Vista - Shadow copy storage question (what is this error message and how do I fix it?)

Event Viewer shows the following error message:

"Log Name: System
Source: volsnap
Date: 2/10/2007 1:26:41 AM
Event ID: 36
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Description:

The shadow copies of volume C: were aborted because the shadow copy storage
could not grow due to a user imposed limit."

Does anyone know what this error message means and, more important, now to
correct it? I am unaware of setting any "user imposed limit" on anything.

Thanks
Ken

Hi Ken--

In Vista, 15% of the disk size is set aside for Volume Shadow copies. I
think these 3 refs will be of help to you and possibly the update in this
MSKB. Hopefully you will trigger Jill Zoeller's Message Rule key words and
she will show up and clarify this further. I didn't find a Vista MKSB that
specifically speaks to your error or anything directly on point when I MSN
Searched it.

I can't help but post the ridiculous hits I got when I put this error into
good 'ole MSN Search by a small company in Redmond Washington with a
Distinguished Search Scientist named Dr. Gary Flake. Go figure. No wonder
Google beats the crap out of it in search numbers.

http://search.live.com/results.aspx?...ta&FORM=TOOLBR

From Jill Zoeller [MSFT] File Core Services PM on this subject from her
article (first link)----Jill (with much input from Eduardo Laureano, Ivan
Pashov, Jim Benton, Dinesh Haridas, and Dan Stevenson):

"Before I go over each of these, here's something to keep in mind: the
determination of shadow storage size is made when the first shadow copy is
created (typically when System Restore is enabled and creates a restore
point during Setup) and is set to the minimum of 30% of free space or 15% of
the volume. When System Restore is turned on right after Windows Vista is
installed, the shadow copy storage area is most likely to be 15% of volume.
In cases where System Restore is turned on much later, the 30% of free space
formula might kick in, thus limiting the number of shadow copies you'll have
on your system. Also, these percentages don't increase or decrease
dynamically when more (or less) free space is available or after you adjust
the size of the volume."

Identifying how much disk space is used for restore points in Windows Vista
http://blogs.technet.com/filecab/arc...ows-vista.aspx

A Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) update package is available for Windows
Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/833167

Addressing privacy and security concerns about Shadow Copies in Windows
Vista
http://blogs.technet.com/filecab/arc...01/452845.aspx

Rapid Recovery with the Volume Shadow Copy Service
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tec...y/default.aspx

Storage Area Sizing Requirements by Dave Field

"The size of the storage area that you choose will determine how many
versions of changed files you can store. Each time a snapshot is created,
all volume changes will be recorded. Up to 64 versions of a volume can exist
unless the shadow copy storage area runs out of space. When this happens,
the oldest shadow copies are overwritten by new shadow copies.

The types of files stored in the volume will also affect the amount of
storage used for each shadow copy. Some applications make small changes to
their files when saving the file; others rewrite the entire file, using more
space on the shadow copy. You can view the amount of space used by shadow
copies in the Used column of the Shadow Copies tab for the volume or by
using performance counters supplied with the Windows Server 2003 Resource
Kit (see the link included in the conclusion of this article).

There is no hard and fast rule governing the size of a shadow copy storage
area. It will depend on many factors such as the amount of activity on the
data volume, the size of the data files, and the frequency of shadow copies.
Begin with as much space as you can reasonably afford and monitor the shadow
volume size and number of recorded shadow copies to ensure that you have
adequate protection for your users.

Manage Free Space Maintain enough free space to contain the configured size
of the shadow copy storage area. If disk free space falls below the minimum
amount, older shadow copies will be sacrificed to allow disk operations to
continue. Space from the storage area will continue to be allocated to data
storage until the shadow copy area is at the minimum size required to
sustain the service (300MB)."

Good luck,

CH

"Ken Gardner" <kesgardner@charter.net> wrote in message
news:25412DB0-89D7-48D6-B891-4FA8D872488D@microsoft.com...
> Event Viewer shows the following error message:
>
> "Log Name: System
> Source: volsnap
> Date: 2/10/2007 1:26:41 AM
> Event ID: 36
> Task Category: None
> Level: Error
> Keywords: Classic
> User: N/A
> Description:
>
> The shadow copies of volume C: were aborted because the shadow copy
> storage could not grow due to a user imposed limit."
>
> Does anyone know what this error message means and, more important, now to
> correct it? I am unaware of setting any "user imposed limit" on anything.
>
> Thanks
> Ken
>

Thanks, Chad. This pretty much answers my question. I didn't find a Vista
KB article either, which is why I tried this place.

