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Veeam Agent Creating VSS snapshot Error

  • July 7, 2026
  • 1 comment
  • 21 views

I setup Veeam Agent 13.0.3.1220 on a new windows 11 pro computer and have been unable to get it to complete a backup task. I restarted the VSS services with no change. It’s backing up to a synology nas file share. 
Here are the backup details. 

 

Creating VSS snapshot Error: Failed to create snapshot: Backup job failed. Cannot create a shadow copy of the volumes containing writer's data. A VSS critical writer has failed. Writer name: [SqlServerWriter]. Class ID: [{a65faa63-5ea8-4ebc-9dbd-a0c4db26912a}]. Instance ID: [{43dab221-71ff-43cf-8389-49fcb4151cd9}]. Writer's state: [VSS_WS_FAILED_AT_PREPARE_SNAPSHOT]. Error code: [0x800423f0].
Error: Failed to create snapshot: Backup job failed. Cannot create a shadow copy of the volumes containing writer's data. A VSS critical writer has failed. Writer name: [SqlServerWriter]. Class ID: [{a65faa63-5ea8-4ebc-9dbd-a0c4db26912a}]. Instance ID: [{43dab221-71ff-43cf-8389-49fcb4151cd9}]. Writer's state: [VSS_WS_FAILED_AT_PREPARE_SNAPSHOT]. Error code: [0x800423f0].

The computer is running Cabinet Vision, a popular cabinet design software. 

I submitted a ticket from within Veeam agent this morning.

1 comment

matheusgiovanini
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Hi,

Since the failing writer is SqlServerWriter, I would focus the troubleshooting on the SQL Writer and any SQL-related component installed by Cabinet Vision.

I had a similar case recently where the SQL Writer was failing during the VSS freeze because Windows still had old SQL Server references pointing to database files that no longer existed. In that case, restarting the VSS services helped only temporarily, but the job failed again as soon as Veeam triggered the snapshot.

I would suggest checking: vssadmin list writers

Then look at the Windows Application Event Log for SQLWRITER events around the backup time or try to use proc mon to help. The key point is to see if SQL Writer is trying to access a database path, MDF/LDF file, or old application reference that no longer exists.

This blog may help because it describes a very similar behavior:

Also, if it has not been done yet, I would try a full reboot of the Windows 11 computer where the Veeam Agent is installed, then check the SQL Writer state again before starting the backup.

If the writer is healthy after reboot but fails again during the backup, that would reinforce the idea that something related to SQL/Cabinet Vision is being triggered during the VSS freeze.