I can't truncate log files of ms exchange 2013 by windows server backup with VSSfull on ms server 2012

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  As the title, I can't truncate any log files by following some suggestions, I can't find any good solution especilly in exchange 2013 on server 2012.

  1. OS: windows server 2012 (enterprise)

  2. Soft: ms Exchange 2013

  3. Truncate log files method: VSS FULL backup by windows server backup.

  4. No DAG.

  Details problems: 

  1. The service "Microsoft Exchange Server Extension for Windows Server Backup" always turned to be closed.

  2. During add features the "windows server backup", there is no option I can choose to Remove the "wbadmin cmdlet". Even I tried to use powershell that "add-features windows-server-backup", no any more selection.

  3. Full disk backup and VSS FULL, when finished, the log files still were on.

  I need help!

  Notice, ms server 2012 and exchang 2013, although it was too new to focus on it.

  
  

  Wednesday, September 18, 2013 6:49 AM
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  Hi,
  I have seen others having the same problem as you with RTM and it seems to have been fixed in CU1.

  If you still are on RTM (build 516.32), I suggest that you install CU2 (Build 712.24)

  
  Cumulative Update 2 for Exchange Server 2013 (KB2859928)
  http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=39609

  ---

  Martina Miskovic

  • Marked as answer by Simon_WuMicrosoft contingent staff Saturday, September 28, 2013 5:24 PM
  • Unmarked as answer by koiso Sunday, September 29, 2013 3:31 AM
  • Marked as answer by koiso Monday, December 2, 2013 2:00 AM

  Wednesday, September 18, 2013 10:14 AM
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  Thank you for your reply, I am downloading and ready to test, I will feedback you!

  Wednesday, September 18, 2013 7:40 PM
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  Hi Martina:

  I tried to update exchange to the Version 712.24, some other problems had been fix up. Thank you very very much!!

  But, the service "Microsoft Exchange Server Extension for Windows Server Backup" were still disabled, 

  I notice the service enabled for just less than 5mins would be disabled, so I backed up exchange server that can't truncate transaction log files..

  Do you have detail process to deal with the problem?

  Thursday, September 19, 2013 12:43 PM
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  Can anyone give me an answer?

  Friday, September 20, 2013 9:54 AM
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  Koiso, can you please confirm that you did create a custom job in Windows Server Backup and changed the VSS Settings to VSS full Backup (VSS copy Backup is the default setting and needs to be changed)?

  
  
  Here is the thread where it was mentioned about the bug.

  ---

  Martina Miskovic

  Friday, September 20, 2013 12:49 PM
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  Hi Martina:

  I deeply confirm I have done it, it's vss full backup, so my question title include VSSfull backup, but logs can't be truncate, I always think that the service "Microsoft Exchange Server Extension for Windows Server Backup ( short name is wsbexchange)" entered disabled is the reason, but I don't know how to keep it starting, because the service always entered disabled even though I changed it to enabled only in a few minutes.

  By the way, In Custom job, what should I choose the correct object need to be backup? is select all or just disk C and D? (I put 5 databases on the both disks)

  I didn't have DAG, yesterday I just to test circular logs for one of databases, dismounted and mounted, the transaction logs could be truncated. However, this method is not recommended at all, it has heavy risks.

  Except the windows server backup with VSS full can truncate logs, what other software can do this? The logs increase day to day, I just see but no good solution to it, almost server disk spaces are getting eaten to death. 

  Pls.

  
  

  • Edited by koiso Friday, September 20, 2013 6:02 PM

  Friday, September 20, 2013 5:52 PM
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  Hi Martina,

  I mentioned a very important problem!

  As you said, confirm VSS settings is full backup or copy backup, I never saw the default setting is copy backup. The reason is what I chose  is always "backup schedule"(the first choice), not "backup once"( the 2nd choice). When I tried to use "backup once", I notice the VSS setting is COPY by default, different from "backup schedule", I am testing this selection.

  I don't know what is the most difference between them, my aim is to truncate log files and restore exchange server when crash down, could the "backup once" do it?

  I wait for the result and feedback you! thank you!

  
  

  Friday, September 20, 2013 6:58 PM
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  Hi Martina:

  I have tested but still failed, I think the reason related to the service WSBexchange entered disabled, do you know how to keep it started?

  Saturday, September 21, 2013 1:33 PM
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  I use eseutil /mh to check the backup status of database, and found it showed no any backups!

  (Here is a photo, but MS says I can not paste it now.)

  But I have backup many times, so I don't know why the database can't be full backup?

  Even on other backup behavior on the database from showing.

  please help me to check, thank you!

  Sunday, September 22, 2013 2:38 AM
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  Hi Martina:

  I have tested but still failed, I think the reason related to the service WSBexchange entered disabled, do you know how to keep it started?

  Hi,
  If the service wsbexchange is set to "Disabled" for you....change it to "Manual".

  Don't know why its not working for you.
  Can you confirm that you created a custom job, enabled VSS Full backup and selected to backup the drives where you have exchange installed and where your databases and transaction logs is located?
  
