We manage a small WSE 2012 R2 network with eight Windows 7 Professional workstations. We use the WSE client backup system to back up the workstations (to an external USB drive on the server). This function has worked very well for several years. However, as of early May, one of the workstations consistently fails during backup attempts, whether they are started manually from the server or via the automatic scheduling system.
Shortly after this workstation begins a backup (never gets past one percent), it fails and returns error messages such as "backup did not succeed" and "backup did not start on this volume." Nothing has changed in terms of this workstation's drive volumes. All three volumes are marked with red Xs by the backup system (none were backed up). Another error in the Dashboard (which has a critical warning for this workstation) says "recent attempts to backup this computer were not successful."
There is one other odd thing I discovered recently. All of the other workstations are backing up correctly. They all indicate successful backup status in the Dashboard. Only the problem workstation says "unsuccessful" in the backup status column. However, when I check the Windows Server Essentials Computer Backup Service in the server services list (Services.Msc), that service is stopped. When I manually start the service, it begins again. I then see the same backup status as before, all workstations except the problem one show successful backup status. The problem machine still says "unsuccessful." When I then try to manually backup the problem machine, the progress percentage never gets past one percent. Instead the server Computer Backup Service shuts off again. At that point, the Backup Status column shows "unsuccessful" for all workstations at that point (probably an artifact of trying to determine that information without the Computer Backup service running on the server). I have been able to replicate this process several times. I also tried to create a custom configuration for the problem machine's backup, but that did not change anything.
Would completely removing and reinstalling the Connector software on the problem workstation be likely to help?
Thanks very much.
John,
Uninstalling and reinstalling would be my first action to see if that fixes it. If that does not help we need to dig deeper in the logs to see what the cause is
Mariette,
Thank you for your comment and recommendation. Based on the Microsoft tech documents I have about removing the Essentials Connector from a workstation (Windows 7 Professional in this case), I went into the Control Panel, then into Programs and Features. Unfortunately, there is no entry there for the Connector. According to MS, the way to remove the Essentials Connector is the same process as removing any other installed program. However, the WSE Connector is not listed as an installed program, and therefore I cannot remove it in the usual way. Do you know of an alternative method for completely removing the Connector from the workstation?
I also decided to take a look at this problem from the workstation, via Launchpad there, rather than Dashboard/Devices on the server. I attempted to start a backup on this client workstation from the Launchpad. Again, it seemed to choke early on in the process. I received an error message indicating that the "backup was unsuccessful." There was a "view details" box, which I clicked. Here is what I saw (beginning with a red X):
"Cannot connect to the server. Backup cannot run because the computer cannot connect to the server."
This was a surprise because the workstation is connected to the server in every way I expected. When I move the mouse pointer over the Launchpad icon (in the notification area on the taskbar), the text "connected to SERVER" appears. I am able to map drives to the server, and I can execute server-stored programs from desktop icons on the workstation. Also, in the server dashboard, this workstation shows up under devices and its status is complete (OS, security updates, etc. - of course the backup status messages indicates that the backup process failed."
Please let me know if this information gives you any other ideas as to the cause of this problem. Thanks again.
From an elevated Powershell prompt run:
Get-wmiobject win32_product | ?{$_.name -like "*essentials*"}
That should return any Connector software. You can remove it with:
Get-wmiobject win32_product | ?{$_.name -match "Client Connector for Windows Server Essentials"} | %{$_.uninstall()}
The above command removes the installed software, reboot the client.
I will be visiting the office where this problem exists on Thursday. In addition to the PowerShell script above, do I need to remove the computer from the server (via the WSE dashboard) or unjoin the workstation from the domain?
Thanks again.
No, do not remove it from the network or unjoin it. Just run the Powershell to uninstall the Connector and try to reinstall it through http://server/connect
Will do, thanks. I'll let you know how things go.
John
Sorry, I forgot to add something. If I don't unjoin from the domain, I assume I decline to have the workstation join a domain during the CONNECT installation process (since the computer has already been joined to the domain and should still be in the original domain since nothing was changed in that regard).
Installing the Connector software does not change anything if the Client is already joined to the domain, it just installs the Connector software.
When the Connector is initially installed on a Windows 7 workstation, it asks whether or not the installer wants to transfer the user's local profile to the network as well (see below). Should I do that or not? The user definitely will want her desktop and other profile settings, as they are now. Will they be retained after the PowerShell is run and the Connector re-run or do I need to transfer them to the network profile again (see below).
Thanks. This should be my last question.
FROM MICROSOFT INSTRUCTIONS: "If your computer is running Windows 7, and if you have documents, pictures, or personal preferences (such as desktop backgrounds, screen savers, or Internet Explorer favorites) that you want to keep after you join the computer to the new network, on the Choose if you want to move your existing data and settings page of the wizard, select the Move my data and settings to my new network user account."