Acronis On Vista Blocks Task Creation

[Lila Godel]

In mid February I upgraded my home computer from XP Professional SP2 (an upgrade from XP Home SP2 OEM) to Vista Business. Now after many weeks of Titan TV File Processor (http://lila.godel.com/html/progs.htm) failing to create scheduled tasks and rewriting the program to use one set of code for the task creation on XP computers and other set on Vista computers I found that program is not at fault.

I found that when the program failed to create a task (would generate a run time error with old code) I was unable to create a sheduled task with out receiving:

An error has occured for task X. Error message: The following error was
reported: Transaction support within the specified file system resource manager is
not started or was shutdown due to an error..

where X is the name I gave the task in a message box titled Task Scheduler.

I fixed the problem by entering fsutil resource setautoreset true C:\ at a command prompt and rebooting as per the advise on another forum. Only trouble is the error keeps reappearing and I have now found that it comes back every time I open my copy of Acronis True Image 10.0 Home build 4942 or it runs a scheduled backup.

If I enter fsutil fsinfo ntfsinfo c: at a command prompt I get Error: Transaction support within the specified file system resource manager is
not started or was shutdown due to an error on the last line instead of the usual RM Identifier: CBD51AA2-0B1E-11DC-BBA6-806E6F6E6963 that appears when all is working properly.

I would like to find a way to stop Acronis from generating this error or at least a fix for the error when it crops up that does not require a system reboot.

[Peter Meinl]

Same problem here.
Simply starting TI10 on Vista Ultimate crates the following error in the system event log. After this one has to reboot to be able to edit Vista scheduled tasks again


Log Name: System
Source: Ntfs
Date: 27.05.2007 11:28:48
Event ID: 137
Task Category: (2)
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: HostVista32
Description:
The default transaction resource manager on volume C: encountered a non-retryable error and could not start. The data contains the error code.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Ntfs" />
<EventID Qualifiers="49156">137</EventID>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>2</Task>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2007-05-27T09:28:48.737Z" />
<EventRecordID>100457</EventRecordID>
<Channel>System</Channel>
<Computer>HostVista32</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data>
</Data>
<Data>C:</Data>
<Binary>1C0004000200300002000000890004C000000000220000C000000000000000000000000000000000220000C0</Binary>
</EventData>
</Event>

[Acronis Support]

Hello Lila Godel and Peter Meinl,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software (http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/).

Could you please create a screen shot of Windows Event Viewer that contains the error message?

In addition, please create Windows System Information as it is described in Acronis Help Post (http://wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=55317).

Then submit a request for technical support (http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/my/support/). Attach all the collected files and information to your request along with the step-by-step description of the actions taken before the problem appears and the link to this thread. We will investigate the problem and try to provide you with a solution.

Thank you.
--
Aleksandr Isakov

[Lila Godel]

I have attached a screen shot. The error in the event log is slightly different the one I posted earlier that I encounter when trying to add a scheduled task. This one was logged at 3:00:11 AM and I have an Acronis task scheduled for daily at 3:00:00 AM.

[k0lo]

I have 39 of these NTFS Error 137 entries in my Vista machine's event log. Each one of the entries is created immediately upon starting TrueImage Home 10.

[Acronis Support]

Hello Lila Godel and k0lo,

We are sorry for the delayed response.

Thank you for the provided information. However, please notice that this issue requires investigation and that is better carried via e-mail. Therefore, please do as Aleksandr requested in his post, and attach the screenshot and all other information to the submit a request for technical support (http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/my/support/). We will investigate the problem and try to provide you with a solution.

Thank you.
--
Marat Setdikov

[jimvaughan]

I am also seeing this problem; please email me at jimvaughan@yahoo.com and let me know what information you would like to be emailed to your support.

The quickest way for your to contact me is via email; it gets checked every few minutes I do not check this forum very often.

Many thanks.

[k0lo]

I did contact technical support per Alexsandr's instructions in post #3 and sent all of the requested screen shots and files (Acronis #1024895). Here is part of their reply:{QUOTE-> Thank you for the provided information.

We are really sorry for the inconvenience, but we can't find out the solution for the issue, because we haven't the access to Microsoft error codes. Our diagnostic information doesn't display any errors.

Please contact Microsoft Support Department, and if you need some additional help in solving the problem, please feel free to contact us at your earliest convenience. <-QUOTE}I contacted them again to ask if at least they could tell me if they could reproduce the problem on their Vista machines. Their reply was {QUOTE-> The problem you have experienced is not mentioned at our database. Our Expert Team tried to find out the solution for the issue, but they failed because of the lack of the information. <-QUOTE}So I presume that Acronis does not see this problem occur at their end.