  So what exactly is the problem?
  Is the job failing or just that the transaction logs isn't purged?
  Does Exchange thinks that a backup has run? (Check with: Get-Mailboxdatabase -Status | fl Name,*backup*)
  
  

  ---

  Martina Miskovic

  
  
  

  • Edited by Martina_Miskovic Monday, September 23, 2013 8:22 AM

  Monday, September 23, 2013 8:16 AM
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  Hi Marina:

  Good to see you, I really confirm that I created a custom job and enabled VSS full backup and the volume where exchange databases located.

  I can't paste image, just copy the result of powershell to you. (Get-Mailboxdatabase -Status | fl Name,*backup*)

  Name                           : mailbox_DB0002
  BackupInProgress               : False
  SnapshotLastFullBackup         :
  SnapshotLastIncrementalBackup  :
  SnapshotLastDifferentialBackup :
  SnapshotLastCopyBackup         :
  LastFullBackup                 :
  LastIncrementalBackup          :
  LastDifferentialBackup         :
  LastCopyBackup                 :
  RetainDeletedItemsUntilBackup  : False

  From the result, you can see that LastFullBackup is none.

  I am sure I have did many times backup, and even all kinds of method except VSS copy backup, but still failed.

  I noticed someone would experienced this error, WSBexchagne stopped, but still no good answer about it.

  Monday, September 23, 2013 9:00 AM
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  Hi,
  What I was interesting to see was if a copybackup had been run, but I can see in the output you posted that it hasn't.
  
  Did you change the status on the service wsbexchange to Manual?

  ---

  Martina Miskovic

  Monday, September 23, 2013 9:05 AM
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  Hi Marina:

  I have done many times vss full backup, and completed well. 

  I found yesterday a post 

  social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/exchange/en-US/9acd8e65-47aa-47c0-bfdd-4dad29155f3e/exchange-2010-backup-using-wsb-not-truncating-log-files

  The problem seems like mine, in that post he said he missing a register key, and paste an image url, but unluky, I can't open the image, may be the link has no available, so I don't know what register key he missed.
  

  I checked my register key and found the structure like this:

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Windows NT/CurrentVersion/WindowsServerBackup/Application Support

  Below Application Support, we have just one key that GUID is {76fe1ac4-15f7-4bcd-987e-8e1acb462fb7}, in this key we have two Strings:

  Application Identifier : exchange

  CLSID: {D8A2E312-3B17-4293-B71E-CD72A7C04BF3}

  so do you know what's missing? Do I miss a key too?

  Thanks a lot

  Tuesday, September 24, 2013 1:26 AM
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  No, you have the key the poster in the other thread didn't and needed to create.
  
  

  You never answered the question if you did change the status on the service wsbexchange from "disabled" that you had, to "Manual" or not, but I hope you did.
  
  At this point, I think you should try and get some help in the Windows Server Backup Forum.
  When the backup fails, you really should see something about that in the Application Log. Hope you checked that.

  ---

  Martina Miskovic

  Wednesday, September 25, 2013 5:57 AM
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  Thank you Martina, I had changed the service wsbexchange from 'disabled' or 'automatic' to 'Manual' and I get the fully success for Windows Server Backup, and no error pop up.

  The strange problem was just backup server is good, but exchange database no effect.

  I try to ask for windows server backup forum, hope the question will be resolved, thank you again!

  Sunday, September 29, 2013 3:26 AM
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  Hi Martina:

  I would like to tell you that I almost solved this problem! But it seems that strange to what others said!

  After that, I tried to find another good backup software, and I found that the Symantec Backup Exec was the most popular backup software, then I installed and backup the server. At first, I didn't mention that how to backup, just made a storage and performed a backup. When backup finished, I used the cmdlet "Get-MailboxDatabase -status | fl *backup*" to see what happened, I found that the property 'Lastfullbackup' was also blank, but in 'Lastcopybackup', it showed the time is when I just backup! I sought that why not 'Lastfullbackup' but 'Lastcopybackup'. Meanwhile I found a support KB on Symantec Backup Exec Forum said in Microsoft Exchange backup we need to modify the reg 'EnableVSSWriter' value to 1, and restart the service "Microsoft Exchange Replication",I just did it and backup my exchange database normally. Until I finished the backup job, I forgot to modify it back, and Windows Server Backup schedule went on, the marvelous took place, I found in the property of "Lastfullbackup" has time and my logs had been truncated! I don't know whether it works. Does it take effect due to there is no DAG in my environment ?

  So, I think the solution might be following:

  modify the 'EnableVSSWriter' value to 1 and restart the service 'Microsoft Exchange Replication'

  How do you think this solution? I really don't know why it will work. 

  Koiso

  ---

  Technet Microsoft

  • Marked as answer by koiso Monday, December 2, 2013 2:00 AM

  Tuesday, November 5, 2013 3:59 PM
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  I had this same issue and no matter which backup software I used, logs didn't get flushed until I modified the registry 'EnableVSSWriter' value to 1. just search for enablevsswriter, there is only one entry and it was set to 0 by default. I had to reboot the server for this to take effect and the next Windows Backup was successful and logs flushed. 

  I tried EaseUS ToDo backup, Backup Assist and regular Windows Backup. Windows Backup worked fine but there is no mailbox level backup, only DB and image level.

  • Marked as answer by koiso Monday, December 2, 2013 2:00 AM

  Sunday, December 1, 2013 8:21 PM