Shadow copy components/System state backups fail with status 69: invalid filelist specification

Problem

 Shadow copy components/System state backups fail with EXIT STATUS 69: invalid filelist specification

Error Message

 Error bpbrm(pid=9240) from client xxxxxxxx: ERR - Unable to backup System State or Shadow Copy. Please check the state of VSS and associated Writers.INF - EXIT STATUS 69: invalid filelist specification
 

Solution

Log on to the client

Open a Command prompt,on server 2008 start it using "Run as Administrator"

Run vssadmin list writers

Check the output

This entry is missing from the output

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>vssadmin list writers
vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool
(C) Copyright 2001 Microsoft Corp.

Writer name: 'System Writer'
   Writer Id: {e8132975-6f93-4464-a53e-1050253ae220}
   Writer Instance Id: {d33c9a0c-6759-4cf2-938f-f1ed0dc39a43}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error

System writer is required to backup system state

If you try System State backup with NTbackup (server 2003) or Wbadmin(server 2008) ,that backup will also fail with error "System Writer" not found.

To resolve this

1.Server 2003

Install Vss rollup patch

https://www.betaarchive.com/wiki/index.php/Microsoft_KB_Archive/940349

Reboot the server.

Run vssadmin list writers and it should show System Writer in the list

Try a backup and it should work

2.Server 2008

Install sp1 If not already installed

Reboot the server

Run Vssadmin List Writers and it should show System Writer in the list

Try a backup and it should work

In case the System Writer doesn't show up after following above steps ,please contact Microsoft to troubleshoot VSS.