ERROR: PBS backups are not supported by the running QEMU version. Please make sure you've installed the latest version and the VM has been restarted.

Jarvar

Active Member
Aug 27, 2019
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10
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I know this is probably an easy fix, but with one of my nodes and VMs on that node. I keep getting this error when I am trying to back it up.
ERROR: PBS backups are not supported by the running QEMU version. Please make sure you've installed the latest version and the VM has been restarted.
ERROR: Backup of VM 100 failed - PBS backups are not supported by the running QEMU version. Please make sure you've installed the latest version and the VM has been restarted.
INFO: Failed at 2020-07-19 08:57:41

Any ideas?
I have updated the node so it's the latest. Nodes running 6.2-10.

Thanks.
 
Thank you so much @tom
I've tried that several times.
Thing is that it gets and error and then the VM gets locked up. The VM is running, but the OS obviously is not and I have to stop it manually and restart.

I followed this https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Qemu-guest-agent

I'm wondering. Is this Qemu Agent necessary?
I have two VM Servers running. Windows Server 2019 and Windows Server 2016 Essentials.
The WIndows 2019 was backing up okay using the new PVE PBS Beta version.
On the other hand, the Windows 2016 Essentials kept getting an error.
ERROR: PBS backups are not supported by the running QEMU version. Please make sure you've installed the latest version and the VM has been restarted.
ERROR: Backup of VM 100 failed - PBS backups are not supported by the running QEMU version. Please make sure you've installed the latest version and the VM has been restarted.

I tried reinstalling the Qemu Guest Agent as recommended here.
However, I noticed the Windows Server 2019 isn't even running a Qemu Guest Agent even though it is enabled.
Anyways, I shut it down after reinstalling, I though I would start it with Qemu Agent disabled in Proxmox and then restart it enabled afterwards.
Tried backing up when it was disabled and it seems to be running. Paused the VM and kept going on.
Odd behaviour.

I guess this thread is in the process of being solved since it seems to be working..
I would appreciate your feedback and input though.
Should I use the Qemu Agent if it is working without it?
The qemu-guest-agent is a helper daemon, which is installed in the guest. It is used to exchange information between the host and guest, and to execute command in the guest.

In Proxmox VE, the qemu-guest-agent is used for mainly two things:

  1. To properly shutdown the guest, instead of relying on ACPI commands or windows policies
  2. To freeze the guest file system when making a backup (on windows, use the volume shadow copy service VSS).

I'm not sure about the VSS as the one where it was installed showed the service, but it wasn't running.
Is my shutdowns of the VM unsafe right now as it's relying on ACPI Commands or Windows Policies instead of the Qemu Agent?

Thank you so much.

UPDATE: Backup failed withe QEMU Agent Disabled.
I turned off the VM and then turned it on again.
I am running a backup now to remote PBS Server. It did not immediately result in a failure or error so that is a good sign so far...

Although on the Windows Server 2019 VM.
Qemu agent is enabled, but not specifically installed in OS.
In Powershell
Get-Service QEMU-GA returns

Get-Service : Cannot find any service with service name 'QEMU-GA'. At line:1 char:1 + Get-Service QEMU-GA + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + CategoryInfo : ObjectNotFound: (QEMU-GA:String) [Get-Service], ServiceCommandException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : NoServiceFoundForGivenName,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetServiceCommand
 
Last edited:
Please post your:

> pveversion -v

pveversion -v
proxmox-ve: 6.2-1 (running kernel: 5.4.44-2-pve)
pve-manager: 6.2-10 (running version: 6.2-10/a20769ed)
pve-kernel-5.4: 6.2-4
pve-kernel-helper: 6.2-4
pve-kernel-5.3: 6.1-6
pve-kernel-5.4.44-2-pve: 5.4.44-2
pve-kernel-5.3.18-3-pve: 5.3.18-3
pve-kernel-5.3.10-1-pve: 5.3.10-1
ceph-fuse: 12.2.11+dfsg1-2.1+b1
corosync: 3.0.4-pve1
criu: 3.11-3
glusterfs-client: 5.5-3
ifupdown: 0.8.35+pve1
ksm-control-daemon: 1.3-1
libjs-extjs: 6.0.1-10
libknet1: 1.16-pve1
libproxmox-acme-perl: 1.0.4
libpve-access-control: 6.1-2
libpve-apiclient-perl: 3.0-3
libpve-common-perl: 6.1-5
libpve-guest-common-perl: 3.1-1
libpve-http-server-perl: 3.0-6
libpve-storage-perl: 6.2-5
libqb0: 1.0.5-1
libspice-server1: 0.14.2-4~pve6+1
lvm2: 2.03.02-pve4
lxc-pve: 4.0.2-1
lxcfs: 4.0.3-pve3
novnc-pve: 1.1.0-1
proxmox-mini-journalreader: 1.1-1
proxmox-widget-toolkit: 2.2-9
pve-cluster: 6.1-8
pve-container: 3.1-11
pve-docs: 6.2-5
pve-edk2-firmware: 2.20200531-1
pve-firewall: 4.1-2
pve-firmware: 3.1-1
pve-ha-manager: 3.0-9
pve-i18n: 2.1-3
pve-qemu-kvm: 5.0.0-11
pve-xtermjs: 4.3.0-1
qemu-server: 6.2-10
smartmontools: 7.1-pve2
spiceterm: 3.1-1
vncterm: 1.6-1
zfsutils-linux: 0.8.4-pve1


Still not working. I will try uninstalling the QEMU Guest Agent and reinstalling or removing it altogether.
 
Still not working. I will try uninstalling the QEMU Guest Agent and reinstalling or removing it altogether.

The QEMU guest agent has nothing to say at all regarding this message. It simply means that the VMs still runs an older QEMU version, which is missing the required level of Proxmox Backup Server integration.

To a full stop start cycle (restart through API, but not a "from VM triggered reboot") or migrate the VM to another host were the update is also/already installed.
 
The QEMU guest agent has nothing to say at all regarding this message. It simply means that the VMs still runs an older QEMU version, which is missing the required level of Proxmox Backup Server integration.

To a full stop start cycle (restart through API, but not a "from VM triggered reboot") or migrate the VM to another host were the update is also/already installed.

To clarify, stop and start the VM using either the command lin shell or the web GUI, but not through the OS? I've done that several times already. I have uninstalled the Qemu Agent, but still have it enabled through the Proxmox options to replicate my other Windows 2016 Essentials VM.
So far the backup has been running for 10 minutes.
It aborted with
ERROR: VM 100 qmp command 'query-backup' failed - got timeout
 
To clarify, stop and start the VM using either the command lin shell or the web GUI, but not through the OS?

Exactly, to be 100% sure do a full shutdown so that the VM is showing as powered-off, then start it again.

If the backup ran you did not got the "PBS backups are not supported by the running QEMU version" anymore, or?
 
@t.lamprecht
I did't get a QEMU Version warning, but I uinstalled the Qemu Agent from the OS and Disabled the Qemu Guest Agent in the VM Options.
I will try installing it. However to think of it, I don't remember specifically installing it on any of my VMs before. I would use the virtio drivers and then use the installer win-gt-x64 installer to catch up the rest.
 
As said, the QEMU guest agent has nothing to do with that warning, we query the VM's QEMU process, not the agent.
The warning is completely, 100%, unrelated to the QEMU Guest Agents version and if it's running or not.

We simply ask the running VM process: "hey are you new enough to be able to do PBS backups?" and it either is confused (meaning, no it cannot) or say "yes, I can!".

Even if you upgraded to latest package versions the VMs which got started before the package update are still running an older version of QEMU. It can be made to run the newer version to live-migrate to another host, as there a new process (using the installed version) is started, or by doing a full shutdown and start it again, so that also a new process (with the new executable) is started. QGA does not matters for this.
 
I'm getting this same error, but only on one VM. I have one standalone server that is running 2 vms. I upgraded to 6.3-3, shutdown the vms, rebooted the server, started the VMs, started the backup for vm101 and it succeeded, started the backup for vm100 and it failed.