I would be curious to know if one of the forum regulars who is running Vista can check their Windows event log to see if they see this NTFS error 137 occurring.

Since generation of the error stops the transaction resource manager, you will only see one error event logged until the next reboot occurs (The error message is The default transaction resource manager on volume D: encountered a non-retryable error and could not start. The data contains the error code.) So once it happens you have to reboot to make it happen again.

To reproduce the problem:
1. Reboot the machine
2. Note the exact time
3. Start TrueImage Home 10
4. Check the event log for NTFS error 137 occurring at the exact time that ATI is started.

Does anyone else see this error?

[jimvaughan]

Per my last post I see the same problem.

[Aratak]

I see this error as well. I am running Vista Ultimate Version 6.0.6000 and Acronis True Image Home version 10.0 build 4942. Vista is fully patched with the latest updates from Windows Update. This is what I see in my event log... and I don't see it on every reboot, but when I do it kills all my scheduled tasks until the next reboot.

http://www.clanwind.com/acronis-error.gif

System Information
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Manufacturer GBT___
Model NVDAACPI
Total amount of system memory 4.00 GB RAM
System type 64-bit operating system
Number of processor cores 4

Storage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total size of hard disk(s) 360 GB
Disk partition (C:) 44 GB Free (69 GB Total)
Disk partition (D:) 95 GB Free (153 GB Total)
Disk partition (E:) 61 GB Free (69 GB Total)
Disk partition (F:) 53 GB Free (69 GB Total)
Media drive (G:) CD/DVD
Media drive (W:) CD/DVDCD/DVD
Media drive (X:) CD/DVDCD/DVDCD/DVD

Graphics
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Display adapter type NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS
Total available graphics memory 1406 MB
Dedicated graphics memory 640 MB
Dedicated system memory 0 MB
Shared system memory 766 MB
Display adapter driver version 7.15.11.5818
Primary monitor resolution 1600x1200
Secondary monitor resolution 1280x1024
DirectX version DirectX 9.0 or better

Network
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Network Adapter NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller
Network Adapter Microsoft Tun Miniport Adapter
Network Adapter Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)

[k0lo]

Aratak:

Exactly. That's just what I see.

Per my previous post you will only see this error under the following conditions:
1. Your machine was rebooted since the last time that you ran TrueImage
2. You start TrueImage (or a scheduled task starts it).

The NTFS error 137 is generated at the exact instant that TrueImage starts.

[_Kento_]

Hello everyone,

I have a computer which runs Windows Vista Ultimate version 6.0.6000. This PC never had _any_ of Acronis software installed. BUT, I looked at the Event log and found exactly the same errors like on the screen shot. They have 1 seconds interval and related to all 3 partitions of the HDD. Right now I am trying to figure out the reason for these errors. But for me it looks like not related to Acronis (again, no Acronis is installed).

[Aratak]

{QUOTE-> Hello everyone,

I have a computer which runs Windows Vista Ultimate version 6.0.6000. This PC never had _any_ of Acronis software installed. BUT, I looked at the Event log and found exactly the same errors like on the screen shot. They have 1 seconds interval and related to all 3 partitions of the HDD. Right now I am trying to figure out the reason for these errors. But for me it looks like not related to Acronis (again, no Acronis is installed). <-QUOTE}

Good information but... out of curiosity, what led you to post here if you do not have acronis?

[_Kento_]

Sorry, that I was not clear enough. I do not have Acronis True Image installed on this Windows Vista computer (as well as other Vista computers in our office), BUT we do use Acronis True Image (Home and Workstation versions) on Windows XP systems. I just wanted to say that even without Acronis software Vista Event Log shows the above error.

[mwang]

Hi,

I'm new to Acronis products (bought TI Home 10 a week ago) and new to the forum.

Is there any update on the issue? Have you got your problem solved?

After some frustrating trials and errors, I'm now sure TI knocks out the resource manager on every fixed HD on my system. As soon as TI finishes analyzing partitions after launch, all the partitions analyzed have their resource manager shut down.

It's annoying to say the least, for I haven't found a way to restart the resource manager without rebooting.

I'm using Vista Business, 32-bit, newly installed, and I believe I have the latest build of TI Home (build #4942).

I was ready to bug the customer support when I found the forum and the thread, so want to check first if the friends here have had the issue solved.

[mwang]

{QUOTE-> I just wanted to say that even without Acronis software Vista Event Log shows the above error. <-QUOTE}

Indeed Vista itself might be the main culprit, as hinted by this terse KB article (KB939615) (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/939615), and I believe the problem could arise without any Acronis product installed.

