Troubleshooting VSS Error

Symptoms

Backup task may fail with Exit Code -311.
When Exit Code -311 occurs, please open the <Unixtime>.log in the logs folder of the installation path.
If the following error is recorded in the task log, it means that snapshot could not be created due to VSS Writer error.

Error sample

—- log excerpt —-
01/19/2018 01:22:39.330 VssStart()
01/19/2018 01:22:39.373 Using Common Provider
01/19/2018 01:23:20.701 COM Error(0x80042316): m_pVssObject->StartSnapshotSet(&m_latestSnapshotSetID)
01/19/2018 01:23:20.832 [07/19/2017 10:23:20.701] OUTPUT: – Error text: VSS_E_SNAPSHOT_SET_IN_PROGRESS
01/19/2018 01:23:20.833 {IDS_STRING3025}Could not start VSS Level=ERROR [0]
——————

In case of this error, the meaning of COM Error(0x80042316) is VSS_E_SNAPSHOT_SET_IN_PROGRESS.
Therefore, the this error means that shadow copy was already created and VSS could not be used.

It is a main VSS Error.

VSS_E_BAD_STATE ( 0x80042301 )
The backup components object is not initialized, this method has been called during a restore operation, or this method has not been called within the correct sequence.

E_OUTOFMEMORY ( 0x8007000E )
Out of memory or other system resources.

VSS_E_PROVIDER_VETO ( 0x80042306 )
Expected provider error. The provider logged the error in the event log.

VSS_E_PROVIDER_IN_USE ( 0x80042307 )
The provider is in use.

VSS_E_OBJECT_NOT_FOUND ( 0x80042308 )
pwszVolumeName does not correspond to an existing volume or remote file share.

VSS_E_VOLUME_NOT_SUPPORTED ( 0x8004230c )
The value of the ProviderId parameter is GUID_NULL and no VSS provider indicates that it supports the specified volume or remote file share.

VSS_E_VOLUME_NOT_SUPPORTED_BY_PROVIDER ( 0x8004230e )
The volume or remote file share is not supported by the specified provider.

VSS_E_OBJECT_ALREADY_EXISTS ( 0x8004230d )
The object is a duplicate. A component with the same logical path and component name already exists.

VSS_E_UNEXPECTED_PROVIDER_ERROR ( 0x8004230f )
The provider returned an unexpected error code. This error code is only returned via the QueryStatus method on the IVssAsync interface returned in the ppAsync parameter.

VSS_E_INVALID_XML_DOCUMENT ( 0x80042311 )
The XML document is not valid. Check the event log for details.

VSS_E_MAXIMUM_NUMBER_OF_VOLUMES_REACHED ( 0x80042312 )
The maximum number of volumes or remote file shares have been added to the shadow copy set. The specified volume or remote file share was not added to the shadow copy set.

VSS_E_FLUSH_WRITES_TIMEOUT ( 0x80042313 )
The system was unable to flush I/O writes. This can be a transient problem. It is recommended to wait ten minutes and try again, up to three times.

VSS_E_HOLD_WRITES_TIMEOUT ( 0x80042314 )
The system was unable to hold I/O writes. This can be a transient problem. It is recommended to wait ten minutes and try again, up to three times.

VSS_E_UNEXPECTED_WRITER_ERROR ( 0x80042315 )
An unexpected error occurred during communication with writers. The error code is logged in the error log file.

VSS_E_SNAPSHOT_SET_IN_PROGRESS ( 0x80042316 )
Another shadow copy creation is already in progress. Occurs when adding a CSV volume to a snapshot set from multiple nodes at the same time, or while adding a scale out share to the snapshot set from multiple SMB client nodes at the same time.

VSS_E_MAXIMUM_NUMBER_OF_SNAPSHOTS_REACHED ( 0x80042317 )
The maximum number of volumes or remote file shares have been added to the shadow copy set. The specified volume or remote file share was not added to the shadow copy set.

VSS_E_WRITER_INFRASTRUCTURE ( 0x80042318 )
The writer infrastructure is not operating properly. Check that the Event Service and VSS have been started, and check for errors associated with those services in the error log.

VSS_E_WRITER_NOT_RESPONDING ( 0x80042319 )
The writer is not responding.

VSS_E_UNSUPPORTED_CONTEXT ( 0x8004231b )
The context specified by lContext is not supported.

VSS_E_VOLUME_IN_USE ( 0x8004231d )
The bForceDismount parameter was FALSE, and the volume could not be locked.

VSS_E_MAXIMUM_DIFFAREA_ASSOCIATIONS_REACHED ( 0x8004231e )
The maximum number of shadow copy storage areas has been added to the shadow copy source volume. The specified shadow copy storage volume was not associated with the specified shadow copy source volume.

VSS_E_INSUFFICIENT_STORAGE ( 0x8004231f )
The system or provider has insufficient storage space. If possible delete any old or unnecessary persistent shadow copies and try again. This error code is only returned via the QueryStatus method on the IVssAsync interface returned in the ppAsync parameter.

VSS_E_REBOOT_REQUIRED ( 0x80042327 )
The provider encountered an error that requires the user to restart the computer.

Workarounds

In the event of a VSS Error, it is necessary to investigate the cause from Windows event log, etc.

Target Product

– ActiveImage Protector 3.5 / 2016 /2018 Windows
– ActiveImage Protector 4 / 5