Acronis crashes while performing backup task

Hi @ everyone,

the problem mentioned in the post title is the result of a string of problem solving attempts, so to thoroughly describe the problem, I have to go back a bit - please bear with me.

On a W2K3 server standard edition SP2, Acronis True Image Echo Server (build 8.018) has been running a certain backup task (Which I shall name task A) smoothly for several years. The sh* started hitting the fan when I had the audacity to add a second task (labeled task B). Both tasks were timed as to not overlap of course. Now, while I was able to run task B manually without problems, it just wouldn't run on autopilot. All the while, task A was running smoothly. So I asked all-knowing google and it turned out that there is a well known error concerning Acronis not starting tasks. I followed this procedure and installed Acronis Scheduler 2 Build 465.

Now, task B would start - and, while running, completeley bring down the server. Trouble would start immediately after task B fired up with loads of disk errors 51 in the event log (needless to say, I went over the disk array after the first ocurrence, but everything proved to be all right). Then, lots of vital services would crash, including DNS, sysvol replication etc. filling the logs with literally hundereds of different error messages. The task was scheduled to run at night, and when I came to the office the next day, the server would be nigh unusable, just barely doing its file server duties at continental drift speeds. Killing Acronis (which told me the ongoing operation would take another two days to complete) wouldn't help, as the crashed services still wouldn't restart. Only rebooting the machine brought it back to life.

This behavior occured every time task B was started. I tried backup to network share as well as backup to local disk (just for the sake of it) with exactly the same results, just in case you were wondering.  No discernible error messages in the Acronis log, though.

All the while, task A was running smoothly.

So, I had another go at google, finding out that build 8.018 was one fo the (if not *the*) first build and I should upgrade to build 8.398. I did so, by installing the newer version over the old one following this procedure where it said I should do just this.

Now, I've come (almost) full circle - while task A - you'd have guessed it - still is running smoothly, task B won't run.

But unlike with build 8.018, build 8.398 at least attempts to start the backup task, then aborts leaving errors in the windows event and system logs:

8<----------------event log--------------------------

Ereignistyp:    Fehler
Ereignisquelle:    Application Error
Ereigniskategorie:    (100)
Ereigniskennung:    1000
Datum:        04.10.2011
Zeit:        13:47:40
Benutzer:        Nicht zutreffend
Computer:    SERVER03
Beschreibung:
Fehlgeschlagene Anwendung TrueImageService.exe, Version 9.7.0.8398, fehlgeschlagenes Modul ntdll.dll, Version 5.2.3790.4789, Fehleradresse 0x0001bb72.

Daten:
0000: 41 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74   Applicat
0008: 69 6f 6e 20 46 61 69 6c   ion Fail
0010: 75 72 65 20 20 54 72 75   ure  Tru
0018: 65 49 6d 61 67 65 53 65   eImageSe
0020: 72 76 69 63 65 2e 65 78   rvice.ex
0028: 65 20 39 2e 37 2e 30 2e   e 9.7.0.
0030: 38 33 39 38 20 69 6e 20   8398 in
0038: 6e 74 64 6c 6c 2e 64 6c   ntdll.dl
0040: 6c 20 35 2e 32 2e 33 37   l 5.2.37
0048: 39 30 2e 34 37 38 39 20   90.4789
0050: 61 74 20 6f 66 66 73 65   at offse
0058: 74 20 30 30 30 31 62 62   t 0001bb
0060: 37 32                     72  

If need be, I can post what dr. watson had to say to this in a follow-up.   

8<----------------system log-------------------------

Ereignistyp:    Fehler
Ereignisquelle:    Service Control Manager
Ereigniskategorie:    Keine
Ereigniskennung:    7009
Datum:        04.10.2011
Zeit:        13:36:55
Benutzer:        Nicht zutreffend
Computer:    SERVER03
Beschreibung:
Zeitüberschreitung (30000 ms) beim Verbindungsversuch mit Dienst Acronis VSS Provider.

Ereignistyp:    Fehler
Ereignisquelle:    Service Control Manager
Ereigniskategorie:    Keine
Ereigniskennung:    7000
Datum:        04.10.2011
Zeit:        13:36:55
Benutzer:        Nicht zutreffend
Computer:    SERVER03
Beschreibung:
Der Dienst "Acronis VSS Provider" wurde aufgrund folgenden Fehlers nicht gestartet:
Der Dienst antwortete nicht rechtzeitig auf die Start- oder Steuerungsanforderung.

Ereignistyp:    Fehler
Ereignisquelle:    DCOM
Ereigniskategorie:    Keine
Ereigniskennung:    10005
Datum:        04.10.2011
Zeit:        13:52:21
Benutzer:        Nicht zutreffend
Computer:    SERVER03
Beschreibung:
Bei DCOM ist der Fehler "Der Dienst antwortete nicht rechtzeitig auf die Start- oder Steuerungsanforderung. " aufgetreten, als der Dienst "Acronis VSS Provider" mit den Argumenten "" gestartet wurde, um den folgenden Server zu verwenden:
{5FC845EB-F299-40F0-9725-34045F7EA8BA}

8<----------------end of logs------------------------

I have looked into the vss provider business a bit and found that the Acronis VSS service just won't  start. vssadmin told me I've got the expected two providers on my machine:

Anbietername: "Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider 1.0"
   Anbietertyp: System
   Anbieterkennung: {b5946137-7b9f-4925-af80-51abd60b20d5}
   Version: 1.0.0.7

Anbietername: "Acronis VSS HW Provider"
   Anbietertyp: Hardware
   Anbieterkennung: {f5dbcc43-b847-494e-8083-f030501da611}
   Version: 1.0

Now, all I could find asking google again were instructions in how to remove the Acronis vss provider - but I guess that's not what I want to do, do I?

So now I'm at the (dead) end of my wisdom & sad and sorry tale, hoping for help. Sorry this post got rather lenghty. If any vital information is missing, just let me know, I'll provide it to the best of my knowledge.