Failure to create Volume Shadow Copy (X-fast USB)

mjlogin · Joined: 26 Apr 2011 Posts: 26

I've started to get failures on a few long-established backups, apparently as a result of a failure to create the Volume Shadow Copy. The relevant part of the log is:-

2014-03-29 01:10:54 : Initializing Volume Shadow Copy DLL ...
2014-03-29 01:10:54 : Creating Volume Shadow Copy for S:\ ...
2014-03-29 01:10:54 : Gathering writer metadata...
2014-03-29 02:51:46 : Initializing writer metadata...
2014-03-29 02:51:46 : ERROR: COM call "m_pVssObject->GetWriterMetadataCount (&cWriters)" failed.
2014-03-29 02:51:46 : - Returned HRESULT = 0x80042301
2014-03-29 02:51:46 : - Error text: VSS_E_BAD_STATE
2014-03-29 02:51:46 : [Volume Shadow Copy creation failed for S:\. E_UNEXPECTED- You may need to stop and restart the Windows Volume Shadow Service] Error.
2014-03-29 02:51:47 : [Volume Shadow Copy creation failed for S:\.

After this failure, the program tries to copy the files without the Volume Shadow Copy and, of course, fails if the file(s) are in use.

I always run VV Pro in Administrator mode. The system is Windows 8.1 Pro. I've tried re-installing VV Pro, but that didn't help.

Volume Shadow Copy Service is running and re-starting it or re-booting doesn't help.

Hopefully you'll be able to suggest something from the log entries.

Thanks,

Mike

TGRMN Software · Site Admin Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 8689

Hi, if you list all the VSS writers using command in command line (cmd)

vssadmin list writers

does it show any writers with errors ?

thanks
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Guest · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2014 2:01 pm Post subject:

Hello,

I did that - similar result, long delay then "Error: A Volume Shadow Copy Service component encountered an unexpected error."

I checked the Application Log and there are two messages:-

Operation: Instantiating VSS server
Volume Shadow Copy Service information: The COM Server with CLSID {e579ab5f-1cc4-44b4-bed9-de0991ff0623} and name IVssCoordinatorEx2 cannot be started. Most likely the CPU is under heavy load. [0x80080005, Server execution failed]

Volume Shadow Copy Service error: Unexpected error calling routine CoCreateInstance. hr = 0x80080005, Server execution failed.

Nothing else was going on with the CPU, by the way, as the message suggested.

I haven't really been able to find anything helpful on Google, so it's starting to look like a Windows re-install, isn't it?

Mike

TGRMN Software · Site Admin Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 8689

Yes, I think it's a VSS Windows issue not specifically related to ViceVersa.
I looked for the ID of the VSS writer on Google : e579ab5f-1cc4-44b4-bed9-de0991ff0623 and found this article that could be applicable:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd364867%28v=ws.10%29.aspx

thanks
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Guest · Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 4:33 pm Post subject:

Many thanks for the information. I checked all the services mentioned in the article and they seem to be OK. I wasn't able to check providers with diskshadow, because that's apparently only included in Server versions.

The strange thing is, I restored a disk image from a time when I know the Shadow Copy was working normally, and it still doesn't work.

Anyway, I'll keep trying. Thanks again for taking the trouble to investigate. I appreciate it very much.

Mike

TGRMN Software · Site Admin Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 8689

Let us know if you are able to solve this ! Smile

thanks
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Guest · Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 6:02 pm Post subject:

Hello,

Just in case it helps someone else, after a lot of unsuccessful recovery of saved images and re-installation, I finally found the answer through a Google link regarding an error message connected with the failure of System Restore, which also uses the Volume Shadow Copy Service.

Someone reported that it was caused on their machine by a utility called X-fast USB, which is supplied by AS Rock with their motherboards, and maybe others.

I uninstalled that, and the problem was solved.

Many thanks again for your help.

Mike

TGRMN Software · Site Admin Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 8689

Thanks Mike for posting the solution you found, it could be helpful for other users too.
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