Code:
INFO: starting new backup job: vzdump 100 --compress zstd --mailnotification always --mode snapshot --node pxam01 --all 0 --quiet 1 --storage RWBackup
INFO: Starting Backup of VM 100 (qemu)
INFO: Backup started at 2020-12-12 15:54:02
INFO: status = running
INFO: VM Name: Web1
INFO: include disk 'virtio0' 'local:100/vm-100-disk-0.qcow2' 1410G
INFO: include disk 'virtio1' 'local:100/vm-100-disk-1.qcow2' 500G
INFO: backup mode: snapshot
INFO: ionice priority: 7
INFO: creating Proxmox Backup Server archive 'vm/100/2020-12-12T23:54:02Z'
ERROR: PBS backups are not supported by the running QEMU version. Please make sure you've installed the latest version and the VM has been restarted.
INFO: aborting backup job
ERROR: VM 100 qmp command 'backup-cancel' failed - unable to connect to VM 100 qmp socket - timeout after 5986 retries
ERROR: Backup of VM 100 failed - PBS backups are not supported by the running QEMU version. Please make sure you've installed the latest version and the VM has been restarted.
INFO: Failed at 2020-12-12 16:04:05
INFO: Backup job finished with errors
TASK ERROR: job errors

Code:
# pveversion -v
proxmox-ve: 6.3-1 (running kernel: 5.4.78-2-pve)
pve-manager: 6.3-3 (running version: 6.3-3/eee5f901)
pve-kernel-5.4: 6.3-3
pve-kernel-helper: 6.3-3
pve-kernel-5.3: 6.1-6
pve-kernel-5.4.78-2-pve: 5.4.78-2
pve-kernel-5.4.73-1-pve: 5.4.73-1
pve-kernel-5.3.18-3-pve: 5.3.18-3
pve-kernel-5.3.13-1-pve: 5.3.13-1
pve-kernel-5.3.10-1-pve: 5.3.10-1
ceph-fuse: 12.2.11+dfsg1-2.1+b1
corosync: 3.0.4-pve1
criu: 3.11-3
glusterfs-client: 5.5-3
ifupdown: residual config
ifupdown2: 3.0.0-1+pve3
ksm-control-daemon: 1.3-1
libjs-extjs: 6.0.1-10
libknet1: 1.16-pve1
libproxmox-acme-perl: 1.0.5
libproxmox-backup-qemu0: 1.0.2-1
libpve-access-control: 6.1-3
libpve-apiclient-perl: 3.1-3
libpve-common-perl: 6.3-2
libpve-guest-common-perl: 3.1-3
libpve-http-server-perl: 3.0-6
libpve-storage-perl: 6.3-3
libqb0: 1.0.5-1
libspice-server1: 0.14.2-4~pve6+1
lvm2: 2.03.02-pve4
lxc-pve: 4.0.3-1
lxcfs: 4.0.3-pve3
novnc-pve: 1.1.0-1
proxmox-backup-client: 1.0.5-1
proxmox-mini-journalreader: 1.1-1
proxmox-widget-toolkit: 2.4-3
pve-cluster: 6.2-1
pve-container: 3.3-1
pve-docs: 6.3-1
pve-edk2-firmware: 2.20200531-1
pve-firewall: 4.1-3
pve-firmware: 3.1-3
pve-ha-manager: 3.1-1
pve-i18n: 2.2-2
pve-qemu-kvm: 5.1.0-7
pve-xtermjs: 4.7.0-3
qemu-server: 6.3-2
smartmontools: 7.1-pve2
spiceterm: 3.1-1
vncterm: 1.6-2
zfsutils-linux: 0.8.5-pve1
 
Hi,
I have this on exactly one VM (Windows Server 2016), too.
Upgraded to pve 6.3 and a fresh reboot of all nodes.

