Missing filenames/locations for full backups in the restore dialogue

  • I think there is some confusion here.

    There are NO third party backups being taken within the SQL server virtual machine.

    I create a new backup task

    Add it to SQL server agent

    It runs

    Backup file is physically created on the server

    I can restore that file manually

    BUT - I cannot restore it and do set point restores using the transaction logs because the filename/location of the full backup is not being recorded correctly so it appears blank and the restore fails telling me it cant find the specified backup file.

    There is a VSS copy of the entire virtual server being performed daily be the Hyper V host..nothing to do with SQL server.

    I have checked all permissions on the backup folder and everything appears to be dandy.

    It just makes it awkward when I want to do a point in time restore as I have to do it manually without the aid of the GUI to pick times etc. Its also very worrying!

    Rolf

  • I don't think that's right; your VSS backup does appear to be taking a SQL backup. That's what this indicates:

    {67896F2D-C306-422C-B95A-2491B8244E04}

    This is why you can't restore that backup through SQL Server.

    Check the SQL error log for messages saying that IO has been frozen.

  • Checekd the logs and I have frozen IO errors assocaited with backups..

    2016-09-14 04:01:22.14 spid51 I/O is frozen on database model. No user action is required. However, if I/O is not resumed promptly, you could cancel the backup.

    What can I do about it..? I dont want to stop the VSS backups of the virtual server!

    Thanks for the help

    Rolf

  • Talk to whoever is taking the backups. They will probably be able to amend them to ensure that they don't take backups of your databases. Either that or they could ensure that they are only taking copy-only full backups so that your log chain is not affected. (Sometimes the sysadmin isn't aware of the implications of what they're doing, so it's worth having a conversation and agreeing a way forward.)

  • Thank you all for the help, you were spot on.

    I went and checked the backup task on the HyperV host and changed the VSS option to full VSS backup...this is counter intuitive to me, I thought it would be safer to retain the logs.

    Anyway with the VSS option set to full the MSSQL backups in the guest OS being backed up by windows server backup now have the correct filenames.

    I will be checking the transaction log backups now.

    Thanks again

  • Spoke to soon.

    Now I get two backups showing in the MSSQL history..one with a proper filename but no transaction logs available and one with a blank filename with a transaction history I cant access because the main backup has no filename!

    It shouldnt be this hard to backup a hyper guest!

    Thanks

    Rolf

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