AB#6881: Create Troubleshooting Guide: Windows Server Storage Replica (#9993)

* Create troubleshoot-windows-server-storage-replica.md

* Update troubleshoot-windows-server-storage-replica.md

* Change 'Introduction' to 'Summary' in documentation

Updated the section title from 'Introduction' to 'Summary' for clarity.

* Update troubleshoot-windows-server-storage-replica.md

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Author: przlplx

support/windows-server/backup-and-storage/troubleshoot-windows-server-storage-replica.md

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+---
+title: Troubleshoot Windows Server Storage Replica
+description: Resolves issues in Storage Replica for Windows Server that provides block-level, synchronous and asynchronous replication for disaster recovery.
+ms.date: 10/08/2025
+manager: dcscontentpm
+audience: itpro
+ms.topic: troubleshooting
+ms.reviewer: kaushika
+ms.custom:
+- sap:Backup, Recovery, Disk, and Storage\Storage Replica
+- pcy:WinComm Storage High Avail
+appliesto:
+  - <a href=https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/release-health/windows-server-release-info target=_blank>Supported versions of Windows Server</a>
+---
+
+# Troubleshoot Windows Server storage replica
+
+## Summary
+
+Storage Replica (SR) is a robust feature in Windows Server (Datacenter and Standard editions) designed to provide block-level, synchronous and asynchronous replication for disaster recovery and high-availability scenarios. SR support includes single and multi-site clusters and server-to-server replication. Because of its low-level integration with storage, networking, cluster, and authentication infrastructure, SR is sensitive to misconfigurations or environmental issues across a range of layers. This article provides a troubleshooting process that covers symptoms, causes, and solutions for the most common failure scenarios to help administrators quickly diagnose and resolve issues.
+
+## Troubleshooting checklist
+
+Use this checklist for systematic troubleshooting:
+
+- **Verify role and edition**
+    - Verify Windows Server edition and SR feature installation on all nodes (Get-WindowsFeature -Name Storage-Replica).
+    - Verify licensing (Standard versus Datacenter) and feature compatibility.
+- **Verify storage configuration**
+    - Make sure that all intended disks (log and data) are visible to all relevant nodes and aren't in use by other services.
+    - For clusters, verify that disks are presented as shared storage (not local-only).
+- **Check Networking**
+    - Open required ports: TCP 445 (SMB), 5445 (SR), 135 (RPC), and 5985 (WinRM).
+    - Verify node-to-node and node–to-cluster communication with Test-NetConnection.
+- **Review Domain/Permission Requirements**
+    - All cluster nodes/servers must be in the same domain or a trusted domain.
+    - Verify the SR group accounts have appropriate permissions.
+- **Update**
+    - Apply all critical and recommended Windows updates and firmware and driver updates for your hardware and HBAs.
+- **Cluster and disk prerequisites**
+    - SCSI-3 Persistent Reservation support is required. Verify through Failover Cluster Validation reports.
+    - Disks must be initialized and formatted (ReFS/NTFS as appropriate). Disks must not use deprecated features (for example, dynamic disks).
+- **Verify Storage Replica Topology**
+    - Only one-to-one replication is supported. Avoid one-to-many or transitive setups.
+- **Collect and review logs**
+    - Gather event logs, cluster logs, and SR logs.
+    - Run Get-SRGroup, Get-SRPartnership, and Test-SRTopology.
+
+## Common issues and solutions
+
+The following sections detail the most common failure modes and provide step-by-step solutions.
+
+### Storage Replica Partnership doesn't create, shows "Object not found"
+
+#### Symptoms
+
+- Partnership creation fails and returns the following error message: 
+
+   "Unable to create replication group... The requested object could not be found."
+- Replication group not visible after creation.
+
+#### Cause
+
+- Missing registry subkey on all nodes:
+   HKLM\Cluster\WVR\ConfigStore
+- Partnership tried between clusters and servers in different forests and domains.
+- Log and data disks not visible or owned by the active node.
+
+#### Resolution
+
+1. On all nodes, make sure that the registry key exists. If not, create it:
+
+    ```console
+    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Cluster\WVR\ConfigStore
+    ```
+    
+2. Clear old SR metadata, if left over from previous attempts:
+
+    ```powershell
+    Clear-SRMetadata -AllPartitions -Verify:$false
+    Clear-SRMetadata -AllLogs -Verify:$false
+    Clear-SRMetadata -AllConfiguration -Verify:$false
+    ```
+    
+3. Verify that both nodes are in the same domain or a trusted domain.
+4. Move all involved cluster disks to the node from which the command is run:
+
+    ```powershell
+    Move-ClusterGroup -Name "Available Storage" -Node \<NodeName>
+    ```
+    
+5. Retry partnership creation.
+
+### Disks not eligible or "No disks suitable for cluster disks found"
+
+#### Symptoms
+
+- Cluster validation reports error about persistent reservation.
+- Can't add disks to the cluster.
+- "Element not found" in cluster log or disk wizard.
+
+#### Cause
+
+- Storage doesn't support SCSI-3 Persistent Reservation.
+- Disk presented to only one node (not shared storage).
+- Physical and logical sector size mismatch between source and target.
+
+#### Resolution
+
+1. Run failover cluster validation:
+
+    ```powershell
+    Test-Cluster -Include "Storage Spaces", "Inventory", "Network", "System Configuration"
+    ```
+    
+2. If errors are reported on persistent reservation, make sure that firmware supports SCSI-3 and HBAs are updated. Engage hardware vendor if it's necessary.
+3. Present disks to all nodes that require access.
+4. Match physical and logical sector sizes by using VHDX creation parameters or by reprovisioning disk on incompatible hosts.
+
+### Orphaned, suspended, or inaccessible storage replica resources
+
+#### Symptoms
+
+- "ReplicationSuspended," "Orphaned," or "WaitingForDestination" for SR resources.
+- Volumes remain in raw or inaccessible state.
+- Failover or DR groups don't come online after node failure.
+
+#### Cause
+
+- Unexpected cluster node failure or hard shutdown.
+- Log and data volume corruption, or incomplete failover transition.
+- Orphaned dependencies from incomplete partnership removal.
+
+#### Resolution
+
+1. Try to resume or force move the resource by using Failover Cluster Manager or PowerShell:
+
+    ```powershell
+    Sync-SRGroup -Name \<GroupName>
+    Move-ClusterGroup -Name \<GroupName> -Node \<AlternateNode>
+    ```
+
+2. If the state isn't restored, restart the cluster service on the affected nodes:
+
+    ```powershell
+    Restart-Service clussvc
+    ```
+    
+3. If the volume is raw or corrupted, run a file system repair:
+
+    ```console
+    chkdsk /f \<DriveLetter>
+    ```
+    
+4. For stuck resources, clear dependencies and metadata:
+
+    ```powershell
+    Clear-SRMetadata -AllPartitions -AllLogs -AllConfiguration
+    ```
+    
+5. If DR and primary partnership ownership is unclear or locked, break the partnership fully from the source, and clear all metadata before re-creating.
+
+### Network or permission problems preventing replication
+
+#### Symptoms
+
+- Errors such as: "grant-sraccess: the parameter is incorrect" and "Component server is unavailable."
+- Node-to-node connectivity works, but node-to-cluster connectivity fails.
+
+#### Cause
+
+- Required ports closed in firewall or network ACLs.
+- Missing or misconfigured Kerberos trust and domain membership.
+- Windows services that are required by SR don't run.
+
+#### Resolution
+
+1. Open and verify the required ports between all nodes:
+    - TCP 135, 445, 5445, 5985
+    - Use Test-NetConnection \<RemoteClusterName> -Port 445
+2. Make sure that all nodes and servers are in the same or trusted domains.
+3. Verify and start all required services: RPC, Remote Registry, NetBIOS Helper, WMI.
+4. Synchronize time zones and clocks.
+
+### Volume and log corruption or metadata issues
+
+#### Symptoms
+
+- "Failed to initialize the replication log path," disk reported as corrupted and unusable.
+- Event ID 3012, persistent raw volumes, or failure to bring online.
+
+#### Cause
+
+- Hardware failure or abrupt shutdowns cause log and data corruption.
+- Incomplete chkdsk process and repair of the affected volume.
+
+#### Resolution
+
+1. Run chkdsk /f and repair volumes.