And yet it seems the "setautoreset and reboot" trick mentioned in the article fixes the problem for MS Backup & Task scheduler for good (or for a while?), but here TI would knock out the resource manager (transaction manager) again after launch.

[k0lo]

No resolution here. See the response from Acronis in my previous post #8. I also get this same NTFS Error 137 in Vista with other software; for example, PerfectDisk8. In order to defragment system files the program has to place an all-exclusive lock on the partition. As soon as it does this the NTFS Error 137 is logged in the Windows event log. I've also had Acronis Disk Director 10 generate the same error when it is analyzing partitions. So this is a bigger issue than just TI.

In my case I have Vista on the C: partition and files on the D: partition. When TI runs it always generates the error when attempting to lock the D: partition; never on the C: partition (perhaps because Vista will refuse locking the partition that it is running from?) I know that's the case with PerfectDisk8; it is unable to lock the C: partition but CAN lock the D: partition which causes the error to occur.

[Lila Godel]

{QUOTE-> Hi,

I'm new to Acronis products (bought TI Home 10 a week ago) and new to the forum.

Is there any update on the issue? Have you got your problem solved?

<-QUOTE}

No, the last response I got re: my Acronis ticket for this issue contained:

"Please accept our apologies for the delay with the response.

We are really sorry for the inconvenience, but our Developers and testers didn't manage to reproduce the described issue. In fact, they got the described message in Windows Event Viewer, but it was not produced after Acronis startup.
The main thing is that Windows Scheduler is working flawlessly despite of this error.

In this case, if Windows Scheduler is working, we suggest that you simply ignore this error message."

I did not write back to report that Windows Scheduler is not working for since they had no cure.

[mwang]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll write to Acronis about it, then. I'll report back if I hear anything useful from them.

[mwang]

No solution from Acronis yet (but they did contact me and asked for more information). I found a workaround that you may want to try, however.

While testing I accidentally found that, contrary to what I said, *NOT* every HD partition resource manager was knocked dead when TI launched. One partition survived--drive K--which happened to be the sole Page File partition on my system (the one with the hidden pagefile.sys).

Out of curiosity, I activated the paging file for all HD partitions, reboot, and viola! TI no longer kills the resource managers upon launch! Furthermore, the "Analyzing partitions" part when TI launches (the process that used to kill those resource managers) seems to move along faster, though I didn't really time it.

It's not really a solution since a paging file on each HD partition is by no means a normal configuration, and it's a waste of space. But at least it's a workaround before Acronis or MS solves the issue.

Please tell us the result if you try the trick. Thanks!

[shieber]

This makes it sound all the more that its a Vista problem with progs that try to grab a locked drive.

{QUOTE-> No solution from Acronis yet (but they did contact me and asked for more information). I found a workaround that you may want to try, however.

While testing I accidentally found that, contrary to what I said, *NOT* every HD partition resource manager was knocked dead when TI launched. One partition survived--drive K--which happened to be the sole Page File partition on my system (the one with the hidden pagefile.sys).

Out of curiosity, I activated the paging file for all HD partitions, reboot, and viola! TI no longer kills the resource managers upon launch! Furthermore, the "Analyzing partitions" part when TI launches (the process that used to kill those resource managers) seems to move along faster, though I didn't really time it.

It's not really a solution since a paging file on each HD partition is by no means a normal configuration, and it's a waste of space. But at least it's a workaround before Acronis or MS solves the issue.

Please tell us the result if you try the trick. Thanks! <-QUOTE}

[k0lo]

{QUOTE-> ...I activated the paging file for all HD partitions, reboot, and viola! TI no longer kills the resource managers upon launch!... <-QUOTE}
Very interesting! This is consistent with the symptoms that I see. As noted in my post #17, other programs that attempt to lock the D: volume are also killing the resource transaction manager and producing the NTFS Error 137 event.

This does sound like a Vista issue, or an issue that software vendors are not calling the correct routines to lock volumes.

[Lila Godel]

{QUOTE-> No solution from Acronis yet (but they did contact me and asked for more information). I found a workaround that you may want to try, however.

While testing I accidentally found that, contrary to what I said, *NOT* every HD partition resource manager was knocked dead when TI launched. One partition survived--drive K--which happened to be the sole Page File partition on my system (the one with the hidden pagefile.sys).
<-QUOTE}

I just checked and found that my pagefile.sys was on D: (I have one hard drive with two partitions.). I had put it there after upgrading to Vista Business to replicate my XP Pro setup, because there was only around 15 GB free on C:.

