Fix VSS Errors Windows XP and Server 2003

Installing a backup device that uses a backup agent means the VSS writers have to be free of errors.  You can fix this by opening a command prompt (administrator level if needed) and typing in "vssadmin list writers".  This will run for a few seconds then list all of the writers on the system.  They should all show as "stable and ready".  If they are not, below are the steps you can take to fix this problem.

1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.

2. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\EventSystem\{26c409cc-ae86-11d1-b616-00805fc79216}\Subscriptions

3. On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then click Yes to confirm that you want to delete the subkey.

4. Exit Registry Editor.

5. Click Start, click Run, type services.msc, and then click OK.

6. Right-click the following services one at a time. For each service, click Restart:

• COM+ Event System
• COM+ System Application
• Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider
• Volume Shadow Copy

7. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.

8. At the command prompt, type vssadmin list writers, and then press ENTER.

9. If the VSS writers are now listed, close the Command Prompt window. You do not have to complete the remaining steps. If the VSS writers are not listed, type the following commands at the command prompt. Press ENTER after each command.

• cd /d %windir%\system32
• net stop vss
• net stop swprv
• regsvr32 ole32.dll
• regsvr32 oleaut32.dll
• regsvr32 vss_ps.dll
• vssvc /register
• regsvr32 /i swprv.dll
• regsvr32 /i eventcls.dll
• regsvr32 es.dll
• regsvr32 stdprov.dll
• regsvr32 vssui.dll  (does not work in Windows XP)
• regsvr32 msxml.dll
• regsvr32 msxml3.dll
• regsvr32 msxml4.dll

Note The last command may not run successfully.

10. At the command prompt, type vssadmin list writers, and then press ENTER.

11. Confirm that the VSS writers are now listed.

12. At the command prompt, type vssadmin list shadows and then press ENTER.

13. Confirm that there are no errors listed.  On Windows XP you should see: No shadow copies present in the system.

14. Congratulations your machine should work again with any VSS compatible programs.