NetWorker: Backup Failing with "VSS failed to process snapshot: Insufficient storage available"
Summary: NetWorker Backup of a Microsoft Windows client is failing with Volume Shadow copy Service (VSS) errors. The VSS error reported is "Insufficient storage available to create either the shadow copy storage file or other shadow copy data." ...
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Symptoms
Microsoft Windows backups fail with the following error:
VSS OTHER: ERROR: VSS failed to process snapshot: Insufficient storage available to create either the shadow copy storage file or other shadow copy data. (VSS error 0x8004231f)
90108:save: Unable to save the SYSTEM STATE save sets: cannot create the snapshot.
Cause
This is not a NetWorker error. Microsoft recommends ~20% of the total disk size to be available for VSS to work.
Resolution
Ensure that adequate disk space is available on the client.
This issue can be replicated without NetWorker by running the following commands on the client:
vssadmin list writers
Your VSS writers should all be listed with "No Error" and "Stable"
If the above completes successfully, run the following command:
vssadmin create shadow /For=Driver_Letter
If a snapshot is successfully created, you see:
C:\Windows\system32>vssadmin create shadow /For=C:
vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool
(C) Copyright 2001-2012 Microsoft Corp.
Successfully created shadow copy for 'C:\'
Shadow Copy ID: {22fe2729-9155-443e-8aec-098d8810c01a}
Shadow Copy Volume Name: \\?\GLOBALROOT\Device\HarddiskVolumeShadowCopy19
If the clients VSS writers are reporting errors or you are not able to create a snapshot using the Windows command, contact Microsoft Support for assistance.
Additional Information
VSS Space Requirements: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc161409.aspx
VSS Information: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa384625(v=vs.85).aspx
NetWorker: Troubleshooting Backup Failures Due to VSS Issues
Affected Products
NetWorkerProducts
NetWorker FamilyArticle Properties
Article Number: 000031427
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 20 Jun 2025
Version: 4
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