Error : The specified component was not reported by the VSS writer (Error 517) in Windows Server 2012 Backup
In Windows Server, it is possible to perform Backup of your system and even Virtual Machine in production. Yes Windows Server Backup is a really good solution for backup the Hyper-V virtual machines. But “The specified component was not reported by the VSS writer” error can sometime appear and failed all scheduled backup.
Today most of the company are using visualization solution (Microsoft, Citrix, Vmware …) in their infrastructure. I’m personally using the Microsoft solution named Hyper-V, due to the fact that it is included in Windows Server. After many hours of hard-working in my lab, I wanted to backup all my virtual machines. But one day, the error 517 came.
ERROR DESCRIPTION
One day, without any reason, an error message appeared “The specified component was not reported by the VSS writer” for all my virtual machines.
WINDOWS SERVER BACKUP LOG
WINDOWS SERVER LOG
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Writer Id: {66841CD4-6DED-4F4B-8F17-FD23F8DDC3DE}
Component: 3B38B9C6-7232-4C65-85D0-E7447589A94F
Caption : Backup Using Child Partition Snapshot\VM Name
Logical Path:
Error : 80780176
Error Message : The specified component was not reported by the VSS writer.
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EVENT VIEWER LOG
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Event id : 517
Level : Error
Source : Backup
The backup operation that started at '2013-07-07T00:00:17.716937900Z' has failed with following error code '0x80780049' (None of the items included in backup were backed up.). Please review the event details for a solution, and then rerun the backup operation once the issue is resolved.
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RESOLUTION AND DOWNLOAD.
After some research, I found that the problem was connected with Microsoft Shadow copy Service. I decided to delete all shadow copy in my host and I was able to backup all my server again.
I used those commands line in a Powershell window:
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Order
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Command
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Description
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| 1 | DiskShadow | Connect to DiskShadow tool |  |
| 2 | Delete Shadows all | Delete all shadows copy |  |
| 3 | list shadows all | check that the list is empty |  |
| 4 | Exit | Disconnect to DiskShadow tool |
Once, the command has been executed, you should be able to relaunch your backup.
HOWEVER, THIS ERROR CAN STILL COMEBACK!
You have to delete again manually the Shadows copy or you can execute my script (DeleteShadows). The instruction are include in the rar file.