How to troubleshoot if the MARS Agent is unable to initialize a backup storage location due to unresponsive VDS service

Question

Microsoft Azure Recovery Services Agent was unable to initialize a backup storage location with Microsoft Azure Backup. Please try the operation again. If the issue persists contact Microsoft support.

Answer 1

To troubleshoot when the MARS Agent can't initialize a backup storage location because the VDS service is unresponsive, follow these steps:

1. Check VDS Service Status: Make sure the Virtual Disk Service (VDS) is running. You can do this by:
   • Pressing Win + R, typing services.msc, and pressing Enter.
   • Finding "Virtual Disk" in the list and confirming that its status is "Running." If it's not, right-click and select "Start."
   Restart VDS Service: If the VDS service is running but still unresponsive, try restarting it:
   • Right-click "Virtual Disk" in the Services window and select "Restart."
   Check System Logs: Look at the Event Viewer for any related error logs:

     - Press `Win + R`, type `eventvwr.msc`, and press `Enter`.
   
        - Go to "Windows Logs" > "System" and check for any errors related to the VDS service.
   
        Verify Disk Connectivity: Ensure that the backup storage disk is connected and accessible. Check for:
   
           - Proper disk connections.
   
              - No hardware issues.
   
              Restart the System: If the issue persists, try restarting the computer to refresh system services.
   
              Update System Drivers: Outdated drivers might cause the VDS service to fail. Ensure that disk-related drivers are up to date.