Backup Exec 2010 Duplicate Job Failed e00081d9

After upgrading from Backup Exec 12 to Backup Exec 2010, one of the duplicate job started failing. It always failed when it is about to complete. It will cause the Backup Exec job engine service to terminate. This created problem because all other jobs obviously will fail as well. The job log will have the following error.

Error category : Job Errors
Error : e00081d9 - The Backup Exec job engine system service is not responding.
For additional information regarding this error refer to link V-79-57344-33241

For some reason, I have a feeling that it is related to either the System State or Shadow Copy Components backup. So I tried the following steps to find out what causes the error.

1. Did a backup of the server excluding the System State and Shadow Copy Components to the disk. Duplicate the backup set to the tape and it was successful.
2. Did a backup of the server’s System State to the disk. Duplicate the backup set to the tape and it failed.
3. Did a backup of the server’s Shadow Copy Components to the disk. Duplicate the backup set to the tape and it failed.

Okay, from the above 3 tests, it is something to do with System State and Shadow Copy Components backup but why it managed to be backup to disk but failed to duplicate to tape? I continue my testing.

1. Did a backup of the server’s System State and Shadow Copy Components directly to tape and it was successful. So there is nothing wrong with the System State and Shadow Copy Components backup. Could it be the backup to disk folder causing the problem?
2. Did a backup of the server’s System State and Shadow Copy Components to the disk but to another backup to disk folder. Duplicate the backup set to the tape and it was successful.

This somehow concluded that the backup to disk folder is the cause of it. I look into the backup to disk folder and found that the DFSR (Distributed File System Replication) was setup for that folder. I stopped the DFSR service, deleted the backup to disk folder and recreated a new one. I just received an SMS notification from Backup Exec that the backup was successful.

Thanks goodness it was resolved, otherwise I will have to live in the fear of no backup to restore in the case of emergency.