Knowledge Base

System error 1453 while backing up (Insufficient quota to complete the requested service)

Category: Troubleshooting & error messages
Date: 10 Jun 2009
Product: SQL Backup
Following an upgrade from SQL 2000 to SQL 2005, if the SQL Server 'max server memory' is set to a higher value than the actual amount of physical memory in the machine, you may receive the following Warnings and Errors when attempting a backup:


10/30/2008 9:47:54 AM: Thread 0 error:
Error 620: Error writing to backup file(s).
Process terminated unexpectedly. Error code: -2139684860
10/30/2008 9:47:54 AM: Warning 210: Thread 0 warning:
Warning 210: Error writing to backup file: <Path to the backup file>. For example \\Server1\backups\DB1_Full_20081104095045.sqb
Warning: System error 1453 (Insufficient quota to complete the requested service)
10/30/2008 9:47:54 AM:
SQL error 3013: SQL error 3013: BACKUP DATABASE is terminating abnormally.
SQL error 3271: SQL error 3271: A nonrecoverable I/O error occurred on file "SQLBACKUP_31594813-A10D-4207-8791-C1216CE30BDC:" 995(The I/O operation has been aborted because of either a thread exit or an application request.).
SQL error 3202: SQL error 3202: Write on "SQLBACKUP_31594813-A10D-4207-8791-C1216CE30BDC" failed: 1117(The request could not be performed because of an I/O device error.)

This error can occur when SQL Server 2005 consumes 50% of the memory that is configured for use with SQL Server. At this point, the Windows operating system may begin to page SQL Server's working set to disk. When this happens, SQL Server performance is severely degraded and it is possible that the server will not have enough memory to service the Virtual Device requests from SQL Backup.

In order to prevent paging of SQL Server's working set, the 'Lock Pages in Memory' user right can be applied to the account running the SQL Server service:

1. Click Start, click Run, type gpedit.msc, and then click OK. The Group Policy dialog box appears.
2. Expand Computer Configuration, and then expand Windows Settings.
3. Expand Security Settings, and then expand Local Policies.
4. Click User Rights Assignment, and then double-click Lock pages in memory.
5. In the Local Security Policy Setting dialog box, click Add User or Group.
6. In the Select Users or Groups dialog box, add the account that has permission to run the Sqlservr.exe file, and then click OK.
7. Close the Group Policy dialog box.
8. Restart the SQL Server service.

Please note that on 64-bit editions of SQL Server, only the Enterprise Edition can take advantage of this user right.

Setting the SQL Server's initial 'max server memory' to a lower value can also have a positive effect by reducing the likelihood that Windows will begin to page SQL Server's working set.

Upgrading to SQL Server 2008 also reduces the chances of this error occurring because of improvements in the memory management algorithms.

Please see Microsoft's website for in-depth information about this issue: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918483