Avamar: Windows file system backup Completed with Exceptions avtar error code 5139

Summary: Windows file system backup Completed with Exceptions avtar error code 5139; Backup Windows VSS failed with avvss error code 6120 or 12077. System Writer and WMI VSS Writers must be in a stable state. ...

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Symptoms

  • Cannot perform full Windows VSS backup successfully
  • Receiving error messages in Completed with Exceptions backup logs:
avtar error code 5139; Backup Windows VSS failed with avss error code 6120/12077 VSS exception code 0x8004231f thrown freezing volumes - 'code 0x8004231f: No error description str

Cause

  • In administrator cmd, run the vssadmin list writers command. The output shows anything other than State: Stable for the specified writers:

Writer name: 'System Writer'
Writer Id: {e8132975-6f93-4464-a53e-1050253ae220}
Writer Instance Id: {86b83816-b7d7-4a16-9413-f566669bc675}
State: [5] Waiting for completion
Last error: No error
  
Writer name: 'WMI Writer'
Writer Id: {a6ad56c2-b509-4e6c-bb19-49d8f43532f0}
Writer Instance Id: {0eb1b90a-4a45-4b66-85b5-a66b3ec2d9b1}
State: [5] Waiting for completion
Last error: No error

Resolution

  • Go to services.msc, restart the Volume Shadow Copy service, and restart the Windows Management Instrumentation.
  • In services.msc, restart the Cryptographic Service service.
  • If the above suggestions do not work, the last resort is to restart the client.

Affected Products

Avamar

Products

Avamar
Article Properties
Article Number: 000121542
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 16 Jun 2026
Version:  4
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