Unable to start Backup Exec Deduplication Manager service ( spad.exe ) after updating to 21.3. Deduplication Storage offline

Problem

Unable to start Backup Exec Deduplication Manager service ( spad.exe ) after updating to 21.3. Deduplication Storage offline.

Error Message

Event viewer reports -

Error 26016: Veritas Puredisk Storage pool Authority: Initialization failure
Log:        Application  
Event Type:      Error 
Source:        spad    
Event ID:    25002    
Description:
      1
BadValue : (none)
File     : Drive:\BackupExecDeduplicationStorageFolder\etc\pdregistry.cfg
Section  : ContentRouter
Entry    : ConfigFilePath
Reason   : Empty or missing configuration directive, file not found or access denied

Cause

The problem may occur due to the install not updating the section of pdregistry.cfg file.

Solution
 

Any of the two solutions can be tried to fix this problem.

Solution 1

1. Disable Lockdown setting from Backup Exec button ( top left corner of BE UI) -> choose Configuration and Settings -> and select Backup Exec Settings -> Network and Security

2. Repair Backup Exec using the 21.3 ISO

Solution 2

1. Disable Lockdown setting from Backup Exec button ( top left corner of BE UI) -> choose Configuration and Settings -> and select Backup Exec Settings -> Network and Security

2. Make sure the pdregistry.cfg in Deduplication Storage Folder\etc show the sections appropriately as shown below.
Note: The content of pdregistry.cfg shows BE Installed on C drive and Deduplication Storage on R drive. The drive path could be different depending on where BE and Deduplication storage is installed and configured respectively.

CORRECT FORMAT FOR 21.3 - The Spad service starts pdregistry.cfg maintains this format.

[ContentRouter]
configfilepath=R:\BackupExecDeduplicationStorageFolder\etc\puredisk\contentrouter.cfg
path=C:\Program Files\Veritas\Backup Exec
[StoragePoolAuthority]
configfilepath=R:\BackupExecDeduplicationStorageFolder\etc\puredisk\spa.cfg
path=C:\Program Files\Veritas\Backup Exec
[Agent]
configfilepath=R:\BackupExecDeduplicationStorageFolder\etc\puredisk\agent.cfg
path=C:\Program Files\Veritas\Backup Exec
[Install]
path=C:\Program Files\Veritas\Backup Exec\

INCORRECT FORMAT FOR 21.3. (The below is the correct format for 21.2 and earlier)
The Deduplication Manager service does not start in 21.3 if pdregistry.cfg shows in the 21.2 ( or earlier ) format..

[Symantec\PureDisk\ContentRouter]
configfilepath=R:\BackupExecDeduplicationStorageFolder\etc\puredisk\contentrouter.cfg
path=C:\Program Files\Veritas\Backup Exec
[Symantec\PureDisk\StoragePoolAuthority]
configfilepath=R:\BackupExecDeduplicationStorageFolder\etc\puredisk\spa.cfg
path=C:\Program Files\Veritas\Backup Exec
[Symantec\PureDisk\Agent]
configfilepath=R:\BackupExecDeduplicationStorageFolder\etc\puredisk\agent.cfg
path=C:\Program Files\Veritas\Backup Exec
[Symantec\PureDisk\Install]
path=C:\Program Files\Veritas\Backup Exec\

Note: Enable Lockdown settings after correcting the problem.