\ClientRestoreWizard.exe
      and the restore starts (I can select drives and kick it off OK) then after a minute or so it fails.
  • Has been working reliably for over 4 years and suddenly stopped working. Hundreds of similar reports across the web. 
  • Same fault on all our client PCs (all Windows 7 64bit PCs).
  • Tried reinstalling WHS Connector SW on main Dev machine. 
    Uninstalled but cannot reinstall. (See image #5 below)
    Get error on final screen saying cannot find server. While that screen is up I can infact run client side apps OK. 
    Once I dismiss the install it of course rolls back. So this PC cannot run connection SW any more.
  • No amount of reboots or reinstalls etc will help.

Image #1: Mount backups fail


Nothing of interest in the event log.


Image #2: Restore Fails


Resulting Event log:


About Box:


Image #5: Uninstalling Connect SW from Dev PC. I reinstall but the final screen of install it failure and the install rollsback. But before I click cancel (and rollback) I can run the connect sw no problems). So now connect wont install on this PC at all. Rebooting server or machines does not help.


So to force Connect software to stay I killed off the installed before it rolled back.
Now I can run the Client software but it can't connect to the backup server to fetch the data.





Notes:

Problem:

 

Installed WHS 1.0 mid 2007. It has been reliable since then even with the release of PowerPacks 1, 2 & 3.
Now it won't give up its data. If I try and retrieve  drive data it fails at "81% with can't format Z:", if I try and restore a drive using "ClientRestoreWizard.exe" it starts, does a bit then after a few seconds it stops.

 

The problem is reported every where. Some people can fix it ok.

                        See also

What I've tried:

 

  1. Do a Repair (from WHS interface)
  1. Enable DiskPart AutoMount
    1. At elevated command prompt run 'diskpart' .
      >diskpart

DISKPART> automount enable

DISKPART> exit

  1. Repaired all disks
    1. Using Disk Manager I temporarily assigned a drive letter to each drive and use "Properties > Tools > Error Checking"
      to cue each drive for check/repair.
      Effectively doing ChkDsk on all drives on reboot
      ChkDsk C: /x /r
      ChkDsk c:\fs\Q /x /r
      ChkDsk c:\fs\S /x /r
      ChkDsk c:\fs\T /x /r
  1. Did a Windows Update for the server. Updated everything I could. Even installed IE8 and updates.
  2. Checked that Z: was not in use
  3. Checked the failure was across all our Win 7 64 bit PCs. It is.
  4. Reinstall Connector software. No improvement.
  5. Also main suggestions
    • Make sure you have PP3 installed and that you Re-Installed the Connector software on the Win7 machine after PP3 on WHS
      • Rob: Well all 3 Power Packs are included now with Windows Update.
    • Uninstall and Reinstall the connector software (the Console on the Win7)

 

Windows Home Server

About

Windows Home Server Console: 6.0.2423.0

Windows Home Server Backup & Restore: 6.0.2423.0

Windows Home Server Drive Extender: 6.0.2423.0

Windows Home Server Remote Access: 6.0.3436.0

Windows Home Server Storage Manager: 6.0.3039.0

Product Support

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/products/windows-home-server/help

 

Priority Support

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/manage

 

Also tried 

#1. Under Local Area Connection Properties | Internet Protocol Version 4 Properties |  Advanced Settings  | WINS Tab |  NetBIOS setting  -- Be sure "Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP" is checked.



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