Any solutions yet ?

proxmox-ve: 6.3-1 (running kernel: 5.4.78-2-pve)
pve-manager: 6.3-3 (running version: 6.3-3/eee5f901)
pve-kernel-5.4: 6.3-3
pve-kernel-helper: 6.3-3
pve-kernel-5.3: 6.1-6
pve-kernel-5.4.78-2-pve: 5.4.78-2
pve-kernel-5.4.73-1-pve: 5.4.73-1
pve-kernel-5.4.44-2-pve: 5.4.44-2
pve-kernel-5.3.18-3-pve: 5.3.18-3
ceph-fuse: 12.2.11+dfsg1-2.1+b1
corosync: 3.0.4-pve1
criu: 3.11-3
glusterfs-client: 5.5-3
ifupdown: residual config
ifupdown2: 3.0.0-1+pve3
libjs-extjs: 6.0.1-10
libknet1: 1.16-pve1
libproxmox-acme-perl: 1.0.7
libproxmox-backup-qemu0: 1.0.2-1
libpve-access-control: 6.1-3
libpve-apiclient-perl: 3.1-3
libpve-common-perl: 6.3-2
libpve-guest-common-perl: 3.1-3
libpve-http-server-perl: 3.1-1
libpve-storage-perl: 6.3-3
libqb0: 1.0.5-1
libspice-server1: 0.14.2-4~pve6+1
lvm2: 2.03.02-pve4
lxc-pve: 4.0.3-1
lxcfs: 4.0.3-pve3
novnc-pve: 1.1.0-1
proxmox-backup-client: 1.0.6-1
proxmox-mini-journalreader: 1.1-1
proxmox-widget-toolkit: 2.4-3
pve-cluster: 6.2-1
pve-container: 3.3-2
pve-docs: 6.3-1
pve-edk2-firmware: 2.20200531-1
pve-firewall: 4.1-3
pve-firmware: 3.1-3
pve-ha-manager: 3.1-1
pve-i18n: 2.2-2
pve-qemu-kvm: 5.1.0-7
pve-xtermjs: 4.7.0-3
qemu-server: 6.3-2
smartmontools: 7.1-pve2
spiceterm: 3.1-1
vncterm: 1.6-2
zfsutils-linux: 0.8.6-1~bpo10+1
 
It was fixed for me by stopping and starting the VM AFTER reboot. So, what happened is:

Upgrade Proxmox
Shut everything down
Reboot
VMs start
ERROR BACKING UP VM 100
Stop/start VM 100
Backup VM 100 worked, no error.


VM 100 is running Centos.
 
Not for for me btw. this particular vm.
Yesterday I stopped the qemu agent service inside the vm and the scheduled pbs backup was running !

t.lamprecht said:
As said, the QEMU guest agent has nothing to do with that warning, we query the VM's QEMU process, not the agent.
The warning is completely, 100%, unrelated to the QEMU Guest Agents version and if it's running or not.
But, the agent must be somehow related to the problem.
@t.lamprecht anything else I could do ?
 
Well then I have to stop the machine, I could do this over the night. But what exactly the change will do ? In my oppinion it does nothing to the vm, but creates a new backuparchive on pbs ?
 
My hare-brained idea is that some process has a problem with the ID 100. To eliminate that I would adjust the ID out of necessity.

Yes, the machine has to be offline for this and a new backup is initiated, but this should not cause much more data with PBS.

It's more like an act of desperation.
 
This is like to grasp at straws, I love it :) But in my case the ID is 11051 and I never had a problem with the PBS Backup when running PVE Version 6.2 . The whole thing started with 6.3 .
And the problem seems gone since I turned off the qemu agent inside the vm.
Maybe it is related to the virtio drivers (latest->0.1.190) ?
Other Win Servers with the same virtio drivers did not show that behaviour.

...dodgy... :-(
 
Super.
Why are you using the qemo agent?
I am afraid to install the agents from HA (also from vmWare) into the VMs. Have had issues with them in the past from time to time. I generally don't install them anymore and don't miss things.
 
Well I am using the agents just for some information tasks (eg. viewing IP Addresses from outside of the vm), but more for things like freezing the filesystem during the backup.
Since I turned off the agent, the pbs backup is running fine with this vm. I will update the agent with a newer version when available and give it another try.
Thanks for your recommendations.
 

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