How to Fix Failed to Create Volume Snapshot Issue

We can’t stress enough how important it is to create regular backups. These backups can prove to be a life savior in case of an emergency. For the same, users often rely on a disk cloning tool. However, quite recently, many users have experienced “VSS Error 0x8004231f – Failed to Create Volume Snapshot” when using a disk cloning tool or any other tool to backup files. 

Let’s put things into perspective – A user recently reported that though he was able to create full and differential backups using a disk cloning tool, after having reinstalled the tool, he could not perform the backup function.  What he exactly met with was – 

Also Read: How To Clone Hard Drive To SSD

Ways To Fix Failed To Create Volume Snapshot Issue

The same issue can occur with different codes and here we are going to enlist some of the best ways to address this issue. These are the fixes that have worked for many users facing similar issues – 

1. Start Volume Shadow Copy Service

VSS error code –  0x8004231f may surface if the Volume Shadow Copy Service has been disabled due to some reason. Here are the steps in which you can enable it and resolve the issue – 

1. Open the Run dialog box by pressing Windows + R key combination.

2. When the Run dialog box opens, type services.msc and press Enter. 

3. Locate and double-click on Volume Shadow Copy. 

4. Check the Service Satus. In case, if it says Stop, click on the Start button as shown in the screenshot mentioned below. 

5. Click on Apply and then press OK. 

2. Fix Common Issues

There are times when certain issues in your Windows system may interfere with other applications, like in our case, the disk cloning or backup software. Manually tackling such issues might prove to be daunting and next to an impossible task. That’s where a specialist tool like Advanced System Optimizer can help you identify all such issues and even better, fix them with just a single click. 

What is Advanced System Optimizer? 

Advanced System Optimizer is one of the best optimization and cleaning tools out there. From cleaning, fixing your Windows registry, and disk issues to even helping you put common issues in place, Advanced System Optimizer wears a lot many caps. It even has powerful modules to safeguard your security and privacy as well. To know more about this wonderful tool – its features and pricing, check this post out.

How To Fix Common Issues With Advanced System Optimizer? 

1. Download, run and install Advanced System Optimizer.

2. From the left-hand side select Smart PC Care. 

3. From the right-hand side, click on the Start Scan button. 

In a few moments, your Windows PC should be free of all issues, and chances are you might again be able to backup using your backup software

3. Increase Shadow Storage Space

Another reason why the error “0x8004231f – failed to create volume snapshot” might have surfaced could be because of insufficient shadow storage where new copies can be created. To fix this – 

1. In the WIndows search bar, type cmd. 

2. From the right-hand side, select Run as administrator.

3. When the Command Prompt opens type the command mentioned below- 

vssadmin list shadowstorage

4. Next, type in how much space you want to increase. Let’s assume, you want to increase the storage space by 5 GB. Here is the command for the same –

vssadmin resize shadowstorage /For=C: /On=C: /MaxSize=5GB

You can now repeat the actions because of which the error “0x8004231f – failed to create volume snapshot” may have surfaced.

4. Use Another Disk Cloning or Backup Software

If you are facing issues with one disk cloning utility and if the need arises to create differential or regular backups, you can try out another backup tool. AOMEI Backupper, for instance, is one of the best backup tools for Windows PC and is already trusted by over 50 million users across the globe. Here is how you can create a full, incremental, or differential backup. 

Let’s assume you want to create a differential backup with the help of AOMEI Backupper Professional. Here are the steps –

1. Download, run and install AOMEI Backupper Proffessional.

2. From the left-hand pane, click on Backup, and then, from the options on the right-hand side, select File Backup. 

3. Add a file or folder. 

4. You can backup files or folders to internal and external hard drives, network drives, USB drives, etc. 

5. Now from the bottom click on Schedule. 

6. Click on Backup Scheme from the left-hand side. From the Backup Method dropdown on the right-hand side, select Differential Backup. 

7. Click on the orange-colored OK button at the bottom-right corner of the screen. 

8. Select Start Backup. 

5. Remove Old VSS Snapshots

When backing up data, Windows creates restore points. Here what happens is, that these restore points create images of your system’s configuration so that when needed you can restore your system to a previous point in time. Something that can be regarded as a flipside here is that these images consume disk space and can, therefore, interfere in the operation of increasing shadow storage space. In that case, you can try removing old VSS snapshots with the help of the command prompt.

1. In the Windows search bar, type cmd. 

2. From the right-hand side, select Run as administrator. 

3. When the Command Prompt opens, type vssadmin list shadows

4. For deleting a snapshot ID type vssadmin delete shadows/ shadow= D

Here replace the ID with the actual Snapshot ID

The Final Word On How to Fix Failed to Create Volume Snapshot Issue

In order to make sure that the file system information is accurately captured and the information to be shadow copied is stored in a consistent order, the Volume Shadow Copy Service empties the file system caches before freezing the file system.

Hope you have been able to resolve the issue and are now again able to create shadow copy, backup, or disk clone. If the above steps have proved to be useful, do give it a thumbs up and for more such content, keep reading WeTheGeek. Follow us on social media – Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Frequently Asked Questions –

Q1. What does error code 0x8004231f mean?

The error codes indicate insufficient storage space when trying to create a backup or a shadow copy. Users reported this error when they tried to use a disk cloning tool to create a backup. 

Q2. How to fix Volume Shadow Copy service error code 0x8004231f?

There are many ways you can try to resolve the issue. You can check if the volume shadow copy service is enabled or not, you can increase shadow storage space using the command prompt or you can use an alternative disk cloning utility like AOMEI Backupper.