Azure Backup Server agent installation trouble

Taking backups is crucial. I prefer to use the Azure cloud for storing backups. In case a disaster strikes on-premises, the data is at least save in the cloud. Microsoft is offering a great solution with Azure Backup. For taking simple file-based backups you only need the recovery agent installed on the source server. For taking more complex backups e.g. from SQL Server and HyperV the Azure Backup Server is required.

Azure Backup Server (aka. DPM)

The Azure Backup Server is a re-branded System Center Data Protection Manager. Backups can be stored locally on disk and in an Azure Backup Vault. Like the SCDPM Server, the Azure Backup Server requires agents to be installed on the source systems. This can be done using push or pull techniques. Within a domain you can instruct the DPM Server to install an agent on a server. You may also install the agent by hand and instruct DPM to connect to an already installed agent.

I had one legacy server hosting a SQL Server 2012 instance, which was protected with System Center Data Protection Manager 2012 a while ago. The old agents were uninstalled years ago but left some entries that blocked the installation of the new DPM agent.

Identifying the problem

When the installation fails, a Log is created in C:\Windows\Temp. A look in the log file revealed that the installer found an installed product that should not be installed.

Agent installation started
 The agent bootstrapper is doing prerequisite checks
 Querying for Product with Upgrade code: {0BEE7F6A-CE2A-A5CF-FFEB-8E0F8A8CDE75}
 Querying for Product with Upgrade code: {EFF053DE-592F-5574-9AA3-64662A944952}
 IsProductInstalled: MsiEnumRelatedProducts returned ERROR_SUCCESS and product code found is {EECBB752-2C6E-45B7-9F18-2327B886309A}
 IsProductInstalled: Product: {EECBB752-2C6E-45B7-9F18-2327B886309A} is installed
 PerformAgentInstall failed with errorcode=addfd060
 Install ProtectionAgent failed with errorcode=addfd060
 Failed: Hr: = [0x80990a2d] DPMAgentInstaller failed, error says: [(null)]
 Failed: Hr: = [0x80990a2d] : SC-DPMRA found. Cannot install Microsoft Azure Backup Agent
 Failed: Hr: = [0x80990a2d] : Encountered Failure: : lVal : PerformAgentInstall(installargs, silent, skipKB)
 Failed: Hr: = [0x80990a2d] : Encountered Failure: : lVal : InstallProtectionAgent(false , false )

To identify the problem get_wmiobject can be used to display ID and Name. A old version of System Center Data Protection Manager Agent was not removed properly.

get-wmiobject Win32_Product | Format-Table IdentifyingNumber, Name, LocalPackage -AutoSize

Remove DPM agent leftovers

A first attempt to get rid of the DPM 2012 was to clean the registry. Therefore the regedit.msc was called and all entries referencing {EFF053DE-592F-5574-9AA3-64662A944952} were deleted. This was not sufficient to install the new agent.

Microsoft provides a tool to remove entries from uninstalled programs. The tool MicrosoftProgram_Install_and_Uninstall.meta.diagcab can be downloaded here: Fix problems that block programs from being installed or removed . It found the entry for DPM 2012 and removed it.

The tool was a great step in the right direction, however the installation failed again because the DPM service could not be installed. The log file showed the following entry:

Received type [0x01000000] message [Service 'DPM CPWrapper Service' (DpmCPWrapperService) could not be installed. Verify that you have sufficient privileges to install system services.]

It turned out that there was already a CPWrapper Service but it was not functional anymore. The path to binary was no longer working. Therefore the property dialog from the service MMC was also not working. But there exists a tool to remove corrupt service entries. Process Hacker can be used to simple delete the service entry.

Finally, the agent installation was successful