Error Code 0x80042306: What Is It & 6 Ways to Fix It

What is Error Code 0x80042306?

Numerous Windows users have recently come across the bothersome error code 0x80042306 while attempting to create a system restore point on their computers. This error message is quite prevalent and typically arises when configuring shadow copies for clustered mount points on another drive in Windows. Consequently, this issue prevents the creation of new restore points within the Windows system.

Listed below are several common factors that can contribute to the occurrence of the VSS error 0x80042306:

• Insufficient free space available on your system for shadow copies.
• An internal issue with the Volume Shadow Copy service (VSS).
• Installation of multiple backup solutions on your computer.
• Presence of bad sectors on the hard disk drive (HDD) or corruption within system files.

6 Fixes to Volume Shadow Copy Error Code 0x80042306

Within this chapter, we will talk about several methods that can be implemented to fix the system restore error 0x80042306 in Windows 10/11. As numerous backup solutions possess their individualized snapshot managers, conflicts may arise when multiple backup solutions are concurrently installed on a system. Hence, we strongly advise users to retain only one backup solution at any given time.

Note: Prior to implementing the subsequent remedies, it is recommended to boot into the administrator account for optimal results.

Way 1. Restart Volume Shadow Copy Service

At times, the Volume Shadow Copy service may encounter a malfunction, leading to the occurrence of error code 0x80042306 during the creation of a restore point. To rectify this issue, you can resolve it by restarting the service through the following straightforward steps:

Step 1. Press the Windows + R keys together to open the Run command. In the dialog box, type "services.msc" and press Enter.

Step 2. Locate the Volume Shadow Copy service, right-click on it, and choose Properties.

Step 3. In the Properties window, next to Startup type, click on the drop-down menu and select Automatic. Then click on Start.

Step 4. Finally, click Apply and then OK to save the changes. Restart your system and attempt to create a restore point once again.

You can also do the same for the Windows Backup service if the above steps do not work for resolve the code error 0x80042306.

Way 2. Run CHKDSK Command to Check Disk Problems

The occurrence of the VSS 0x80042306 error may be attributed to corrupted sectors on your haard drive. To determine the underlying cause, it is recommended to execute the CHKDSK command on your PC. This scans your entire hard drive for any minor bugs and repairs them if found. Follow the steps below to proceed:

Step 1. Press the Windows key, type "cmd" in the search bar, and click on "Run as administrator" to open the Command Prompt with administrative privileges.

Step 2. Type the command "chkdsk C: /f /r" and press Enter. Make sure to replace the letter "C" with the appropriate drive letter.

Step 3. Lastly, restart your computer once the command execution is complete.

Way 3. Scan Your System for Corruption Errors

You can also try resolving the failed to create volume snapshot and get the result code 0x80042306 by executing the "sfc /scannow" command on your PC. This command performs a system file scan and attempts to fix any detected issues, potentially resolving the restore point error 0x80042306. Follow these simple steps:

Step 1. Launch the Command Prompt as an administrator, using the same method as mentioned before.

Step 2. Type "sfc /scannow" at the blinking cursor in the Command Prompt window and press Enter.

Step 3. The scanning and repairing process may take a few minutes to complete. Allow the process to finish uninterrupted. Then, reboot your PC and check if the error has been resolved.

Way 4. Change System Restore Space Usage

The successful storage of restore points created by VSS relies on having adequate free space on the target disk. The specific amount of space required for a restore point is usually influenced by the size and complexity of your system configuration. If there is not enough space on hard drive, you are likely to encounter a 0x80042306 error when using the restore utility.

To solve it, you can manage backup disk space by increasing the amount of disk space allocated for System Restore in the System Protection settings. Here is how you can do that:

Step 1. Right-click on the Start menu, then select "Run" to open the Run command. Then, type "systempropertiesprotection"and press Enter.

Step 2. In the System Properties window that appears, navigate to System Protection, and click Configure.

Step 3. Next to Max usage, use the slider to adjust the disk percentage according to your needs.

Way 5. Perform a Clean Boot

If you encountered the error 0x80042306 on Windows 11/10 while attempting to open the System Restore utility, performing a clean boot can potentially resolve the issue. Please follow the steps below:

Step 1. Press the Windows key, type "msconfig," and open the System Configuration utility.

Step 2. Switch to the Services tab and check the box that says "Hide all Microsoft services." Then, click on the "Disable all" button, and then click Apply to save the changes.

Step 3. Switch to the Startup tab, select "Open Task Manager," and click OK.

Step 4. In the Startup tab of the Task Manager, disable all the enabled startup items. Close the Task Manager and restart your PC.

Way 6. Format Destination Drives as NTFS

As Shadow Copy requires the Windows NTFS or ReFS filesystems to create and store shadow copies, using a destination drive that is not formatted in NTFS can result in conflicts during the snapshot process. To resolve this, you can refer to the following instructions on converting a drive to NTFS:

Step 1. Connect the USB drive or external storage device to your Windows PC.

Step 2. Open File Explorer and locate the drive. Right-click on the drive. From the context menu that appears, select Format.

Step 3. In the Format dialog box, find the File system dropdown menu and select NTFS.

Step 4. Click on the Start button to initiate the formatting process.

Error-Free and Better Way to Protect Your Computer

AOMEI Backupper Standard is a reliable backup software that offers support for both Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service and AOMEI Backup Service. This means that even if you encounter an error with the Volume Shadow Copy Service, you can still create VSS backups using AOMEI Backupper.

This comprehensive software provides various backup options, including system backup, disk backup, partition backup, and file/folder backup. You can create backups on external hard drives, internal drives, cloud drives, NAS devices, and more. Additionally, the tool offers the convenience of scheduling backups at regular intervals, such as daily, weekly, monthly, event trigger, or USB plug in.

Please download the free backup software - AOMEI Backupper Standard to create VSS backup. For server users, try AOMEI Backupper Server!

Step 1. Launch the AOMEI Backupper software on your computer.

Step 2. Navigate to the Backup tab and select the desired backup option (e.g., System Backup).

Step 3. Choose a backup location as the destination path where the backup will be stored.

Step 4. Click Options > Backup Mode > Backup Service, and choose Use Microsoft VSS.

Step 5. If you wish to schedule regular system backups, click Schedule Backup to set up a scheduled system backup (Optional). Finally, click Start Backup to begin the backup process.

Conclusion

There are multiple fixes to solve the error code 0x80042306. In the event that none of the previously mentioned methods for resolving the error code work or there are any other Volume Shadow Copy Service errors, you can rely on AOMEI Backupper as a reliable solution. With AOMEI Backupper, you have the option to create VSS backups automatically, ensuring the preservation of your data copies.