Volume Shadow Services (VSS) - Bane of TSM Administrators

Persistent and frustrating VSS errors have been plaguing our systems. I recently found some good info I wanted to document.


Windows 2003 Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) Fixes for Systemstate Backup

Problem
TSM client backups of Windows 2003 system state fail with varying VSS errors

Cause
Microsoft VSS failures

Solution
This list represents current fixes available from Microsoft, listed in historical order, for Windows 2003 systemstate backup problems experienced by 3rd party backup vendors, including Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM).
Blue represents the most current fix that is available. All the below VSS fixes should be requested from Microsoft.

KBASE# FIX ### WEBSITE LINK:



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
826936 139876 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/826936
833167 158865 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/833167
867686 188827 No web link
887827 unknown No web link

All of the above fixes are rolled into Windows 2003 SP1. The Microsoft kbase document with the list of fixes included in SP1:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=824721

Subsequent to Win2k3 SP1, Microsoft has provided VSS Post SP1 fix packages:
KBASE# FIX ### WEBSITE LINK:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
891957 unknown http://support.microsoft.com/?id=891957
903234 unknown http://support.microsoft.com/?id=903234

Both of the above fixes require this fix as a pre-requisite:
913648 unknown http://support.microsoft.com/?id=913648

http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21242128