Vista VSS service error preventing back ups Vista Bugs and Problems Discuss Vista VSS service error preventing back ups in the Windows Vista forums; I am using GenieSoft Home Back up Manager 8 and Vista Home Premium 64 bit OS. When i try to perform a DR backup to my Lacie Network Drive, the ...

[gilesm]

I am using GenieSoft Home Back up Manager 8 and Vista Home Premium 64 bit OS.
When i try to perform a DR backup to my Lacie Network Drive, the process gets as far as identifying items to be backed up and verifying the run, then when the back up begins there is a very brief pause, then an error message
That says "Disaster Recovery will not continue due to Volume Shadow Copy initialization failure. Please restart your computer and try again."

Other types of back up run by the Genie software work, such as backing up the "my documents" folder or my entire Vista profile.

I wanted to make a back up clone of my entire "C" drive. I have an open ticket with GenieSoft, but so far they have not resolved the issue.

Lastly, I checked the running services on my PC and I notice the "VSS" is 'stopped'. Could this be the issue, if so how does one start the service ?

Any help is much appreciated.

[felix8406]

Unless someone else has any ideas, I don't believe the issue is with Vista, but with GenieSoft Home Back not supporting Vista 64Bit edition. The software developer should know whether or not the 64Bit edition is supported.

[ProCookie]

I second that Felix

[gilesm]

Thank you for your replies.

I am beginning to think so also. I have found on this forum how to start the VSS service (via service.msc) and so I did this, verified it was working and then tried again. The back up failed wiht the same errors. This morning I will update ny helpdesk ticket with this information, and ask "is it because your software is not correctly supporting windows Vista Home Premium 64 Bit".
I did check prior to purchase and the web site claimed "all versions of Windows Vista Supported".
I guess I might be due for a refund!

[felix8406]

I tried finding out any mention about being compatible with Vista 64Bit, but did not see any reference to that. It might well be, but where is it detailed? "All versions of Windows Vista Supported" could imply either 32Bit & 64Bit, or Home Basic, Premium, Ultimate, etc.

[gilesm]

Well, GenieSoft have been very good at working the ticket I have opened (except solving it that is), we have corresponded several times, and tried several things. Surely if 64 bit compatibility was the issue the would have said so ages ago, unless they do not want to admit that fact !

Perhaps this has caught them out ! they did at one point provide me with a version update, but that still did not work.

It would have been easy for them to just admit that it does not work with Vista 64 bit.

[felix8406]

I agree. I doubt they'll be using and independent software developer where communication could be a factor. Hopefully, they are communicating with the engineer that developed the product. Is it possible for you to try the application on Vista 32Bit edition?

[gilesm]

Hello

Sorry it has taken so long to reply, but my LAN has been offline for a week while we were decorating the office.

So, GenieSoft have now accepted that their software certainly has compatibility issues when used on Vista 64 bit editions.

A ticket has been raised and they tell me they are working on a 64 bit version now that I have brough the issue to their attention.

This may or may not be true, but I will give them the benefit of the doubt.
Some back up's do work, for example I can back up my user profile (i.e. every type of file associated with my user account). So I will continue to do this while I await an update.
I have the software (Vista) disc, so this along with my profile back up should suffice for now.

It's the "Disaster Recovery" back up that takes a copy of the entire "C" drive that does not work.

We will see !

[felix8406]

Just as I suspected. One issue with your current backup is that it might not work if for some reason you need to do a recovery. Thanks for getting back to us.

[gilesm]

Well, so far no word from GenieSoft, so for now I am using the Windows Vista back up utility to back up on to one of my USB connected HDD's.

I really wanted to use the NAS storage as I have a Gigabit ethernet connection on the NAS and the main PC.

Perhaps I would be better off just dumping a copy of 'my documents' on the the NAS!