The Volume Shadow Copy Service cannot create shadow copies on a computer that is running an x64-based version of Windows Server 2003 and a 32-bit version of SQL Server 2000 (913360)

SYMPTOMS

When you try to create shadow copies of local hard disks or of system state data, the Volume Shadow Copy Service cannot create the shadow copies. This problem occurs on a computer that hosts a server cluster (virtual server) and that is running the following software:

An x64-based version of Microsoft Windows Server 2003
A 32-bit version of Microsoft SQL Server 2000
Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine (MSDE)
The Microsoft Cluster service

You also cannot create shadow copies by using the Backup program. Additionally, the Backup log file may contain entries that resemble the following:

Volume shadow copy creation: Attempt 1.
Timeout before function completed
Error returned while creating the volume shadow copy: 0xffffffff.
Error returned while creating the volume shadow copy: ffffffff
Aborting Backup.

If you try to run the Vssadmin.exe command-line tool, the tool stops responding and does not list the MSDE writer. Additionally, the Application log file may contain entries that resemble the following:

Sqllib error: OLEDB Error encountered calling IDBInitialize::Initialize. hr = 0x80004005. SQLSTATE: 08001, Native Error: 17
Error state: 1, Severity: 16 Source: Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server
Error message: [DBNETLIB][ConnectionOpen (Connect()).]SQL Server does not exist or access denied.

CAUSE

This problem occurs because the MSDE writer cannot connect to SQL Server. The MSDE writer must connect to SQL Server to send the required data to the Volume Shadow Copy Service.

The computer runs the Microsoft WOW64 emulator. The WOW64 emulator enables 32-bit programs to run on a 64-bit operating system. In a WOW64 environment, registry keys for 32-bit programs are stored under the following registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node

However, the MSDE writer does not recognize the WOW64 environment. The MSDE writer does not search entries under the Wow6432Node key and cannot find the registry entries that contain the name of the virtual server that is running SQL Server.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, download the hotfix that is mentioned in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article.

913100 FIX: The MSDE writer is not included when you try to use the Vssadmin.exe tool to list subscribed volume shadow copy writers

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about how the Volume Shadow Copy Service works, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/Library/2b0d2457-b7d8-42c3-b6c9-59c145b7765f1033.mspx?mfr=true