[soboyle]

I seem to be getting a consistent blue screen on my Server 2003 machine, twice now when I run a backup on certain directories it takes the system down. I'm backing up to a file across the network to another machine using the standard NT backup program that comes with Server 2003.
Any thoughts on a troubleshooting scenario I can run through to identify the problem? I'm fairly green at the sysadmin job, my real job is mechanical designing and engineering.
I looked through the Event Viewer log files, the last event listed under the application log is NTBackup begins operation, and in the system log "The Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider service entered the running state."
FWIW, I've been doing backups like this for years with this server, but over the past month or 2 we have been experiencing more and more lockups and blue screens.

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listing the blue screen error would greatly improve our chances of fixing the issue.

Have you noticed if it is a particular file or folder that is causing the issue?

Does the error occur if you back up to a non-network resource?

[gerryf]

listing the blue screen error would greatly improve our chances of fixing the issue.

Have you noticed if it is a particular file or folder that is causing the issue?

Does the error occur if you back up to a non-network resource?

[soboyle]

I didn't note the blue screen error code. I did find the .dmp file in the windows\Minidump directory, but I cant make anything out of it using a text editor.
I will do some more testing later when there are no users connected to the server, try backing up to a local tape drive.

[soboyle]

I got a 3rd blue screen when trying to backup those directories across the network, but when I backed up to a local tape drive it didnt crash.

The stop error on the blue screen was as follows.
STOP: 0X0000008E (0XC0000005, 0X8059E2DC, 0XF6CCA5B0, 0X00000000)

[gerryf]

if you are up to date on all patches for windows, I would concentrate on bad drives...since it is occuring on a backup to a network device, I woudl lean toward a NIC driver.


There's more here, but sometimes you need to read between the lines

http://aumha.org/win5/kbestop.htm

[soboyle]

Thanks,
Perhaps a recent windows patch caused this problem, because its been working well for several years, or perhaps the hardware itself is getting tired.
I'll look into making sure the drivers are updated, and perhaps the bios updated as well. I havent updated the server to service pack 1 yet, are you recommending to do that?

[gerryf]

absolutely, and the nic drivers -- even swap out a nic card if you have one.

[soboyle]

To add confusion to the situation, I just had a blue screen when backing up to the local tape drive, different directories were being backed up. So the nic wasnt involved in this blue screen.

Same stop error was listed.

Guess I better quit trying to back up!

[soboyle]

as a follow up, upgrading to service pack 1 has seemed to fix the crash on backup (knock on wood).
Cheers
Shaun