Later I used BootIt NG (http://www.bootitng.com) to merge C: with the HP recovery partition (after wiping out all data) for my system's factory installed XP Home bosting the free space to 27.5 GB free, so I just now switched the pagefile placement around.

Now when I load Acronis the fsutil fsinfo ntfsinfo c: command no longer reports "Transaction support within the specified file system resource manager is not started or was shutdown due to an error", but I get this error when entering fsutil fsinfo ntfsinfo d:

That should not matter as I am able to create a windows scheduled task now despite the error and although it remains to be seen I assume I will be able install Windows updates without an error. Finally for the 1st time since the Vista upgrade in February creating scheduled TV recordings will be as easy as with XP.

[mwang]

shieber & k0lo: That's my guess, too.

Lila: Good to know it works for you. I don't think Windows Updates will be an issue. Before other software start taking advantage of Vista's transaction manager, having partition D without it should not be a problem. Personally I just set up a pagefile for each partition, to be safe.

Acronis Support replied to me yesterday, thanking me for the finding, and that's it. I have a feeling that they'll just wait for MS to solve the problem.

Just as I wish MS would be more forthright about the problem in addition to the very cryptic KB939615 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/939615), however, I wish Acronis would be more responsible and be clear about what they mean by "Vista compatible" on their homepage. At least they should put some information in the FAQ.

[k0lo]

{QUOTE-> Out of curiosity, I activated the paging file for all HD partitions, reboot, and viola! TI no longer kills the resource managers upon launch! Furthermore, the "Analyzing partitions" part when TI launches (the process that used to kill those resource managers) seems to move along faster, though I didn't really time it.

It's not really a solution since a paging file on each HD partition is by no means a normal configuration, and it's a waste of space. But at least it's a workaround before Acronis or MS solves the issue.

Please tell us the result if you try the trick. Thanks! <-QUOTE}
Yes, it definitely does fix the problem. After working some more with the nice folks at Raxco (PerfectDisk 8) and discovering some of the problems that are created when a program attempts to lock a drive in Vista, I decided to try your workaround.

My system has an OS partition, C:, and a data partition, D:. The paging file was all on the C: drive and was 3072 MB. Since it is necessary to leave a paging file equal to the size of your RAM on the system drive (or else crash dumps will not function properly), I reduced the paging file on C: to the RAM size of 2048 MB and added a paging file on D: of 1024 MB. Now the paging file is the same size as before but it is split between the two partitions.

The NTFS event 137 error used to be generated every time that TrueImage started and attempted to lock the D: volume. Now with a paging file on the volume, the lock request is apparently denied by Vista and the error is no longer generated, and TrueImage works normally, Acronis Disk Director works normally, and so does PerfectDisk.

Nice workaround; thanks for posting!

[CGAllred_MSFT]

Hopefully somebody is still monitoring this thread; I have some information that you might like to hear.

My name is Christian Allred and I'm a developer at Microsoft on Transactional NTFS (TxF). TxF is the component responsible for the transactional resource managers mentioned in the NTFS 137 events. I just wanted to let you guys know that we've fixed this issue for Vista service pack 1 and Windows Server 2008.

Acronis provided us a copy of TrueImage, and we were able to determine that the issue is a bug in an NTFS routine that handles the FSCTL_LOCK_VOLUME control code. The bug was in the mechanism that we use to get TxF resource managers out of the way to allow a LOCK_VOLUME request to work. The result of a bug was that if sombody used an asynchronous handle to issue FSCTL_LOCK_VOLUME, we'd erroneously keep a flag set that would prevent us from starting TxF resource managers again on the volume until you dismounted/remounted the volume. It turns out that some backup and defrag products, including TrueImage, issue FSCTL_LOCK_VOLUME on async handles, triggering the bug.

The reason that putting a page file on a volume prevents the bug (and cause the "Analyzing partitions" part to move faster, as mwang noted) is that TrueImage doesn't bother to try locking the volume, since it knows already that the lock will fail in the presence of a page file.

The info you guys provided in this thread was quite useful to us in narrowing down the cause and figuring out how to fix this. Thanks.

[k0lo]

Christian:

Good news indeed. Thank you for taking the time to post a detailed explanation.

[Peter Meinl]

Christian:

Thank you for this information. Especially for the detailled explanation.

[k0lo]

Yes! Vista SP1 does fix this issue. I just finished installing SP1 and tested this. I have now removed the paging files from all but the Vista partition and it works perfectly. You can now start True Image or Acronis Disk Director without triggering a kernel transaction manager error event.