Windows 10: Cannot backup to Macrium Reflect Free

A couple of days ago Macrium was working just fine but then when it started it's daily backup of my system drive (incremental) it failed pretty well straight away, with this message: Starting Image - Friday, January 20, 2017 15:05:10
Initializing
Destination Drive: Free Space 741.95 GB
Free space threshold: Delete oldest backup sets when free space is less than 5.00 GB

Creating Volume Snapshot - Please Wait
Failed: Code: 0x8004230f - Retrying without VSS Writers
ERROR: COM call "m_pVssObject->AddToSnapshotSet((LPWSTR)volume.c_str(), GUID_NULL, &SnapshotID)" failed.
- Returned HRESULT = 0x8004230f
- Error text: VSS_E_UNEXPECTED_PROVIDER_ERROR
ERROR: COM call "m_pVssObject->BackupComplete(&pAsync)" failed.
- Returned HRESULT = 0x80042301
- Error text: VSS_E_BAD_STATE
ERROR: COM call "m_pVssObject->AddToSnapshotSet((LPWSTR)volume.c_str(), GUID_NULL, &SnapshotID)" failed.
- Returned HRESULT = 0x8004230f
- Error text: VSS_E_UNEXPECTED_PROVIDER_ERROR
Gathering Windows Events - Please Wait

I have tried imaging a partition on the main laptop drive (in above example), an image to two separate USB drives and wherever I try to save the image the same error comes up. I have read that 'Volume Shadow Copy',' Microsoft Software Shadow Provider and Com+ Event System should all be running and set to automatic, and indeed they all are. I thought I would try a System Restore but that failed straight away as follows: 'There was an unexpected error in the Property page. System Restore encountered an error. Please try to run System Restore again. (0x81000203). Please close Property page and try again.'

In Property page no drives were shown and it was just searching and finding nothing.

I am way out of my comfort zone here, but it seems as though the VSS stuff isn't working as I got the same messages when running Veeam Endpoint Backup. But, when I run Aomei Backupper I can image just fine, and that is while using the Winsdows VSS option as opposed to the built- in Aomei option.

On the subject of Aomei, I find I cannot create a startup disk to get into the menu, it just fails each time. I have produced about six Cd's all of which fail to boot the system. I used a legacy build as well rather than using Aomei built in burner.The last thing I did was to download Aomei PE Builder and while that will boot the system (sort of) I get a message telling me that wfplwfs.sys is either missing or corrupt. I did locate it so it is there.

So, bottom line is that I have lost the means of backing up my system and the ability to access any images I already have!

So I really don't know where to go from here other than to try some more imaging software!

Any help will be greatly appreciated as my 81 year old brain has run out of ideas.*cry

Oh yes, I did a chkdsk c: /f and that went OK, and I did an sfc /scannow now which found nothing. Windows 10 AU (1607 OS build 14393.693)

:)

 

Disk Imaging

Hi, this is Rob again.

Try Macrium Reflect - Free for home use.

How to Create a Full-Disk Backup of Your PC with Macrium Reflect

https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/7363/macrium-re...

Macrium Reflect - Free

Macrium Software | Macrium Reflect Free

Hope that helps and feel free to choose a rating and have a great day!

 

Creating a full system image fails with error 0x807800c5

Hi Epj0211, I am Rob a volunteer and a 10 time and dual award MVP specializing in Windows troubleshooting and Bluescreen analysis.

Windows Backup has all sorts of issues.

Use Macrium Reflect - Free

https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/7363/macrium-re...

Macrium Reflect - Free

Macrium Software | Macrium Reflect Free

Please let us know the results and if you need further assistance.

 

Hi a quick search for
macrium 0x8004230f

offered:
VSS Error: 0x8004230F - KnowledgeBase - Macrium Reflect Knowledgebase

Unfortunately rather technical, but possible fix.

Boot disk: hopefully you have a Macrium boot disk. Can you boot from that- or a Windows installation disk?

It's likely someone else will come along who's seen this problem.

And if you have purchased the product you can use Macrium's forum - which I gather is not open to free users.

There is an ENORMOUSLY long and detailed thread here (SOLVED)
Macrium Reflect Backup Failures
- I think the conclusion in that thread was to fix VSS, do an in-place upgrade repair install.

 

Hi, thanks for quick reply, that link is one of many I followed without success. I also tried the VSS fix which made no difference.
Yes, I do have a Macrium disk which does work, I can access images and I did do a system image so I'm not completely up the creek, although it feels like it! I usually have all these backup taking place on schedules so more extra work until I can get this fixed.

It is a free Macrium which is why I'm posting here.

 

I was interested in this link :
VSS fails due to modification by 3rd party software - KnowledgeBase - Macrium Reflect Knowledgebase

as I used to have Acronis True Image on the system but I removed it a long time ago, I have a feeling I still have a small recovery partition on my C drive that may be Acronis, but if it is I don't know how to get rid of it. If it is that causing problems how come it has only just started playing up? The article talks about registry stuff. I have checked and there are no providers listed but there is an entry

(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\VSS\Providers\{b5946137-7b9f-4925-af80-51abd60b20d5} which I assume is a 'title' as there is no data given only 'Default, Type, Version and Versionid. So I don't know if that is relevant and they are empty as well.

Scrolling down the article it says I should have (see article) and it tells me I need to enter some data. I would like to get confirmation that this is what I need to do. As I have nothing showing under providers it seems to me because part of the error message says unexpected provider error I need to have the Macrium data added there?
What say you?

