0x80042318 — VSS writer not responding
Domain: BackupPriority: High
What does this error mean?
A required VSS writer is not responding correctly.
Likely causes
- The writer is in a failed or retryable state
- A dependent application service is stopped or hung
- The system is under heavy load or storage is slow
Checks and resolution
- Run vssadmin list writers.
- Identify the failed writer and the service that owns it.
- Review related event logs and application health.
- Restart only the relevant service when safe, then retest.
Precaution: Do not restart all services or reset VSS globally unless a targeted recovery has failed.
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Investigate a VSS writer that is not responding
A VSS writer that stops responding can prevent application-consistent backups. Find the writer and its owning application before restarting services.
Recommended checks
- Record vssadmin list writers before and after the failure.
- Identify the affected writer and its owning service or workload, such as SQL Server or Exchange.
- Review correlated events, storage pressure and memory availability.
- Restart an affected service only after assessing its impact, then perform a controlled backup test.
Frequently asked question
Is a complete server reboot always required? No. A targeted service repair may be sufficient, depending on the writer and availability requirements.