MABS Backup Job Fails with Access Denied (0x80070005)

Raghav 0 Reputation points
2026-09-17T15:38:33.27+00:00

Hello,

We recently installed a Microsoft Azure Backup Server (MABS) and configured the required protection groups and backup jobs.

After adding the protected servers and configuring the protection groups, we observed that the scheduled backup jobs are consistently failing across multiple/all protected servers.

The error has occurred while MABS/DPM is accessing different system-managed files, for example:

  • Windows\apppatch\DirectXApps.sdb
  • ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Scans\mpcache-*.bin.79User's image

Also, We have noticed difference in the behavior:

  • When the backup job is started manually/on-demand, the backup completes successfully.
  • When the same protection job runs according to the configured schedule, it fails with DPM error ID 2033 / Access Denied (0x80070005).
  • The issue is consistently observed while protecting the C: drive across all protected servers.

The manually initiated backup is therefore able to complete successfully against the same protected data, while the scheduled execution fails.

Since this is a new MABS installation, we would like to determine the underlying cause and identify the appropriate remediation steps.

Although we are considering installing Update Rollup 2 for Microsoft Azure Backup Server V4 as a possible remediation, we would first like to identify the root cause and understand what additional troubleshooting steps should be performed before proceeding with the update.

Could you please advise on the following?

  1. We have already re-run the affected backup jobs after the initial troubleshooting, but the jobs continue to fail with DPM error ID 2033 / Access Denied (0x80070005). What additional troubleshooting or remediation steps should we perform to identify the root cause?
  2. Since the issue occurs across multiple protected servers and specifically affects the C: drive, could this indicate an MABS/DPM configuration or protection-agent issue rather than an issue with an individual protected server?
  3. Since the manual backup succeeds but the scheduled backup fails, could this indicate an issue related to the scheduled job execution context, permissions, protection-agent configuration, or another MABS/DPM configuration? What should we verify in this scenario?
  4. What permissions and security settings should be verified on the protected servers and the MABS server for this type of 0x80070005 error?
  5. Are there any specific DPM agent services, VSS writers, or MABS components that should be checked?
  6. The error has occurred while MABS/DPM is accessing different system-managed files, including DirectXApps.sdb and Microsoft Defender scan cache files. Is this a known behavior or issue with MABS/DPM when protecting these types of system-managed files?
  7. We have reviewed the available logs but could not identify any additional relevant errors or information. Are there any specific diagnostic logs, tracing, or additional troubleshooting tools that should be enabled or collected?
  8. Are there any other troubleshooting steps we should perform before considering an MABS upgrade?

Could you please review the above details and suggest any additional troubleshooting steps or a possible solution, as the issue persists despite the steps already performed?

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  1. AI answer

    2026-09-17T15:39:04.36+00:00

    Because the failures occur across multiple protected servers and the denied paths include system-managed files, the first checks should focus on MABS-wide prerequisites, agent health, and security software interference rather than treating this as a single-server file issue.

    Recommended troubleshooting sequence:

    1. Validate core MABS prerequisites on the MABS server:
      • Ensure the Microsoft Azure Recovery Services service is running. If needed, restart it and retry the backup.
      • Ensure the SQL Agent service is running and set to Automatic on the MABS server.
      • Ensure the MARS agent is up to date.
      • Ensure TLS 1.2 is enabled.
      • Ensure there is 5-10% free space available on the scratch folder location.
    2. Check antivirus and other security software first.
      • 0x80070005 is explicitly associated with Access is denied and the documented action is to check whether antivirus or other third-party software is blocking access.
      • For MABS, Microsoft also recommends configuring antivirus software to delete infected files instead of automatically cleaning or quarantining them, because cleaning or quarantining can modify files in ways MABS cannot track.
      • If antivirus deletes a file from a replica, run a manual synchronization with consistency and review the job result.
      • If needed, temporarily disable antivirus only as a troubleshooting step to confirm whether it is the cause, then adjust exclusions/settings accordingly.
    3. Verify whether the issue is tied to protected-server agent communication or access control.
      • When failures affect many servers, check whether the DPM/MABS protection agent is healthy on each protected server and whether communication with the MABS server is stable.
      • If agent push/install or communication issues are also present, use the documented path for DPM Agent Coordinator communication troubleshooting.
      • Restarting the protection agent-related services can help clear transient communication issues before rerunning jobs.
    4. Re-run the failed jobs after the above checks.
      • Since the jobs already failed after an initial retry, rerun them only after validating services, agent state, antivirus behavior, and free space.
      • If replicas become inconsistent after security software actions, run a consistency check.
    5. Treat the file types as likely symptoms, not the root cause.
      • The documented guidance does not identify DirectXApps.sdb or Defender cache files as a specific known unsupported-file issue in MABS.
      • The supported guidance points instead to access blocking by antivirus or third-party software when 0x80070005 occurs.
      • Because the denied files are system-managed locations, security filtering or file locking is a stronger indicator than a simple file-permission problem on one server.
    6. What to verify on permissions and security settings:
      • Check whether antivirus, endpoint protection, or other third-party security tools are blocking MABS/DPM access.
      • Check whether any group policy or security hardening is affecting backup/agent operations if registration or agent behavior is abnormal.
      • If the issue is limited to certain workloads after antivirus actions, run synchronization/consistency operations.
    7. What services/components to verify:
      • Microsoft Azure Recovery Services service on the MABS server.
      • SQL Agent service on the MABS server.
      • MARS agent version and health.
      • DPM/protection agent communication path on protected servers.
    8. Before considering upgrade or reinstallation:
      • Complete the basic validation checklist.
      • Test with antivirus temporarily disabled as a diagnostic step.
      • Confirm agent communication is healthy.
      • Confirm adequate scratch/cache free space.
      • Confirm TLS 1.2 and current MARS agent.

    If the environment also shows agent communication errors, access denied errors, or inconsistent replicas together, that combination strengthens the case for a security software or agent communication problem rather than a content-specific MABS defect.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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