System Writer is missing from the output of vssadmin list writers. The Application Event log is showing Event ID 513 source CAPI2. Had a hell of a time resolving this issue. Most of the sources point to a permissions issue. However the security log remains error free. The script below is combines a couple suggested fixes. One of the fixed is from the Microsoft KB article 2009272. Other items were found in various forums.

Identification and resolution of Volume Shadow Copy Service errors Identify the problem writers using vssadmin vssadmin syntax: vssadmin list {shadows [/set= [shadow copy set GUID]] | writers | providers} vssadmin delete shadows /for=<ForVolumeSpec> [/oldest | /all | /shadow=<ShadowID>] [/quiet]`</pre> Let’s start off by checking the state of the VSS Writers C:\vssadmin list writers vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool (C) Copyright 2001 Microsoft Corp. Writer name: 'System Writer' Writer Id: {e8132975-6f93-4464-a53e-1050253ae220} Writer Instance Id: {449e12cf-6b8f-4d75-a821-bc869d6612c4} State: [1] Failed Last error: No error Writer name: 'SqlServerWriter' Writer Id: {a65faa63-5ea8-4ebc-9dbd-a0c4db26912a} Writer Instance Id: {de3b2861-77f6-43f8-8619-64dc9ea2fbcf} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'MSDEWriter' Writer Id: {f8544ac1-0611-4fa5-b04b-f7ee00b03277} Writer Instance Id: {9036fdfa-05ef-4f7d-9c2f-84fa2f06560a} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'WMI Writer' Writer Id: {a6ad56c2-b509-4e6c-bb19-49d8f43532f0} Writer Instance Id: {f9f92826-a3d4-486c-ade3-a4201deb8ad2} State: [7] Failed Last error: No error The output above is showing the System and WMI writers in a Failed state.

Reduce the size of your System Volume Information folder by shrinking the shadow storage. Use vssadmin list shadowstorage to list the current Shadow Copy Storage size. C:\>vssadmin list shadowstorage vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool (C) Copyright 2001-2005 Microsoft Corp. Shadow Copy Storage association For volume: (C:)\\?\Volume{278ce142-19d8-11e1-9176-806e6f6e6963}\ Shadow Copy Storage volume: (C:)\\?\Volume{278ce142-19d8-11e1-9176-806e6f6e69 63}\ Used Shadow Copy Storage space: 15.681 GB (39%) Allocated Shadow Copy Storage space: 16.