Fix missing path and delete a Veeam Backup Repository

In this article, we shall discuss how to “fix missing path and delete a Veeam Backup Repository”. When your Backup Repository is in an invalid State, please see the possible causes and troubleshooting advice. Also see how to install Splunk and Veeam App on Windows Server to monitor VBR, and the “Deep Dive into Protecting AWS EC2 and RDS Instances and VPC“. On a Veeam Backup and replication Server, one can occasionally lose a backup repository disk, LUN, or volume.

When this happens, backups stop, and one must reconfigure the affected backup jobs and repository or even delete the Backup repository when it is no longer needed. This article was created to discuss two use cases. First, to delete a repository that is no longer needed alongside it associated dependencies. The second scenario is to fix a broken repository (missing path).

A backup repository is a storage location where Veeam keeps backup files, VM copies and metadata for replicated VM

Here is how to Set up Veeam Backup for Microsoft Azure, How to Fix Taskbar Icons Missing on Windows 11, and how to Upgrade Veeam Backup and Replication to version 12.2.

Path issues with Veeam Backup and Replication Repository

Note: You can employ Microsoft Windows server with local or directly attached storage as a backup repository. The storage can be a local disk, directly attached disk-based storage (such as a USB hard drive). Or iSCSI/FC SAN LUN in case the server is connected into the SAN fabric.

As you can see from the image below. I am having some issues with my Windows Based Repository (Direct Attached Storage).

Let me investigate the first Repo. As you can see below, I am having issues investigating a path. In Veeam Backup & Replication (VBR), “investigating path” refers to verifying or checking the specified storage path of a backup repository. This ensures that it is accessible and properly configured.

As you can see, it failed to synchronize Backup Repository O2 Details: The System cannot find the path specified.

For the second repository “Backup Repository02”, I will show you the steps to have it fixed. But for the “Backup Repository 02”. The steps to remove it will be discussed below due to its dependencies.

Remove Backup Repository from VBR

To correctly delete a repository with an associated backup job in Veeam Backup and Replication. You will need to follow these steps to ensure that both the repository and any dependencies (such as backup jobs) are removed cleanly without leaving orphaned data or configurations

Please see How to Install OpenSSL on Windows Computers, How to fix Windows Update Fails with Error 0x80092004, and how to Fix the Port used for the Virtualhost is not an Apache Listen Port.

Delete or Reconfigure Jobs

Note: My goal is to delete the job. But I will show you the steps to reconfigure these jobs just in case this is what you wish to do. I will come back and have them deleted for myself in this lab.

From the Jobs section, I will reconfigure the associated backup jobs that use the repository to ensure they aren’t dependent on it.

To do this, I will select a job and click on Edit.

In the Backup Repository, I will select another backup repository for the job.

A new backup repository has been selected. I will click on next to continue.

Click on Finish. If you wish to run the job when you click Finish, ensure it is selected as shown below.

Note: You still cannot delete the Repository just yet. But let me try so you can see the error that will be prompted. To attempt Repo removal, right-click and select “Remove”.

Select yes as shown below.

As you can see below, there are some dependencies and as such, the Backup Repository cannot be deleted just yet because it is still in use.

Please see Setup DS923+ Synology NAS as a Backup Repository for VBR, and How to update Veeam Backup and Replication [VBR].

What is Data Source

A “Data Source” represents any file server or NAS that’s added to Veeam for file-level backup. If there are dependencies on the Data Source, VBR won’t let you delete the repository until you address them. But why is this so;

• Veeam links backup jobs, file shares, or NAS backup configurations to specific Data Sources. If any jobs, restore points, or configuration settings reference the Data Source, VBR will prevent its deletion.

Since, I do not care about these jobs at the moment, I will navigate to the inventory section in VBR.

Under the unstructured data, I will be removing both the File Server and File Shares. In Veeam Backup & Replication, “File Server” and “File Shares” are both components related to backing up unstructured data (like files and folders. But they serve different purposes in terms of functionality and configuration as discussed below;

• File Shares (also known as NAS Backup) refers to individual shared folders or network shares on a file server that contain the actual data to be backed up.
• A “File Server” is component that represents the server hosting the file shares. It’s the physical or VM on which shared folders or network shares are located.

For more information on this, please see how to Setup iSCSI Target and Storage LUN on Synology DS923+ for VBR. Now that we know the difference, let us proceed and remove the data sources.

Remove Data Source

Select the File Server/or the File Shares, right-click to remove or click on Remove Data Source as shown below.

Click on Yes to remove if this is what you wish to do.

Now, that we have removed one of the data sources, let us try to delete the repo now. Keep in mind we already know we had two dependencies above. As you can see from the image below, we are still unable to delete the repository due to the File Share data source. I will also remove this behind the scene with the same steps above.

As discussed above, you can also right-click to remove it. Select remove to remove the data source.

On the prompt, select yes to remove the Server.

As you can see, this has been successful.

Now, let us try to delete the repository again. Navigate to the Backup Infrastructure, click on Backup Repositories and select the Repository you wish to delete. Now, right-click and select Remove.

As you can see, you can now delete the repository as the dependencies are gone. On the prompt, select “Yes” to delete the repository.

The repository is currently being deleted.

We have successfully removed the repository.

As you can see from the Windows Event Log, the File Server etc. has been deleted.

We can also, see from the Event Log, that the Repository was also successfully deleted.

Please see How to uninstall Veeam Backup and Replication from your server, and “how to Fix Error 1069: Windows could not start the Veeam backup service on local computer“.

Scenario 2: Fix Missing Path

I fixed the iSCSI connection, which presented it to the VBR server as direct-attached storage on Windows. This setup will allow me to correct the path issue on the VBR server for the second repository

We can also see the target is connected

Now, we will have to edit the Backup Repository. Under Server, click on populate.

This will list the available volumes on the VBR server. I will select the drive as shown below and click Next.

As you can see below, the missing path has been fixed. Then you would say, wasn’t the other repository deleted. Yes, it was, but the path was fixed before deleting the repository. Do not mind the organization of the documentation 🙂

Here is how to upgrade Veeam Backup and Replication v11 to 12.1, and how to relate Due Diligence and Due Care to Veeam Backup and Replication.

Delete Backup Job

As shared above, I will delete the backup jobs as I do not need them. The File Servers have also been removed.

I hope you fund this article very useful on how to Fix missing path and delete a Veeam Backup Repository. Please feel free to leave a comment below.