Suddenly backups not working

[Scott Ullmann]

We have been running 9.0.1r1 on Windows 7 with IBM ULTRIUM HH4 tape drive without issue since early December 2015
About a week ago the backup began to error - it would run various amount of time before getting BA5 The backup terminated unexpectedly
I have checked all permissions and nothing has changed on this server
Sometimes it will run for an hour, sometimes it will run for 3 and 1/2 hours
Looking at Windows even logs, I noticed this: (last night after running for about 3 1/2 hrs)

Log Name: Application
Source: BAExecutorWinApp.exe
Date: 2/24/2016 12:06:21 AM
Event ID: 0
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: TAPITNOVA
Description:
An UNHANDLED EXCEPTION has occurred in BAExecutorWinApp.exe (C:\Program Files\BackupAssist v9\BAExecutorWinApp.exe)
Details are as follows: System.NullReferenceException:
System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at CortexIT.Zip.Compressor.ThreadRun()
at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart_Context(Object state)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean ignoreSyncCtx)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="BAExecutorWinApp.exe" />
<EventID Qualifiers="0">0</EventID>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>0</Task>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2016-02-24T05:06:21.000000000Z" />
<EventRecordID>60057</EventRecordID>
<Channel>Application</Channel>
<Computer>TAPITNOVA</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data>An UNHANDLED EXCEPTION has occurred in BAExecutorWinApp.exe (C:\Program Files\BackupAssist v9\BAExecutorWinApp.exe)
Details are as follows: System.NullReferenceException:
System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at CortexIT.Zip.Compressor.ThreadRun()
at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart_Context(Object state)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean ignoreSyncCtx)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

And for .NET:

Log Name: Application
Source: .NET Runtime
Date: 2/24/2016 12:06:22 AM
Event ID: 1026
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: TAPITNOVA
Description:
Application: BAExecutorWinApp.exe
Framework Version: v4.0.30319
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.NullReferenceException
Stack:
at CortexIT.Zip.Compressor.ThreadRun()
at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart_Context(System.Object)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object, Boolean)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object)
at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()

Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name=".NET Runtime" />
<EventID Qualifiers="0">1026</EventID>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>0</Task>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2016-02-24T05:06:22.000000000Z" />
<EventRecordID>60058</EventRecordID>
<Channel>Application</Channel>
<Computer>TAPITNOVA</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data>Application: BAExecutorWinApp.exe
Framework Version: v4.0.30319
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.NullReferenceException
Stack:
at CortexIT.Zip.Compressor.ThreadRun()
at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart_Context(System.Object)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object, Boolean)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object)
at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()
</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

And this

Log Name: Application
Source: Application Error
Date: 2/24/2016 12:06:25 AM
Event ID: 1000
Task Category: (100)
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: TAPITNOVA
Description:
Faulting application name: BAExecutorWinApp.exe, version: 9.0.1012.0, time stamp: 0x563af7e0
Faulting module name: unknown, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x00000000
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x072dc788
Faulting process id: 0x10f0
Faulting application start time: 0x01d16ea2e0b198bc
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files\BackupAssist v9\BAExecutorWinApp.exe
Faulting module path: unknown
Report Id: 5a5f0bff-dab4-11e5-ba3d-10c37b4cd79c
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Application Error" />
<EventID Qualifiers="0">1000</EventID>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>100</Task>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2016-02-24T05:06:25.000000000Z" />
<EventRecordID>60059</EventRecordID>
<Channel>Application</Channel>
<Computer>TAPITNOVA</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data>BAExecutorWinApp.exe</Data>
<Data>9.0.1012.0</Data>
<Data>563af7e0</Data>
<Data>unknown</Data>
<Data>0.0.0.0</Data>
<Data>00000000</Data>
<Data>c0000005</Data>
<Data>072dc788</Data>
<Data>10f0</Data>
<Data>01d16ea2e0b198bc</Data>
<Data>C:\Program Files\BackupAssist v9\BAExecutorWinApp.exe</Data>
<Data>unknown</Data>
<Data>5a5f0bff-dab4-11e5-ba3d-10c37b4cd79c</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>


The only thing I see updated since this stopped working (2/12/16) was a definition update for Windows Defender.....

Can someone shed some light on this?

I need to get this critical backup working correctly ASAP

Thanks

Scott
PDM

[Stuart]

Hi there,

It's Stuart here from the BackupAssist team, thanks for posting on our forum.

Based on the information you've provided, it could be that an update to your anti-virus has caused it to believe that BackupAssist is a potential threat and stopping the backup process from being able to execute correctly.

Have you tried placing an exception within or disabling Bit Defender and attempted to run the backup again to see if the job runs?
We haven't had any other reports of this occurring with Bit Defender, however it's known that anti-virus/live scanning tools can impact backup software with these types of behavior (or worse) in the past:
https://www.backupassist.com/blog/support/835/
https://www.backupassist.com/blog/support/kaspersky-anti-virus-conflict-causing-bsod/

Let us know how you go with it Scott.

[Scott Ullmann]

I am not running Bit Defender on this machine.....
One thing I did notice - I deleted the backup job completely and then setup a new one
It worked for one night
The following night I got the same errors....and then Friday I got BA4016 Unspecified ZipEngine Exception - Please contact BackupAssist Support
I am planning to send the support ticket and system info via the BackupAssist console
It's very frustrating that this backup worked for about 2 months without issue - and I've made zero changes to this machine - it just suddenly quit working

I need to get this resolved ASAP - as I have no current backup being created at this time
thanks

Scott

[Scott Ullmann]

One more thing - when the backups run correctly, it shows the backup user as TAPITNOVA\Admin (which is correct)
When it errors out, my error email shows me the backup user is SYSTEM
Almost like BackupAssist doesn't use the proper backup name that I have set in configuration.....I thought this was quite odd

[michael.jones]

Hello,

It's Michael Jones from support.

Would it be possible for you to send in a new set of diagnostic information from BackupAssist? This will give us a lot more information to run on to be able to help resolve this quickly for you.

The steps to submit diagnostics are as follows:
1. Open BackupAssist.
2. Click on the Help menu across the top of the console.
3. Select Feedback and Support... from the drop down menu.
4. Click on Contact Support.
5. Enter the details asked for:

Valid E-mail Address: (so we know where to send our answer to your question).
Subject: Brief overview of your query.
Message: A detailed overview of exactly what your query is about. The more information you give here will make it easier for our support team to assist you.

Make sure the tick box stating 'Submit system diagnostics to help our support team with your query' is ticked and this will zip all your BackupAssist settings so that we can review these specifically for your environment.

If you have further issues, please browse to:

32-bit OS: C:\Program Files\BackupAssist vX (where X is the version number you're running)
64-bit OS: C:\Program Files (x86)\BackupAssist vX (where X is the version number you're running)
Browse for a file named BackupAssistDiagnostics.zip and send this to us directly.
As an alternative, you can also use our manual upload site which has a limit of 50MB. The URL for this manual submission page is http://www.backupassist.com/BackupAssis ... submit.php.