The task progress stopped gaining a percentage from 0.1% and the backup task failed with Exit -311

Symptoms

Backup task may fail with Exit Code -311. Then, the following errors are recorded in Windows Event Log and Application Log.

Log Name: System Source: Volsnap Date: 2021/02/09 13:41:16 Event ID: 67 Level: Error Description: Installation of the created shadow copy of Volume "C:" failed.

Log Name: Application Source: VSS Date: 2021/02/09 13:41:16 Event ID: 12289 Level: Error Description: Volume Shadow Copy Service Error: Unexpected Error DeviceIoControl(?Volume{5cdd3a0c-5699-4476-8169-4d94dcd7e422} -000000000000028C,0x0053c008,0000027B47C09F10,0,0000027B47C0AF40,4096,[0]) hr = 0x80070079, The semaphore timeout period has expired. Operation: Processing EndPrepareSnapshots.

Causes

Go to [Device Manager] and enable [Show hidden devices] option in [View], open storage volume shadow copy and [Generic Volume Shadow Copy] is displayed.
When [Generic Volume Shadow Copy] device is not properly deleted or newly created, the above-mentioned VSS error occurs and backup task fails.
* Since this device is linked with snapshot, when a snapshot is taken, the device is created.

Workaround

Delete unnecessary [Generic Volume Shadow Copy] device entirely by using Microsoft DevNodeClean tool.

The tool is downloadable from the following site:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=42286

Select [Run as Administrator] and run DevNodeClean.exe.
When [Generic Volume Shadow Copy] device is deleted, backup task normally runs.

Target Products

– ActiveImage Protector 2018 Windows