+2. If issues persist, unmount and mount on another node for backup and re-creation.
+3. Recreate log and data partitions, and re-establish SR partnership.
+
+### Unsupported or misconfigured scenarios
+
+#### Symptoms
+
+- One-to-many, cross-domain, or cross-forest replication attempts fail.
+- Cluster-to-standalone, or stretch cluster with local disks.
+
+#### Cause
+
+- Only one-to-one replication is supported.
+- Stretch clusters require shared disk architecture.
+
+#### Resolution
+
+- Redesign the replication topology to comply with documentation one-to-one, shared disk for cluster scenarios, in a single or trusted domain.
+
+### Known software bugs and post-upgrade failures
+
+#### Symptoms
+
+- S2D disks not attachable after upgrade. 
+- "Replication groups do not match" error.
+- Disks in detached state after rolling OS upgrade.
+
+#### Cause
+
+- Known bugs in Storage Replica or S2D code.
+- Missing feature installation or After-upgrade inconsistency.
+
+#### Resolution
+
+1. Update to the latest cumulative and out-of-band updates.
+2. Apply available Known Issue Rollback (KIR) packages.
+3. If unrecoverable, rebuild the affected cluster or storage pool according to Microsoft escalation guidance.
+
+**Bugs and ICMs observed**
+
+- May 2025 cumulative update for Storage Replica group creation failure.
+- "SPACES 32 BUG" for disk addition in more than seven node clusters (Azure Stack HCI).
+
+## Common issues quick reference table
+
+| Symptom | Root cause | Resolution |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| "Unable to create replication group... object not found" | Missing registry key/config | Create HKLM\Cluster\WVR\ConfigStore, clear metadata, reattempt |
+| No disks suitable for cluster / cluster validation fails | SCSI reservation, sharing | Update firmware, confirm sharing, allocate as shared, check zoning |
+| Volume stuck in "raw" or "orphaned," Event 3012 | Metadata or FS corruption | Run chkdsk, clear SR metadata, recreate partition, reset partnership |
+| Disk not eligible - sector size mismatch | 512/4K sector size mismatch | Reprovision disks or VHDs with matching sector size |
+| Replication stuck in Suspended/Orphaned | Incomplete failover/crash | Restart cluster service, clear dependencies, move group, repair disk |
+| grant-sraccess "parameter incorrect"/network errors | Network/ACL or permissions | Open required ports, check services, confirm domain/trust setup |
+| Failover too slow/timeout, thin-provisioned disks | Thin provisioning, large VHD | Increase DeadlockTimeout, use thick provisioning where possible |
+| Unsupported scenario errors/NAS | Topology or domain violations | Redesign for one-to-one with shared disks in trusted domains |
+| Partnership removal leaves orphaned resource | Dependency/metadata leftover | Run Clear-SRMetadata, manual removal of resources/dependencies |
+| "Replication groups do not match" after upgrades | Disk/log size or layout mismatch, bugs | Update clusters, equalize layouts, apply patches, rebuild as needed |
+
+## Data collection
+
+Before you contact Microsoft Support, you can gather the following information about your issue.
+
+**General cmdlets**
+
+- Get-SRGroup, Get-SRPartnership, Get-SRReplicationStatus
+- Get-ClusterLog -Destination \<path> -TimeSpan 20
+- Get-Events, Get-WinEvent -LogName Microsoft-Windows-StorageReplica/Admin
+- Test-SRTopology -SourceComputerName <source> -SourceVolume \<vol> -DestinationComputerName \<dest> -DestinationVolume \<vol>
+- Clear-SRMetadata
+- fsutil fsinfo
+- For system/hardware: Get-Disk, Get-Volume, Get-PhysicalDisk
+- For network: Test-NetConnection \<dest> -Port 445
+
+**Other**
+
+- Application and system event logs (c:\windows\system32\winevt\logs)
+- Diagnostic tool outputs and process monitor traces, as directed
+- Cluster validation and precopy reports
+
+## References
+
+- [Storage Replica overview and requirements](/en-us/windows-server/storage/storage-replica/storage-replica-overview)
+- [Storage Replica FAQ](/windows-server/storage/storage-replica/storage-replica-frequently-asked-questions)
+- [Cluster Shared Volume FAQ](/windows-server/storage/storage-replica/storage-replica-frequently-asked-questions)
+- [Known issues and bug fixes](/windows-server/storage/storage-replica/storage-replica-known-issues)