Forum Discussion
Windows 10 Pro v1709 Bug in Backup and Restore
I cannot restore any Windows 10 Pro v1709 system image which was created using Backup and Restore. A VSS error is produced:
"The system image restore failed.
Error details: A Volume Shadow Copy Service component encountered an unexpected error. Check the Application event log for more information.
(0x80042302)”
This is a fresh v1709 installation on a wiped drive. A repair disk was created using Backup and Restore. The image resides on a USB drive which contains (7) Windows 10 images – 3 were created in v1703 and 4 in v1709. Any image created in v1703 can be restored successfully. Any image created in v1709 produce a VSS error. I can restore any image prior to v1709 using a repair disk from v1709 or earlier. I cannot restore any v1709 image using a repair disk from v1709, v1703, v1607, v1511 or v1507.
As a first test, I installed v1709 on a new HP EliteBook 840 G4 laptop (before installation I wiped the drive). I also used a different (and smaller) USB drive to back up the image successfully. There were no errors or warnings in Event Viewer related to Windows Backup. After a successful backup, I wiped the drive using the clean command and tried to restore the same image I created earlier. It failed with a VSS error.
As a second test, I installed v1703 on the same HP EliteBook 840 G4 laptop (before installation I wiped the drive). I used the same USB drive to back up the image successfully. There were no errors or warnings in Event Viewer related to Windows Backup. After a successful backup, I wiped the drive again using the clean command and tried to restore the same image I created earlier. The restore was successful.
As a last test, I wiped the drive clean on a Lenovo Yoga 910 laptop. I installed a fresh copy of v1709 while disconnected from the Internet. This way, no updates or drivers are automatically downloaded and installed during setup. Without any Windows updates, component drivers or third-party software installed I created an image on a blank USB drive (this was a barebones image). Backup was successful; no errors or warnings in Event Viewer. I wiped the drive and tried to restore. After clicking Yes on the final prompt I received a VSS error.
The culprit appears to be v1709. Something changed in v1709 which prevents a successful restore.
I searched online for help and came across a few posts I would like to share with you. As you will see, this is becoming a widespread issue as more and more users are coming forward with the same problem.
Microsoft Answers
TechNet Post 1
TechNet Post 2
- I feel your pain. As an Insider I have had that problem many, many times. Most of the time, I didn't even get a Error thrown, just a bad or incomplete Image whether I used 3rd party or not. In other words it was all VSS.
My solutions are.
1. Stick with third party that are Good and Reliable.
2. Never rely on VSS, Always Backup from WinPE with the same 3rd Party's Recovery Tools.
The reason, One never knows if one has a faulty Image until One is Restoring it. I will look fine, Verify fine in all ways, but if VSS has jangled something one finds out at the worst possible time.
One never know when VSS is going to get a minor update or Revision. It is completely out of the Users/IT/Admins/DevOPS control. Is the resultant update good, stay tuned, if you used it for a Backup you will find out later.
Best Regards,
CrystaThird party solutions are just a workaround, not a good solution, what about Microsoft fixing what they broke ?
The restore on 1709 works when you restore on the same disk without checking the reformat option, the error occurs only when you need to partition and reformat the disk, which is the case when you need to replace it because it failed.
The bug only occurs with the EFI systems, no problem with the legacy machines.
Also the EFI partition size on the real disk and on the Esp.vhdx do not match.
Microsoft Disk Management shows the partition size on the vhdx file is 4MB shorter than the one showing on the real disk. Not sure if that is the source of the bug, but this error 0x80042302 it needs to be fixed by Microsoft, restoring the WindowsImage is a basic function for recovery and needs to work.
You certainly are entitled to your opinion But this is not the first time for MS.
In this area, I will not trust any MS solution Recovery/Restore/Refresh/Backup, I will only use 3rd Party solutions, I have been left out in the cold holding an empty bag way, way to many times over the years.
The exceptions are 'In Place Update' and 'WinPE CMD Tools' on USB/DVD made from the latest ADK, but even there MS has had a few problems. When that is changing over, I listen very closely to Mike Neihaus.
Now of course one needs a reliable 3rd party solution that is acceptable, for sure!
Best Regards,
Crysta
