A laptop I manage came back to the LAN at work for the first time in weeks today. It shows his error in the log:
VSS_E_PROVIDER_VETO
This occurred during an incremental file backup. What is this, and how do I remedy this?
answer from AI:
The VSS_E_PROVIDER_VETO error is an error related to Windows’ Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) mechanism. To put it simply: The system attempted to create a “shadow copy” (a snapshot at the time of backup), but one of the components involved in the backup process (the Provider) vetoed this by saying, “No, you can’t!”
This error typically occurs during backup processes using backup software (Veeam, Windows Server Backup, Acronis) or vSphere (VMware Snapshot).
The four most common causes of this error are:
1. Third-Party Software Conflict
If there are multiple backup agents or storage management tools on the server (for example, if both the Veeam agent and the server’s own backup service are running simultaneously), VSS providers may lock each other out.
2. Insufficient Disk Space
A certain amount of free space (Shadow Copy Storage) must be available on the disk for a VSS copy to be created. If the disk is too full or the allocated limit for VSS has been reached, the provider will block the operation.
3. VSS Writer Errors
The writers on the system may not be functioning properly. To check this, enter the following command in PowerShell or CMD:
vssadmin list writers
If the output shows any writer with a status other than “Stable” or marked as “Failed,” the issue lies with that service (SQL or Exchange writers typically cause errors).
4. VMware Snapshot Issues (If related to the vCenter connection shown in the image)
If you encounter this error while taking a backup of a virtual machine:
VMware Tools within the VM may not be up to date.
Another backup process (Volume Snapshot) may be running simultaneously inside the virtual machine.
There is a very high disk write load during the “Quiesced snapshot” process (taking a snapshot by freezing the file system).
What Can You Do? (First Steps)
Restart Services: Try restarting the Volume Shadow Copy and Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider services.
Check Writers: Use the `vssadmin list writers` command to see if there are any faulty writers. If so, restarting the relevant service (e.g., the SQL service) or the server usually resolves the issue.
List VSS Providers: Run the `vssadmin list providers` command. If the list includes any unusual or outdated software providers besides the system’s own provider (Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider 1.0), the issue might be coming from there.
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The files were open at the time and therefore could not be copied.
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I’m glad it worked. Thank you for the information.
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