"Chad Harris" <vistaneedsmuchowork.net> wrote in message
news:ejlXzMUTHHA.4260@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> Hi Ken--
>
> In Vista, 15% of the disk size is set aside for Volume Shadow copies. I
> think these 3 refs will be of help to you and possibly the update in this
> MSKB. Hopefully you will trigger Jill Zoeller's Message Rule key words
> and she will show up and clarify this further. I didn't find a Vista MKSB
> that specifically speaks to your error or anything directly on point when
> I MSN Searched it.
>
> I can't help but post the ridiculous hits I got when I put this error into
> good 'ole MSN Search by a small company in Redmond Washington with a
> Distinguished Search Scientist named Dr. Gary Flake. Go figure. No wonder
> Google beats the crap out of it in search numbers.
>
> http://search.live.com/results.aspx?...ta&FORM=TOOLBR
>
> From Jill Zoeller [MSFT] File Core Services PM on this subject from her
> article (first link)----Jill (with much input from Eduardo Laureano, Ivan
> Pashov, Jim Benton, Dinesh Haridas, and Dan Stevenson):
>
> "Before I go over each of these, here's something to keep in mind: the
> determination of shadow storage size is made when the first shadow copy is
> created (typically when System Restore is enabled and creates a restore
> point during Setup) and is set to the minimum of 30% of free space or 15%
> of the volume. When System Restore is turned on right after Windows Vista
> is installed, the shadow copy storage area is most likely to be 15% of
> volume. In cases where System Restore is turned on much later, the 30% of
> free space formula might kick in, thus limiting the number of shadow
> copies you'll have on your system. Also, these percentages don't increase
> or decrease dynamically when more (or less) free space is available or
> after you adjust the size of the volume."
>
> Identifying how much disk space is used for restore points in Windows
> Vista
> http://blogs.technet.com/filecab/arc...ows-vista.aspx
>
> A Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) update package is available for Windows
> Server 2003
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/833167
>
> Addressing privacy and security concerns about Shadow Copies in Windows
> Vista
> http://blogs.technet.com/filecab/arc...01/452845.aspx
>
> Rapid Recovery with the Volume Shadow Copy Service
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tec...y/default.aspx
>
> Storage Area Sizing Requirements by Dave Field
>
> "The size of the storage area that you choose will determine how many
> versions of changed files you can store. Each time a snapshot is created,
> all volume changes will be recorded. Up to 64 versions of a volume can
> exist unless the shadow copy storage area runs out of space. When this
> happens, the oldest shadow copies are overwritten by new shadow copies.
>
> The types of files stored in the volume will also affect the amount of
> storage used for each shadow copy. Some applications make small changes to
> their files when saving the file; others rewrite the entire file, using
> more space on the shadow copy. You can view the amount of space used by
> shadow copies in the Used column of the Shadow Copies tab for the volume
> or by using performance counters supplied with the Windows Server 2003
> Resource Kit (see the link included in the conclusion of this article).
>
> There is no hard and fast rule governing the size of a shadow copy storage
> area. It will depend on many factors such as the amount of activity on the
> data volume, the size of the data files, and the frequency of shadow
> copies. Begin with as much space as you can reasonably afford and monitor
> the shadow volume size and number of recorded shadow copies to ensure that
> you have adequate protection for your users.
>
> Manage Free Space Maintain enough free space to contain the configured
> size of the shadow copy storage area. If disk free space falls below the
> minimum amount, older shadow copies will be sacrificed to allow disk
> operations to continue. Space from the storage area will continue to be
> allocated to data storage until the shadow copy area is at the minimum
> size required to sustain the service (300MB)."
>
> Good luck,
>
> CH
>
> "Ken Gardner" <kesgardner@charter.net> wrote in message
> news:25412DB0-89D7-48D6-B891-4FA8D872488D@microsoft.com...
>> Event Viewer shows the following error message:
>>
>> "Log Name: System
>> Source: volsnap
>> Date: 2/10/2007 1:26:41 AM
>> Event ID: 36
>> Task Category: None
>> Level: Error
>> Keywords: Classic
>> User: N/A
>> Description:
>>
>> The shadow copies of volume C: were aborted because the shadow copy
>> storage could not grow due to a user imposed limit."
>>
>> Does anyone know what this error message means and, more important, now
>> to correct it? I am unaware of setting any "user imposed limit" on
>> anything.
>>
>> Thanks
>> Ken
>>
>