AOFO: Initialization failure Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS)

[aneta]

Getting below error on weekly basis (daily backups are fine). I checked the writers - they're all fine. Any ideas?

V-79-57344-34110 - AOFO: Initialization failure on: "\\x.x.x.x\Shadow?Copy?Components". Advanced Open File Option used: Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS).
VSS Snapshot error. The Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) snapshot provider selected returned: "Unexpected provider error". Ensure that all provider services are enabled and can be started. Check the Windows Event Viewer for details.
The following volumes are dependent on resource: "C:" .
V-79-57344-34110 - AOFO: Initialization failure on: "\\x.x.x.x\System?State". Advanced Open File Option used: Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS).
VSS Snapshot error. The Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) snapshot provider selected returned: "Unexpected provider error". Ensure that all provider services are enabled and can be started. Check the Windows Event Viewer for details.
The following volumes are dependent on resource: "C:"

[Gcm11]

Hi Aneta,

Do you have any updates? I recently has this issue all of a sudden.

[bulldog]

I have also experienced this problem, but a reboot of the server where the vss error was originating from solved the issue. Also Backup Exec System Recovery has made some trouble with the vss service for us, but I think the error message was different.

[ChrisJ]

What's the difference between your weekly and daily backups? How are they configured?  i.e. are you backing things up in the weekly backup which are excluded from the daily?

Also as well as checking the writers check the services "Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider" and "Volume Shadow Copy". Both should be set to manual and during normal circumstances should be stopped.  You should also be able start and then stop these services without any problems.

[Ruchi]

You can check the writer status by going to command prompt

and running

vssadmin list writers