Error -311: Unable to initiate VSS (Volume Shadow Copy Service)

Summary

There's an issue with the Microsoft VSS Framework. Here's a list of potential causes and solutions for the problem.

Cause

During backup creation using VSS, you may encounter the following error:

[-311] Could not start VSS Level=ERROR [0]

Workaround

1. Adjust backup times

High I/O loads can lead to VSS timeouts. It's advisable to avoid running backup tasks on the hour as other maintenance tasks often begin in the background during these periods. Set the start times 10 to 15 minutes off the hour to mitigate such issues.

2. Check free space

Ensure there is a minimum of 5%, preferably 10%, free space on the volumes to be backed up.

3. Delete old unused shadow copies

1. Start the Windows command prompt as administrator.
2. Enter vssadmin delete shadows /all. Confirm with "j" to delete all shadow copies.
3. Enter set DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES=1.
4. Enter devmgmt.msc to open the device manager.
5. Select "View" -> "Show hidden devices in the Device Manager."
6. Scroll down to the "Memory Volume Shadow Copy" section.
7. In "Storage Volume Shadow Copy," you'll find "Standard Volume Shadow Copy" listed. These elements are displayed in a grayed-out manner. 
8. To remove the elements, right-click on the item and choose Uninstall. Alternatively, select an item and press the Del key, followed by the Enter key, to delete it.
9. Repeat these steps until all grayed out elements are removed.
10. Delete all grayed-out items in the "Storage volume" section as well.

4. Increase shadow copy memory

In this example, we're expanding the shadow copy space on the C: drive by 10 GB. 

Variant 1 via command prompt

1. Start the Windows command prompt as administrator.
2. Enter vssadmin Resize ShadowStorage /For=C: /On=C: /MaxSize=10GB.
3. To increase the size, enter vssadmin Resize shadowstorage /For=C: /On=C: /MaxSize=UNBOUNDED.
4. We suggest configuring the shadow copy storage between 10% to 15%. If you have substantial data volumes and aren't using Windows' built-in shadow copy feature, consider setting the shadow copy storage to unlimited. 

Variant 2 via Windows GUI

1. Open Windows File Explorer and right-click on the C: drive.
2. Choose "Configure shadow copies" (for desktop operating systems, navigate via -> System -> Computer protection). 
   
   1. For older server operating systems, right-click on the C: drive -> "Properties" -> choose "Shadow Copies" as a tab.
   2. Pick the drive and adjust the size as needed in "Settings". 

5. Repair VSS Framework

If the issue persists despite the above steps, you can re-register the VSS framework. Follow the instructions for both 32-bit and 64-bit systems. Ignore any error messages as they won't affect the outcome. 

1.  Copy the following lines into an empty Notepad file in Windows. Save it as a batch file with the extension *.bat:

cd /d %windir%\system32
Net stop vss
Net stop swprv
regsvr32 ole32.dll
regsvr32 vss_ps.dll
Vssvc /Register
regsvr32 /i swprv.dll
regsvr32 /i eventcls.dll
regsvr32 es.dll
regsvr32 stdprov.dll
regsvr32 vssui.dll
regsvr32 msxml.dll
regsvr32 msxml3.dll
regsvr32 msxml4.dll
regsvr32 Vssapi.dll
regsvr32 Vssui.dll
net start vss
net start swprv

For 64-bit operating systems, include the following lines in the batch file:

Net stop vss
Net stop swprv
regsvr32.exe /i %windir%\system32\eventcls.dll
regsvr32.exe /i %windir%\system32\swprv.dll
regsvr32.exe %windir%\system32\vssui.dll
regsvr32.exe %windir%\SysWOW64\vss_ps.dll
regsvr32.exe %windir%\SysWOW64\msxml.dll
regsvr32.exe %windir%\SysWOW64\msxml2.dll
regsvr32.exe %windir%\SysWOW64\msxml3.dll
regsvr32.exe %windir%\SysWOW64\msxml4.dll
regsvr32.exe %windir%\SysWOW64\ole32.dll
regsvr32.exe %windir%\SysWOW64\oleaut32.dll
regsvr32.exe %windir%\SysWOW64\es.dll
regsvr32.exe %windir%\SysWOW64\comsvcs.dll
vssvc /register
net start swprv
net start vss
net stop winmgmt
regsvr32 wmiutils.dll
net start winmgmt

2.  Execute the batch file as an administrator and then restart the system.

Target Product

– ActiveImage Protector 2018 Update or later