Backup fails with "VM_HAS_VUSBS" error

archw

Last night I pushed my last VM off of esxi.

That particular machine has a pass through USB device. I made a backup routine for it this morning and get this message when I try to run it.

 Snapshot
Start: Jan 12, 2024, 01:17:18 PM
End: Jan 12, 2024, 01:17:18 PM
Error: VM_HAS_VUSBS(OpaqueRef:695bb7f4-88f2-1670-63dc-6110b9c479ad)This is a XenServer/XCP-ng error

Start: Jan 12, 2024, 01:17:18 PM
End: Jan 12, 2024, 01:17:19 PM
Duration: a few seconds
Error: VM_HAS_VUSBS(OpaqueRef:695bb7f4-88f2-1670-63dc-6110b9c479ad)This is a XenServer/XCP-ng error

I saw one similar problem with someone a while back. Is there a work around?

olivierlambert

Hi!

IIRC, you can't directly backup a running VM while an USB device is attached. The workaround is to detach the device, backup then re-attach. I vaguely remember a discussion around this few years ago, but I don't get all the details.

archw

@olivierlambert
10-4

olivierlambert

Ideally, we should probably detect this error message, unplug, backup and re-plug automagically. However, I'm afraid this could trigger a surprise if you are doing a backup while actively using the USB device

Danp

@olivierlambert Could this be added as an option under the backup's Advanced settings area?

archw

@Danp
In the real world, FWIW department, the usb is a software protection device that works with some architectural software we use.

BTW...based on your icon for your name...WDE!!!

Danp

@archw Years ago we used a device to convert a serial port into an IP connection. I wonder if you could do something similar where the actual USB dongle wasn't even attached to your XCP-ng host.

WDE!!

archw

@Danp
Not a bad idea!

(I was Junior when Bo Jackson got there:) )

Danp

@archw I was there from 83 - 85. I can recall standing in line behind Bo to sign up for classes.

archw

@Danp
80 to 84! Building science...never saw Bo but Lionel "Little Train" James was in the class I went to (he was leaving as I was walking in...nice dude!!!).

DustinB

@archw I do not envy you for being stuck on using USB serial keys.... ugh...

That has to be some OLD software

olivierlambert

@Danp said in Backup fails with "VM_HAS_VUSBS" error:

@olivierlambert Could this be added as an option under the backup's Advanced settings area?

Probably, just taking care of telling people it will unplug the device for few seconds.

nuentes

@olivierlambert Sorry to resurrect an old subject, but I just started to have this issue myself. I have a VM running nut with a VUSB connected to my UPS. I snapshot weekly, so the odds of a snapshot occurring during a power outage are quite low, so I have no problem with disconnecting/reconnecting in order to take a snapshot. It's a small price to pay to be able to automate the snapshot process.

olivierlambert

I can't remember if it's in our backlog or if it's already done automatically

nuentes

@olivierlambert It doesn't seem to be done automatically yet, as I'm using 8.3 (up to date) and XOA commit 749f0 from 5 days ago.

I would love for this to get added. I looked into simply doing this with a cronjob (disconnect/reconnect VUSB before/after the backup jobs occur), but it seems that there is no command to simply reconnect the VUSB without performing a reboot. I'd really rather not need to reboot this VM with high regularity.

olivierlambert

Ah yes, I remember now. You cannot reconnect a vUSB after disconnect. That's a XAPI/XCP-ng limitation.

nuentes

@olivierlambert so is the only option to:

power off the VM
backup
power on the VM

If that's the case, I might just make another VM for the VUSB to attach to.

olivierlambert

Yes, so for that to be done automatically, you can set up "offline backup" option, that will do exactly that