Windows 10: there is not enough disk space to create the volume shadow copy on the storage location

Hi, I am having problems creating a system image on my Windows 10 PRO computer. I searched everywhere to find my answer but what I get is suggestions to install softwares to manage disk partions or other kinds of fixes. But I have been using Windows System backup since may years now and I don't want another program to create my images.


I am getting the error "there is not enough disk space to create the volume shadow copy on the storage location..."

Impossible, it's a fresh install on a new computer and plenty of space. I did my last image on this PC last week. I also have two other new computers, total of 3. One running HOME and two running PRO.


This week, I got windows update to download version 1903 on one of my PRO computers but I don't remember pressing the link to do so.

Since I never wanted this update (for a while), after the 1903 update, I reloaded the image I had with version 1809. My restore went ok.


Then I decided to disable Windows Update and create another image so when I restore an image, I don't get windows update to start automaticly.

But it didn't work.


Must be related to version 1903. I found that Microsoft did some changes to the System Image creation module.


I don't want another image creator software of backup system. Please help me fix this problem, because up to now, everything was perfect for me.


I could always reinstall Windows and reformat my hard drive but it is not a solution for a problem that appeared after installing 1903 update.


Thanks you very much.

:)

 

Shadow Copy With Storage Spaces?

1 Create shadow storage

1.1 The System protection tab in System Properties

• this GUI only lists NTFS volumes, so you can't create shadow storage for ReFS volume there
  
• instead try one of:
  
  • vssadmin add shadowstorage /for=D: /on=D: /maxsize=100GB (Windows Server only)
    
    • alternatively for non-server Windows editions try vssadmin resize shadowstorage /for=D: /on=D: /maxsize=10% that will add shadow storage if it does not exist and thus is comparable to vssadmin add
      
  • wmic shadowstorage call create Volume=D:\ DiffVolume=D:\ MaxSpace=20
    
    • if this command returns ReturnValue = 10 (which is Unknown error) workaround follows
      
  • wmic shadowcopy call create Volume=D:\
    
    • creating shadow copy on disk without shadow storage will create one automatically
      
    • you can resize the shadow storage with vssadmin resize shadowstorage /for=D: /on=D: /maxsize=10%
      

1.2 List shadow storages

• make sure the shadow storage is there and configured using one of:
  
  • vssadmin list shadowstorage
    
  • wmic shadowstorage list
    

2 Create shadow copy

2.1 Create shadow copy

• you want to use scheduled system protection feature, but for now just take a snapshot manually:
  
  • wmic shadowcopy call create Volume=D:\
    

2.2 List shadow copies

• verify the snapshot was created:
  
  • vssadmin list shadows /for=D:
    

3 Mount shadow copy

• since you are using Storage Spaces, you won't see snapshots in Previous versions tab in disk/file properties
  
• but the snapshots exists and can be mounted as a folder
  
• this shortage apply for both NTFS and ReFS Storage Spaces
  
• to mount a snapshot you will need shadow ID, shadow path and temporary folder
  

3.1 Get shadow copy ID

• vssadmin list shadows /for=D:
  
  • look for something like this Shadow Copy ID: {5cc29315-0379-415e-8496-69923618e3de}
    

3.2 Get shadow copy path

• wmic shadowcopy where "ID='{5cc29315-0379-415e-8496-69923618e3de}'" get DeviceObject
  
• or vssadmin list shadows /for=D:
  
  • look for Shadow Copy Volume: \\?\GLOBALROOT\Device\HarddiskVolumeShadowCopy624
    

3.3 Mount shadow copy as folder

• mklink /j %tmp%\shadow \\?\GLOBALROOT\Device\HarddiskVolumeShadowCopy624\
  
  • note the extra \ at the end
    
  • the shadow copy is now available in %tmp%\shadow
    

 

What is resizing maximum shadow copy storage space?

On my laptop, drive C: is a small solid state drive with only about 50G of free space. I noticed that a little bit of this free space is disappearing every day until only a few gigs of free space was remaining. Turned out, shadow storage was eating up all
the free space. The size of used shadow copy storage space was about 45GB. The maximum shadow copy storage space was set to unbounded.

I resized the maximum shadow copy storage space and set the size to 20GB using 'vssadmin resize shadowstorage' command. A few days later, I noticed the maximum shadow copy storage space was set back to unbounded. I tried setting maximum size through the
GUI (system protection settings) but that did not last either.

Is there any way to find out what application resizes the maximum storage space? Any ideas why something would want storage space to be unbounded?

Thanks,

Igor

 

Not enough space to create the volume shadow copy

Original Title: Hi

Hello, I saw the notification on the taskbar about getting windows 10 and i already reserved. but my question is that of backing up my files. i was using file history and creating a system image also. i used an external hard drive about 426 GB free and yet
when i start backup it fails and says there is not enough space to create the volume shadow copy. How can i fix this?

Thank you all.