Can't Create System Image


  1. Gurn Blanston
    Posts : 381
    Windows 10
       New #1

    Can't Create System Image


    I'm using Windows 10 Home on another computer in the house and backing up to a NAS using Windows Backup, and I'm unable to create a system image.

    I'm getting an error about the virtual disk being compressed or encrypted (which it is not) and it stops with a failed backup. I have a 64 GB SSD main drive for booting and a spinner for programs and User files. I'm using about 45 GB on the SSD.

    Is the reason that I can't create the system image because there is not enough space on the boot drive to accommodate it? This is my best guess anyway, but I would appreciate any other theories.
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  3. cereberus
    Posts : 15,663
    Windows10
       New #2

    You cannot create image to save drive you boot from. Even if you could, there is not enough free space to backup 45GB anyway.
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  4. Bree
    Posts : 32,602
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       New #3

    cereberus said:
    You cannot create image to save drive you boot from....
    @Gurn Blanston clearly stated they weren't, the backup was to be to a NAS drive. However, the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) is. It is trying to create a shadow copy of the drive in order to create the system image from it.

    Even if you could, there is not enough free space to backup 45GB anyway.
    That would appear to be exactly the problem that VSS is encountering.

    The solution would be to free up some space on the system drive. If you have not already done so, use Disk Clean up and clean up the system files. Make sure you also use Option One, Step 7 'To Delete all but the most recent Restore Point' in this tutorial.
    Open and Use Disk Cleanup in Windows 10

    Turn off hibernation (you can turn it back on again when you're done, if you wish). This will remove the hiberfil.sys file it uses. In an elevated command prompt:
    POWERCFG /HIBERNATE OFF

    Configure virtual memory so that there is no page file on the system drive.

    Manage Virtual Memory Pagefile in Windows 10

    The above may be sufficient to allow VSS to work. I believe the shadow copy is compressed, so you probably don't need a full 50% of the drive free.
    Last edited by Bree; 25 Jun 2017 at 15:16.
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  6. Gurn Blanston
    Posts : 381
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       New #4

    Thank you Bree. Very helpful. I'll try those things and post back.
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  7. Bree
    Posts : 32,602
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       New #5

    If it still fails after a clean up, post the full error message you get. A screenshot will do...
    How to Upload and Post Screenshots and Files at Ten Forums
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  8. Gurn Blanston
    Posts : 381
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       New #6

    Hi Bree. I tried all of the suggestion you made, and I was able to increase the drive space to 24 GB, but it still seems to be not enough. It failed.

    This is the error message that I got:

    Can't Create System Image-capture.jpg

    I'm still learning my way around in Windows 10, but if this happened to me in Windows 7, I would assume that I don't have enough drive space to make the System Image VHD file.

    And I think that is the case here.

    I'm thinking that I might have to do this with Macrium.
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  9. Bree
    Posts : 32,602
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       New #7

    Googling those error codes the common factor is trying to back up the system image to a NAS....
    When I try to create a System Image onto a Stora NAS...
    https://social.technet.microsoft.com...10itprogeneral
    Problem was not win 10 but my NAS....
    http://tqaforum.net/discussion/33376...01a-0x807800c5
    Normally I just backup files/folders to a networked NAS using Cobian Backup. This is the first time I tried making a system image...
    https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/for...-system-image/

    Apparently....

    ...There are work-arounds for this on the web. Essentially, it amounts to adding the line "strict allocate = yes" to the Global section of the NAS' smb.conf file...
    https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...9-e3d6f86b71c5

    Or try putting the system image on an external USB HDD instead... or you could just use Macrium :)
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  10. Helmut
    Posts : 2,788
    Windows 10
       New #8

    As far as I know Windows 10 System Images to a NAS box does not work.
    I discussed it back in October 2016 with the NAS box manufacturer(Synology) and MS. The latter finally came back and said you can't use a NAS box despite being able to specify a suitable location on the NAS box.

    I had similar error boxes as in post #6.

    There have been updates to Windows 10 and the NAS box. I have not tried since. I now use Macrium which does work.

    This used to work under Windows 8.1, I still have 2 Images on the NAS box from June 2016 done just prior to the Windows 10 install, also same date 2 Macrium Images as I used both back then.
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  12. Gurn Blanston
    Posts : 381
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       New #9

    Thanks for the help everyone. I am going to use Macrium to make an image. Maybe I can get it to work. In the meantime, I'm going to mark the thread as solved.

    Thanks again for your efforts. :)
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