2012R2 Checkpoint Backups Fail - "The disk signature of disk1 is equal to the disk signature of disk0"

Question

Before reading any further please note there are no actual disk signature problems per other threads on technet. I mounted all VHD's on the host and none reported offline. I manually checked all VHD disk signatures to the host and all were unique. I loaded
a brand new fresh 2012R2 VM/VHD and at first fine, but after installing updates the problem occurs.
I believe a Windows Update is causing this error but do not know which one. I had a 2012 (non r2) VM that backed up fine, however after upgrading it to 2012R2 integration services and updates, this VM also has the below listed errors. Whether or not there
is only one disk in the VM or multiple the following error is occurring. If I save all the VM's first I get a good and successful backup and checkpoint/snapshot transfers to backup location correctly. It is only when the VM's are running and checkpoint the
process fails.
When a backup is initiated on the 2012R2 host the VM's enter into the backing up state and are still live (not saved).
The following sequence of events occur in the VMs:
Event ID: 58
Source: partmgr
"The disk signature of disk 1 is equal to the disk signature of disk 0"
Event ID: 7036
Source: Service Control Manager
"The portable device enumerator service service entered the running state"
Event ID: 58
Source: partmgr
"The disk signature of disk 1 is equal to the disk signature of disk 0"
Event ID: 98
Source: Ntfs
"Volume E: (\Device\HarddiskVOlume3) is healthy. No action is needed"
Event ID: 98
Source: Ntfs
"Volume F: (\Device\HarddiskVolume4) is healthy. No action is needed"
Event 157
Source: Disk
"Disk 1 has been surprise removed"
I can see in device manager that a Microsoft Virtual Disk is created and then disappears (greys out if viewing hidden devices)
Once Event 157 occurs, the VM's are merged back successfully and the following error occurs on the host.
Log Name:      Application
Source:        VSS
Date:          4/26/2014 8:00:58 PM
Event ID:      8229
Task Category: None
Level:         Warning
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      SERVER
Description:
A VSS writer has rejected an event with error 0x800423f3, The writer experienced a 
transient error.  If the backup process is retried,
the error may not reoccur.
. Changes that the writer made to the writer components while handling the event will not 
be available to the requester. Check the event log for related events from the application 
hosting the VSS writer. 
Operation:
   PostSnapshot Event
Context:
   Execution Context: 
Writer
   Writer Class Id: {66841cd4-6ded-4f4b-8f17-fd23f8ddc3de}
   Writer Name: Microsoft 
Hyper-V VSS Writer
   Writer Instance ID: {2aa82577-e446-4340-9afe-1e75fa3a52d4}
   Command 
Line: C:\Windows\system32\vmms.exe
   Process ID: 2088
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
    <Provider Name="VSS" />
    <EventID Qualifiers="0">8229</EventID>
    <Level>3</Level>
    <Task>0</Task>
    <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2014-04-27T03:00:58.000000000Z" />
    <EventRecordID>2254</EventRecordID>
    <Channel>Application</Channel>
    <Computer>SERVER</Computer>
    <Security />
  </System>
  <EventData>
    <Data>0x800423f3, The writer experienced a transient error.  If the backup process is 
retried,
the error may not reoccur.
</Data>
    <Data>
Operation:
   PostSnapshot Event
Context:
   Execution Context: Writer
   Writer 
Class Id: {66841cd4-6ded-4f4b-8f17-fd23f8ddc3de}
   Writer Name: Microsoft Hyper-V VSS 
Writer
   Writer Instance ID: {2aa82577-e446-4340-9afe-1e75fa3a52d4}
   Command Line: C:
\Windows\system32\vmms.exe
   Process ID: 2088</Data>
I have found no relevant information regarding this error please advice if anyone has opened a case on this and has a reported solution. It appears to be an issue with the new checkpoint process in 2012R2 possibly created by a recent update.
Thanks in Advance

Answer 1

Hi CCPD,
Thanks for contacting Microsoft.
From your description, I learnt that the issue you are experiencing is that you failed to backup VMs when the VM is running. Pleas let me know if I misunderstand anything.
Firstly, please let me know which backup tool you are using to perform backup. And please let mw know how the issue goes if you use Windows Server Backup feature.
After that, please install the Windows Server 2012 R2 newest update rollup as below.
==========================================================
Windows RT 8.1, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 R2 update rollup: February 2014
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2919394
Best regards,
Sophia Sun
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