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Free tool for diagnosing and repairing volume shadow copy service issues
What is VSS?
Volume Shadow Copy Service (aka VSS, Shadow Copy, or Volume Snapshot Service) is a built-in Windows technology that allows snapshots of PC files or volumes to be taken, even when they are in use. Most backup software programs rely on VSS to perform backup and recovery operations.
There are many reasons VSS might not work properly, causing your backup software to fail. But diagnosing the problem can be tricky given the number of system components involved.
There are many reasons VSS might not work properly, causing your backup software to fail. But diagnosing the problem can be tricky given the number of system components involved.
Benefits
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Diagnoses
Diagnoses all VSS components with one click
Generates a report
Generates a report with the results of the tests performed
Automatically collects data
Automatically collects data from scattered sources into a single report
Fixes issues with one-click
Fixes issues with one-click when a pre-defined solution is available
Easily spots the weak places
Easily spots the weak places in the VSS infrastructure
Features
Diagnose and repair
- Configuration and status of VSS-related services: Volume Shadow Copy, Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider, COM+ Event System
- VSS COM-interface registration (not supported for Windows XP)
- Configuration of VSS providers
- Access rights for VSS (not supported for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003)
- Configuration of VSS shadow storages (not supported for Windows XP)
- Access rights for NTFS volumes
Diagnose only
- Free space available on disks. Provides drive letter assignment for “hidden” volumes
- Current I/O load of disks
- List of VSS-related errors/warnings from Windows Event Log
- List of faulted VSS writers
Report generation
- Diagnostics results can be saved as a plain-text report for sharing or future analysis
How to use VSS Doctor Tool
- Download the Free VSS repair tool
For Windows XP/Vista/7, Windows Server 2003/2008
For Windows 8 and later, Windows Server 2012 and later - Launch the tool (local administrator rights are required).
- Click Start diagnostic and wait until it finishes.
- Check out sections marked as (!)
- Click Save log if you want to save diagnostic results as a plain-text report.
- If a Fix issues button is available, click on it to see the exact solutions proposed by the tool and proceed if you agree.
- After fixing the found issues, click Start diagnostic again to check if all the issues were corrected.
- Click Back up now to retry the backup operation that failed.
Looking for help?