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How To Resolve VSS Writer Errors Without Rebooting (VShadow)


Background

This article describes how to resolve VSS Writer errors without rebooting Windows. Here are the scenarios in which you'd want to use these instructions:

Scenario 1: Failed VSS Writers.

There are instances when backups are failing due to an agent's VSS writers being in a failed state, but it is impossible or not desirable to restart the server until at least after business hours.

Scenario 2: VSS Writers Not Started

There may also be a writer that is not running and needs to be. Running the command  - "vssadmin list writers" will only show a list of writers that are currently started

Scenario 3: Using VShadow for Windows Server 2003 or XP

VSS is available in the Volume Shadow Copy Service 7.2 SDK, which you can download from the Windows Download Center.

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting Scenario

1: Failed VSS writers

Find the failed VSS writers and their associated services, and restart them:

1) Run Command Prompt as Administrator (Start > Command Prompt > right click on Command Prompt and Run as Administrator)

2) Find each of the VSS writers in a failed state by issuing this command - "vssadmin list writers"
                                                              Figure 1
 3) If the vssadmin list writers command hangs and does not return any output, this is an indication that  the Volume Shadow Copy service itself, or one of its dependent tasks, might be in a bad state, causing the VSS writer audit to fail. Restarting this service will typically clear this state. If the service will not restart, a reboot of the production machine is likely required.

4) Make a list of all the failed VSS writers or take a screenshot.

5) Find the VSS writer's associated Service Display Name in the table below and restart the service (helpful table below).

Figure 2

6) Open services.msc (Start > Run > services.msc), and stop any VSS related service that are running.
7) Run the command vssadmin list writers again in elevated command prompt to confirm the status has changed to Stable with No Error.
Figure 3

8) Try another backup
9) If the VSS writers fail again, you must reboot the machine.

VSS Writers and Corresponding Service Table

VSS WriterService NameService Display Name
ADAM $instanceName WriterADAM_$instanceName$instanceName
ASR WriterVSSVolume Shadow Copy
BITS WriterBITSBackground Intelligent Transfer Service
Certificate AuthorityCertSvcActive Directory Certificate Services
COM+ REGDB WriterVSSVolume Shadow Copy
DFS Replication service writerDFSRDFS Replication
DHCP Jet WriterDHCPServerDHCP Server
FRS WriterNtFrsFile Replication
FSRM writersrmsvcFile Server Resource Manager
IIS Config WriterAppHostSvcApplication Host Helper Service
IIS Metabase WriterIISADMINIIS Admin Service
Microsoft Exchange Replica WriterMSExchangeReplMicrosoft Exchange Replication Service
Microsoft Exchange WriterMSExchangeISMicrosoft Exchange Information Store
Microsoft Hyper-V VSS WritervmmsHyper-V Virtual Machine Management
MSMQ Writer (MSMQ)MSMQMessage Queuing
MSSearch Service WriterWSearchWindows Search
NPS VSS WriterEventSystemCOM+ Event System
NTDSNTDSActive Directory Domain Services
OSearch VSS WriterOSearchOffice SharePoint Server Search
OSearch14 VSS WriterOSearch14SharePoint Server Search 14
OSearch15 VSS WriterOSearch15SharePoint Server Search 15
Registry WriterVSSVolume Shadow Copy
Shadow Copy Optimization WriterVSSVolume Shadow Copy
SharePoint Services WriterSPWriterWindows SharePoint Services VSS Writer
SMS WriterSMS_SITE_VSS_WRITERSMS_SITE_VSS_WRITER
SPSearch VSS WriterSPSearchWindows SharePoint Services Search
SPSearch4 VSS WriterSPSearch4SharePoint Foundation Search V4
SqlServerWriterSQLWriterSQL Server VSS Writer
System WriterCryptSvcCryptographic Services
TermServLicensingTermServLicensingRemote Desktop Licensing
WDS VSS WriterWDSServerWindows Deployment Services Server
WIDWriterWIDWriterWindows Internal Database VSS Writer
WINS Jet WriterWINSWindows Internet Name Service (WINS)
WMI WriterWinmgmtWindows Management Instrumentation

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