Forum Discussion
Karl-WE
Nov 19, 2020MVP
[ISSUE] b20251 b20257 b20262 b20270 b20282 b20287 Formatting a volume fails
affected builds (tested): b20251,b20257,b20262,b20270,b20282 remotely via Server Manager from b20201 initializing as GPT / reset / clean works fine. creating partition works ...
Karl-WE
Feb 23, 2021MVP
YanranHao AndrewHansen hi there meanwhile I have bought a new SSD 870 EVO and the behaviour is the same as with this internal NVME.
Also I am on 20295 now. It would mean a lot of work to go back and find out when this was introed and if I would see the same with 2019 LTSC.
What can we do?
So can exclude finally exclude following factors imho:
- NvME driver (MS Default NvME or Samsung NvME 3.3)
- device issue
as the new SSD is connected via SATA3 an not NvME.
When you have time to reproduce this, can you please assure that you also have the deduplication feature installed? It does not have to be configured for the drive we want to format.
YanranHao
Microsoft
Feb 23, 2021Hi Karl-WE,
Based on your description it looks formatting the volume works well and the issue arising from formatting the partition. I'll direct this issue to the appropriate dev team and ask them to take a look.
- Karl-WEApr 08, 2021MVP
YanranHao I have decided to install this server from scratch. I can confirm this has fixed the issue.
It seem there was a problem with PowerShell New-Volume introed in B20251 which did not fix with upgrades to later versions.
Now I have installed b20234 from scratch the issue is completely gone.
Maybe you can find something in the logs but it seems to be a local issue that happens when upgrading from previous versions.Thanks for your time. I will retry the behaviour once after upgrading to 20239 or later to make sure it does not reappear, is this ok?
- Karl-WEMar 31, 2021MVP
Hello YanranHao i have reproduced the issue with Server Manager and recorded it. I have sent you the Onedrive link in a direct message.
let me know if there is anything else I can do and if the file is helpful. Otherwise I can also try to repeat directly with PowerShell New-Volume if this record does not include enough or relevant data. - YanranHaoMar 26, 2021
Microsoft
smphost - Karl-WEMar 25, 2021MVPHello it smphost or snmphost?
- YanranHaoMar 24, 2021
Microsoft
Thanks for the followup. To collect time travel, first set up time travel debugging as described at Recording Time Travel Traces. Then run the below commands.
net start smphost # this is to ensure that the mispace process is up and running
$id = (Get-Process | ? { $m = $_ | Get-Process -Module -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue; $m.FileName -like "*mispace*"}).Id
start tttracer.exe "/attach $id" # note the ""
<run repro>
tttracer.exe /stop $id
The file will be dropped at .\svchost01.run. - Karl-WEMar 24, 2021MVP
YanranHao I tried to repo with the latest 20317 build.
Repro steps: reset drive via Server ManagerTry format via Server manager (incl. initialize GPT)
fails at formattingThis is the output after the known error in diskpart.
Interestingly everything seems fine here.
The Server ManagerOK - initialized the drive as GPT
OK created partitions as expected
NOT OK - even created a volume but it is marked offline (corrected manually - diskpart online)NOT OK - both volumes are RAW
As suggested I marked it online. As said it is selected by defaultassign letter x
format fs=ntfs quick
Format-Volume and also Server Manager Format... works either way.
So the issue is in the commandlet "New-Volume" which is used in the Server Manager wizard to complete following tasksOK - initializing
OK - Partitioning
FAIL - formatting (volumes remain RAW and primary partition if marked offline with no mounting point or FileSystemLabelYanranHao it is clear now that the root cause is in Server Manager and the underlying PowerShell command "New-Volume" used by Server Manager
as pure formatting works with:- diskpart > format
- Server Manager aka PowerShell Format-Volume
- format.comHow should I proceed with the time travel debugging. Which process to monitor? Thanks!
- Karl-WEMar 21, 2021MVPSure I can try this too. Yet by design create part pri will automatically select the new part and it should be active as well by default.
- YanranHaoMar 03, 2021
Microsoft
Can you try adding two more steps?
OK - diskpart
OK - sel dis x
OK - clean
OK - convert gpt
OK - create part pri
Select partition pri
Activate
NOT OK - format fs=xxx quick - Karl-WEMar 03, 2021MVP
YanranHao yes sure you see the the error message on diskpart (even with the latest build and other disks (SATA,NvME / vendor and MS defaut storage drivers - I want to guess it is not a driver issue at all)
OK - diskpart
OK - sel dis x
OK - clean
OK - convert gpt
OK - create part pri
NOT OK - format fs=xxx quick
- YanranHaoMar 03, 2021
Microsoft
Can you elaborate more on this "NOT OK - diskpart > format fs=xxxx quick (GPT initialization, volume / partition creation works)"? Which commands you ran and which is failing? - Karl-WEMar 03, 2021MVP
Hello YanranHao,
yes this works. We can narrow this issue down to specific methods
OK - Diskmanagement
OK - format.com (if I have a raw volume with a drive letter)OK - PowerShell 5.1 format-volume
OK - Settings > System > Storage > Manage Disks & Volumes > Create Volume
OK - Windows Admin Center > Storage
NOT OK - diskpart > format fs=xxxx quick (GPT initialization, volume / partition creation works)
NOT OK - PowerShell 5.1 New-Volume (GPT initialization, volume / partition creation would work if done with other cmdlets)
NOT OK - Server Manager > File > Disk / Volume Wizards (GPT initialization is ok, volume / partition creation fails at formatting, leaving the disk unusable until initialized again)
Hope it helps to fix the regression. If you need more information let me know. - YanranHaoMar 02, 2021
Microsoft
Karl-WE Can you try the following in Disk Management and share the result?
1. initializing as GPT
2. Create a volume with "New Simple Volume" with the option "Do not format this volume" selected in the New Simple Volume Wizard. This option should be on a "Format Partition" page.
3. See if you have a partition created with a new volume mounted as RAW.
4. If step 3 succeeds, try format the volume as NTFS as and see if it works.