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Warning: VSS NTDS Writer Error

U-Move cannot back up Active Directory because the Volume Snapshot Service (VSS) writer for the NTDS database file had vetoed the creation of the temporary volume snapshot.

This warning can be caused by a faulty third-party backup utility such as StorageCraft ShadowProtect.

This warning can also be caused by a physically damaged Active Directory database, where NTDS.dit or edb.log is physically corrupt.

The output of the console command vssadmin list writers will show the error state of the NTDS writer. Also inspect the Event Log for error messages from VSS or NTDS.

How to Fix This Error

Try rebooting the server. If rebooting does not fix the problem, make sure that you have installed the latest version of your third-party backup utility (for example, StorageCraft ShadowProtect). Try uninstalling and re-installing the utility again.

Check the Event Log under Directory Services for error messages about data corruption in NTDS.dit or edb.log. If you see these messages, you will need to restore AD from your most recent U-Move backup.

Overriding the Warning Message

If you override the warning message, U-Move will ignore the veto from the NTDS writer and create the AD backup anyway.

Do not override the warning message if you see error messages in the Event Log about data corruption.

If you override the warning message, any change s made to Active Directory between the start of the backup operation and the creation of the temporary volume snapshot will not be included in the backup. The time gap is only a few seconds. Active Directory changes are infrequent so this warning message can usually be ignored. The missing changes will be included in the next backup.

How to override this warning