You cannot perform certain disk-related operations after a VSS hardware provider fails to create a snapshot on a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista

Consider the following scenario:

• You create a volume that covers one or more disks on a computer that is running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008.
• A Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) hardware provider tries to create a snapshot of the volume. However, an exception occurs and the action is unsuccessful.

In this scenario, you are cannot perform certain operations on the disks. The following common disk-related operations that you perform may fail:

• You back up one of these disks by using a backup application such as System Center Date Protection Manager (DPM).
• One of these disks is used as a shared disk in a Windows failover cluster. However, you cannot bring the shared disk online.
• You run an application that calls the ResourceControl callback function together with the CLUSCTL_RESOURCE_STORAGE_GET_DISK_INFO_EX resource control code against these disks. Then, the application returns error code 1168.

Note This problem occurs on Windows Server 2008 R2 and on Windows 7.

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

As the snapshot of a volume is being created, VSS sets the disks that are covered by the volume to a special state. When the snapshot is finished, VSS resets the disks to the normal state. If a VSS hardware provider fails to create a snapshot of a volume, VSS never sets the disks back to the normal state. This causes the disks to be in an incorrect state.

Important Before you install this hotfix, you must stop VSS. A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Important Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, only one of these products may be listed on the �Hotfix Request� page. To request the hotfix package that applies to both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, just select the product that is listed on the page.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, your computer must be running one of the following Windows operating systems:

• Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1)
• Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2)
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (SP2)

Restart requirement

You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfix.

File information

The global version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table.

Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 file information notes

• The files that apply to a specific product, SR_Level (RTM, SPn), and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers as shown in the following table.
  Collapse this tableExpand this table

  Version	Product	SR_Level	Service branch
  6.0.600 0 . 16xxx	Windows Vista	RTM	GDR
  6.0.600 0 . 20xxx	Windows Vista	RTM	LDR
  6.0.600 1 . 18xxx	Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008	SP1	GDR
  6.0.600 1 . 22xxx	Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008	SP1	LDR
  6.0.600 2 . 18xxx	Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008	SP2	GDR
  6.0.600 2 . 22xxx	Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008	SP2	LDR

• The first release of Windows Server 2008 contains Service Pack ( SP1)
• The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and MUM files (.mum) installed for each environment are listed separately . MUM and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are very important to maintaining the state of the updated component. The security catalog files (attributes not listed) are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2008 and of Windows Vista

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 and of Windows Vista

For all supported Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2008

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: -

Additional file information

Additional file information for Windows Vista and for Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2008