Each time I attempt to create a quiesced snapshot of the Windows 2022 server which is a remote desktop host running MSSQL Express 2019 it fails. I can create a snapshot from within Windows. Before I attempt a VMware snap all VSS Writers are in a stable state with no errors. After the snapshot fails System Writer, WIDWriter, IIS Config Writer, WMI Writer, TermServLicensing and SQLServer Writer all report they are in a failed state (Timed Out). I have tried the following to resolve the issue:
- Updating ESXi to 7.0 u3
- Updating VMware Tools on the VMs
- Installing all Windows updates
- Creating a domain service account for VMware Tools service
- Resizing and moving msr partition before OS partition
- Reregistering VSS writers
The ESXi error message is:
KeyhaTask-1-vim.VirtualMachine.createSnapshot-13707
DescriptionCreate a new snapshot of this virtual machine
StateFailed - An error occurred while quiescing the virtual machine. See the virtual machine's event log for details.
Errors
- An error occurred while saving the snapshot: Failed to quiesce the virtual machine.
- An error occurred while taking a snapshot: Failed to quiesce the virtual machine.
The associated Windows event log entry is:
Volume Shadow Copy Service error: Unexpected error calling routine IOCTL_DISK_SET_SNAPSHOT_INFO(\\.\PHYSICALDRIVE1) fails with winerror 1168. hr = 0x80070490, Element not found.
.
Operation:
Processing AbortSnapshots
Executing Asynchronous Operation
Context:
Device: \\.\PHYSICALDRIVE1
Provider Name: VMware Snapshot Provider
Provider Version: 1.0.0
Provider ID: {564d7761-7265-2056-5353-2050726f7669}
Current State: DoSnapshotSet