 

It does indeed seem your VSS is damaged, and the article gives the means to reinstate the key.

 

Well, that went well! First off I exported the registry, copied the keys from the text into Notepad, saved it as VSSWriters.reg then entered it into the registry, it said it had.

But there is still no data in the Provider key. I tried this 4 or 5 times but it just doesn't show. I wonder if the text refers to an earlier Windows?

Oh well, back to the drawing board.

 

Did you follow the preceding step in the doct?
Solution

To fix this problem take the following steps:

• Uninstall ShadowProtect
• Remove the registry key:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\VSS\Providers\{24602736-bed9-4619-91b0-243447c6409c}.
• Restart Windows.

Have you then merged the reg file, then restarted?

 

I had a different take on that. I don't know what Shadow Protect is, I assume it is a program but I don't have that, and the key is not what I have in my registry.

Then - if you don't have the registry key above then check you only have the following entry for VSS software providers in your registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\VSS\Providers

I don't have anything under that key so I went for the patch as the key value in the patch is the same as in my registry {b5946137-7b9f-4925-af80-51abd60b20d5} How do I merge the reg file? I just clicked it and I got a warning which I Okayed and it then said it had been entered into the registry. No sign of it though!

 

You have to follow the instructions. a precedes b so b works. b is merging the reg file.

 

But I can't remove Shadow Protect (what is it anyway) and I'm not sure about removing the the key (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\VSS\Providers\{24602736-bed9-4619-91b0-243447c6409c}) as I don't have that value in my registry! I reckon that is the key for Shadow Protect. It looks like I have the right key but with no values in it which the patch is supposed to fix.

Sorry if I'm sounding a bit dim! And are there permissions involved here preventing the merge from working?

 

I have discovered that instead of this, which I should have it seems with the values clearly shown:




I only get the values without the type and data visible. However, if I double-click on each one the patch data is actually shown:

Default: Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider 1.0 (highlighted in blue, as they all are, in boxes headed 'Edit String')
Type: 1
Version: 1.0.0.7
Versionid: {00000001-0000-0000-0007-000000000001}

So I'm wondering why are they 'hidden'? How do I get them to show as per the example? Apologies for not getting Paint to show what I mean clearly! And thanks for the support here, it's good to have somebody 'watching' over me!

Perhaps the problem is that being hidden they aren't doing anything?

I have tried VSSFix several times! And Macrium has it's own version which doesn't fix it either.

 

Ok, one more idea:
Download install and run Tweaking.com's free cautious repair tool. (Easy to find)
Observing the cautious stages, select only the VSS service repair.
Restart, then see if anything's changed.

You can also search this forum for e.g.
repair VSS
and see if anything else that looks helpful.

Otherwise I think the way forward is to do an in-place upgrade repair install.

That seems to be the conclusion of the very long thread here I posted above - you're welcome to work through that and see if anything else occurs. With some problems you can spend a very long time trying to find an appropriate specific fix, and if an in-place upgrade repair install fixes it that can end up saving time.

Here's my write-up on it:
Precede it with this in case sthg has happened to your file system:

From an admin command prompt
[Windows key + X, click command prompt (admin)]
chkdsk C: /F
Your PC will need to restart.
Make sure the result is clear or fixed- else do not proceed.
Post back the result, which you can get after a restart as follows:
How do I see the results of a CHKDSK that ran on boot? - Ask Leo!

An In-place upgrade repair install will fix many things, but not those where the settings are not changed by the procedure.

For this you need an installation medium with the same base build as you have installed, and x64 if you have a 64 bits OS, else x86 (32 bits).

Recommendation:
Before you perform the following major repair procedure, do create a disk image (see below).

Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade - Windows 10 Tutorials
- this includes a link from which you can obtain a Windows 10 iso file (" download a Windows 10 ISO"), or create a Win 10 bootable medium.

I would recommend creating the bootable medium, as this can be used
- for any future in-place upgrade repair install
- to boot from and use its recovery options should Windows become unbootable.
- to clean install Windows

This will refresh Windows, after the manner of a Windows installation.
- all/most associations will be unchanged
- all your programs will be left installed
- no personal data should be affected
- you will lose any custom fonts
- you will lose any customised system icons
- you may need to re-establish your Wi-Fi connection
- you will need to redo Windows updates subsequent to the build you have used for the repair install
- Windows.old will be created
- system restore will be turned off- you should turn it on again and I recommend you manually schedule a daily restore point.
- you will need to redo any language downloads including the display language if you changed that)
- inactive title bar colouring (if used) will be reset to default
- if Qttabbar is installed, you need to re-enable it in explorer (Options, check Qttabbar)
This is one of the better features of Win10: as each major build comes out, that's your updated reference build, and as updates are mostly cumulative, there will be few to do.


Please consider using disk imaging regularly. It's a brilliant way to
- preserve your system (and your sanity)
- back up your data
- restore your system to a previously working state in a relatively short time

Recommended: Macrium Reflect (free/commercial) + boot disk/device + large enough external storage medium.

 

I remember that thread! *Wink

I think you are correct on the conclusion.

One thing I would add is that I seem to remember on the thread the OP used their Macrium Recovery drive/disk to boot the computer and create a new backup image offline, which seemed to work.

If this offline backup creation works here (and I guess there's no guarantee) I'd suggest doing this before the Repair Install, as it gives a way back if that Repair install fails (however unlikely).