Results 1 to 4 of 4

Thread: VSS is not working on XP PC

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    4
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    VSS is not working on XP PC

    I've been trying for days in vain to fix this problem on my XP PC.

    VSS is not working properly. This wouldn't trouble me overmuch as I'm technically out of my comfort zone here. I don't really understand VSS, even after much reading. But my new backup program, SyncBackSE, apparently needs it in order to copy open or locked files. That's something which my regular program, SecondCopy, cannot do, so I want to fix it. And maybe there are other problems caused by this VSS failure.

    I'm getting many Event Viewer entries of two types:
    1. In the Application section:
    'VSS Event ID 12289
    Volume Shadow Copy Service error: Unexpected error DeviceIoControl(00000178,0x0053c020,00037CF0,0,00038CF8,4096,[0]). hr = 0x80070057.'

    2. In the System section I get many like this:
    ' Volsnap Event ID 22
    The diff area volume specified for shadow copies on volume C: could not be added.'

    I would appreciate any help anyone can offer please.

    BTW, probably not the best place to make this suggestion, but I do think it's a bit daft that the Search tool rejects words of 3 letters. So many acronyms are of that length - VSS for example!

    --
    Terry, East Grinstead, UK
    Last edited by terrypin; 08-03-2013 at 06:06 PM.

  2. #2
    Splash
    Guest

    Re: VSS is not working on XP PC

    First port of call is to run a chkdsk /r to fix any filesystem issues. This will require that you either dismount the volume in use (if a non-system volume) or schedule the check to happen on reboot (if a system volume). Once that's done try again and post back if you're still seeing issues and we'll troubleshoot from there, but this sounds like an issue with the filesystem to me.

  3. #3
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    4
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: VSS is not working on XP PC

    Thanks Splash. Will run that later today.

    SyncBackSE Support recognise that many user have VSS problems. ("The Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) is notoriously easy to break but difficult to fix,") and have a page of recommended steps here:
    Hmm - I see I'm prevented from posting that URL!

    I've stepped through some of that but so far I've not succeeded.

    It would help for the discussion here if I could share a simple test exercise that didn't rely on using SyncBackSE. My test so far has been to try backing up this folder used by Outlook 2002:
    C:\Documents and Settings\Terry\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\.

    It contains files like these:
    archive.pst 4,896 KB
    ContactsExtractbackup.pst 80 KB
    Copy of mailbox.PAB 32 KB
    etc

    SyncBackSE hangs on encountering the .PST file, and I have to forcibly close the program.

    Outlook is running during this test (minimised in XP system tray). If I close it then SysBackSE doesn't try to use VSS and the backup works OK.

    I've also just this morning tried a simpler test: backing up a folder containing a trivial .DOC file which is currently open in Word 2000. I expected VSS would get invoked for that, like the Outlook test. But apparently not, as the backup worked and there were no simultaneous Event Viewer errors.

    --
    Terry, East Grinstead, UK

  4. #4
    Minister of Silly Walks
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Surrey
    Posts
    314
    Thanks
    35
    Thanked
    67 times in 54 posts
    • stilkun's system
      • Motherboard:
      • GigaByte GA-B75-D3V (rev 1.1)
      • CPU:
      • Intel® Core™ i5-3470 Processor
      • Memory:
      • Patriot Black Viper 24GB 1600 Mhz
      • Storage:
      • Crucial M500 240GB, Samsung 32 GB mSATA, MAXTOR SATAI 250 GB, WD Blue SATA III 1TB
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Sapphire HD 7850 OC edition 2 GB
      • PSU:
      • XFX 450w Core
      • Case:
      • AvP Triton Mid Tower PC Case
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 8.1 Pro Update 1 (64 Bit)
      • Internet:
      • 8 Mbps (1 MBps) Tiscali

    Re: VSS is not working on XP PC

    Copying open / locked files with SyncBackSE/Pro - if you have not read this before

    There is other option is NTbackup on windows XP that uses VSS however I never used it before and it will need to be installed from the Windows XP disk. Ensure the account you are testing is member of administrator and Backup Operator as it will require permissions to access. Make sure to uninstall any other backup program that uses VSS as well disable anti-virus scanner temporary as they can interfere with it.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •