I just replaced my backup USB drive for my 2008R2 Server.  I cannot get the Server Backup program to perform a bare metal backup (or any backup for that matter).  I get the error message:  Backup failed to complete.  There is not enough disk space to create the volume shadow copy on the storage location.  Make sure that ....

My Server runs on the C: drive.  All files that need to be backed up including all Windows files are on the C: drive. The USB backup drive is E: drive.  It is a 3 Terabyte Seagate Backup Plus USB Drive.  I am a bit confused.  Is the shadow copy stored on the E: drive?  Do I have to create a partition on the E: drive for the shadow copy of the C: drive files to be stored?  The E drive is NTFS format same as the main C: drive.  I set the shadow copy size to 10000 Mg.  The drive I want the shadow copy of is the C: drive, correct?

Under disk management my C: drive has a 100Mg partition (System Reserved) and a 931Gig partition.  The E: drive shows a 2794Gig Partition.  All NTFS format.  My C drive is Raid (Mirror).  So can someone tell me what I am doing wrong or what I am missing?  My backup on the old drive was working fine but I thought it time to upgrade.  Also, since this E: drive is so huge can I partition it so that 1/2 works for bare metal backup and 1/2 works for my other backup needs?

Thanks for your help. We have a music store on the Commons Campus in the SubMixer. We are just across from Tech Link. But those guys don't work on servers ...

Hi,

As the error related to "not enough disk space", please test to run:

vssadmin resize shadowstorage /for=C: /on=E: /maxsize=unbounded

And see if issue still exists.

Thank you Shaon.

When I enter that in Command Prompt I get the error message:

Error Invalid Command

and then a list of Commands Supported

Under Computer Management/Shared Folders I right click and get Configure Shadow Copies.  I see 3 selections, the first a barrage of numbers and symbols with \\?\, the second is a C:\ and the third is E:\.  C is my main RAID drive with all the stuff I need to backup.  E is my new 3 Terabyte Seagate backup drive.  So take me through from this point if you don't mind because I think my mistake is from this menu.

Thanks!

Don

Hi Don,

Please do the following steps.

Right click on Drive C in Computer, choose Properties.

Go to Shadow Copies tab. Here you should see all volumes listed.

Highlight C:\, click Disable if it is currently Enabled --- This will delete all shadow copied so please stopped here if it is not acceptable.

Click Settings. Change the Located on this volume to E:\ so that shadow copies will be stored to Drive E.

Select Use limit and give a specific size. Your Drive C is 900GB, you could set as 100GB.

As shadow copied are moved to Drive E, you should get enough free space on Drive C now.

Thanks again, Shaon.  I tried what you suggested but E:\ doesn't come up as a selectable option.  It is OK to delete the previous shadow copies because in addition to my 3T hard disk backup I also have cloud backup.  So my most important data files are being backup to a cloud server.  However, because of cost I prefer to have my bare metal backup on my local 3Tera drive so that is what I am struggling with now.

Anyhow, I can see E:\ drive fine in explorer but it doesn't come up as a selectable option in the shadow copy menu.

I just can't figure out why .... it is NTFS format like my C:\ drive, so ???  Should I create some partition on the E:\drive to help R2Server see it to use for shadow copy of files from C:\ drive?  Is there maybe a limit to what R2Server can see?  Maybe 3Tera is too big?  I am confused ....

Thanks!

Don

I was able to run the previous vssadmin lines you mentioned above.  When trying the resize the error message was that there was no shadow association between those drives. 

vssadmin resize shadowstorage /for=C: /on=E: /maxsize=unbounded

Then I tried vssadmin add shadowstorage and the error was:

Shadow copying the specified volume is not supported.

vssadmin add shadowstorage  /for=C: /on=E:/ maxsize=unbounded

I also tried other maxsize settings, like 2000MB and 20% but the error message was the same.  Any ideas why this doesn't work?

I'm having the same issue.  Does anyone have any answers?

I've heard it's been done before and perhaps someone can lead me in the right direction.

As you know in Windows Server 2008 R2, you can go into "Windows File Explorer" you can right click on a hard drive and select "Configure Shadow Copies" or you can run 'vssuirun' from a command box to open up the Shadow Copies window

We have added an external 5TB drive to the server via a USB 3.0 PCIe card.  All works and is recognized by windows.  The external drive G: shows up in the "Shadow Copies Window".

We want to set our D2D storage Drive E: to run it's shadow copies on this external Drive G:

When I highlight Drive E: and click on the "Settings" button I can only choose from the pull down either Drive E or C.  Drive G is not available.

Yet when I highlight Drive G: and click on the "Settings" button I CAN select Drive G:, C: or E:!

When I try another way using a command box and type in the command
    'vssadmin list shadowstorage'  I see the external Drive G listed

When I issue the command  'vssadmin add shadowstorage /for=E: /on=G: /maxsize=95%'
            I get the error Shadow copying the specified volume is not supported.
Yet when I issue the same command only putting /for=G: then it's successful

Is there a registry hack or something I need to do to tell Server 2008 to allow this external drive as a viable storage volume for shadow copies?

Thanks in advance.

• Proposed as answer by Kerry.Lord 15 hours 0 minutes ago
• Unproposed as answer by Kerry.Lord 14 hours 58 minutes ago
• Proposed as answer by Kerry.Lord 14 hours 57 minutes ago
• Unproposed as answer by Kerry.Lord 14 hours 56 minutes ago

Thanks for posting your question about shadow copies.  I never was able to resolve my problem either.  I have to manually force a backup when I need it .... hopefully some Microsoft engineer will take an interest in this and figure it out .... doesn't seem like rocket science to fix this issue ...

I just got a high level tech over at Symantec who told me the reason it won't work - Dan Bagey at Symantec

Open a DOS Command Window and type in     fsutil fsinfo ntfsinfo G:

G: is the external drive

        You'll see Bytes Per Sector:
            If its 4096 then Windows 2008 Server can see the drive but it can't do Shadow Copy on it.
            Even though Drive G could be set up for shadow copy of itself it would fail on running it.
                Server 2008 needs 512 bytes per sector not 4096.

Windows Server 2012 can do what we want.

Hope this helps.

• Proposed as answer by Kerry.Lord 14 hours 52 minutes ago

SOLUTION/WORKAROUND: Windows 8 / 2012 are needed to fully support 4K sector sized drives for operations like backups.  This is discussed in Microsoft KB article: 2510009

From that article, it shows 4K sector sized drives are supported only on Windows 8/2012 and newer.  It shows those OS versions fully support 4K sector drives including for "Windows backup" (this includes the Volume Shadow Copy Service)

What?  What does Windows 8 have to do with anything?  We are talking about a Windows Server Problem.  So what are you telling me, I need to upgrade my server from 2008 to 2012?  Jeez, speak English pleazzzz ...

So what do I do?  Try the fix?  Or upgrade?  Crazy ........