The System Writer is Not Found in the Backup (3 Fixes)

The issue: The system writer is not found in the backup

“I'm facing a typical problem with my Windows Server 2012 backup. Recently I started using Server 2012 Standard. After installing the Windows Server Backup feature, when I try to create a backup (full), the following error keeps coming for me: System writer is not found in the backup. Can someone please help me to sort this? Thanks.”

This is a question from a forum user, and maybe you have suffered or you are suffering from this issue. No matter the Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2008, when you want to make a backup and sometimes you may receive this error message: Backup failed to complete. The system writer is not found in the backup. And it may be followed by the error code 0x80780102.

Possible reasons for the system writer is not found in the backup

There are many possible causes for the error. And generally, two common reasons can lead to this annoying issue.

• A very common one is because Windows Server limits any directory from containing more than 1,000 subdirectories. Visual Studio 2012 installs more than 1,000 subdirectories in the following location: C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net. Therefore when the system state writer tries to back up the folder, the issue occurs.

• Other causes like permissions issues (frequently in C:\Windows\WinSXS and C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net) and permissions issues with COM+ Event System Service may also lead to this error.

Well, no matter what the reason is, the urgent task is how to solve the problem. Just keep reading to get 4 solutions to fix the system writer missing problem.

Fix the system writer is not found in the backup for Windows Server 2008/2012/2016

Here in this part, you will know three solutions to the system writer is not found in the backup error. You can try them one by one to fix the system writer missing issue. If you like to use an easier way to solve this problem, you can just go to the next part to get one Windows server backup tool. It can help you create a system backup easily and quickly, even multiple scheduled backup tasks.

• Solution 1. Start or restart services
• Solution 2. Change Winsxs folder access permission
• Solution 3. Make some changes to COM Security

Solution 1. Start or restart services

To fix the system writer is not found in the backup problem, first, you can go to local services to start or restart services.

Press Windows + R key to the open Run box. Type services.msc in the box and click OK to continue. Find out the below services and right-click each option to make it.

• COM+ Event System

• COM+ System Application

• Distributed Transactions Coordinator

• Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider

• Volume Shadow Copy service

• Networker remote exec service

• Cryptographic Service

Then try to take test backup. If it does not work, then you should go with the below solution.

Solution 2. Change Winsxs folder access permission

If the permission to the files in the Winsxs folder is incorrect, then the system writer is not found in the backup error may happen. You can try to change the access permission to fix the problem.

Step 1. Run Command Prompt as administrator.

Step 2. Type the following command and press Enter to continue after each command.

Takeown /f %windir%\winsxs\temp\PendingRenames /a

icacls %windir%\winsxs\temp\PendingRenames /grant "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(RX)"

icacls %windir%\winsxs\temp\PendingRenames /grant "NT Service\trustedinstaller:(F)"

icacls %windir%\winsxs\temp\PendingRenames /grant BUILTIN\Users:(RX)

Takeown /f %windir%\winsxs\filemaps\* /a

icacls %windir%\winsxs\filemaps\*.* /grant "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(RX)"

icacls %windir%\winsxs\filemaps\*.* /grant "NT Service\trustedinstaller:(F)

icacls %windir%\winsxs\filemaps\*.* /grant BUILTIN\Users:(RX)

net stop cryptsvc

net start cryptsvc

If the system writer not listed vssadmin, type the following command to make sure that the system writer is now listed:

vssadmin list writers

Step 3. Open the following key in the Regedit. And then, change the value of NT Authority\NetworkService to 1. 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\VSS\VssAccessControl

Now try your VSS Backup with Windows Server Backup.

Note: Shadow Copy technology requires the file system to be NTFS in order to create and store shadow copies. So, make sure the source disk or partition is NTFS. If necessary, you can convert FAT to NTFS.

Solution 3. Make some changes to COM Security

Step 1. Press Windows + R key to open Run box. Type dcomcnfg in the box and click OK to continue.

Step 2. Navigate to Component Services/Computer/My Computer.

Step 3. Right-click My Computer and choose Properties.

Step 4. Click Com Security tab and click Edit Default...

Step 5. Click Add button in the popup window and add Network Service account to the permission list.

Step 6. Finally, check only the Local Access is checked and click OK to confirm.

If all the above-mentioned solutions cannot solve the system writer is not found in the backup in Server 2008/2012/2016, you are still lucky to have another guaranteed fix: that is to use professional backup software.

An easier way to create system image for data protection

AOMEI Backupper Server is a comprehensive and powerful backup software for Windows Server 2003 (R2)/2008 (R2)/2012 (R2)/2016/2019/2022 and Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP. By using it, you can create a full system backup easily in simple steps. Also, you can backup files, disk or partition per your needs. And it's more flexible because of the following advantages:

It offers full backup as well as an incremental backup backup method, so you can choose to backup all of data every time or only changes. 

It allows you to set multiple scheduled backup tasks. You can simply create a daily backup task for the folders you use every day and a weekly backup task for system state drive.

It supports Microsoft VSS backup service and AOMEI backup service, so you can backup any items without interruption and file system limitation. By default, this software backup only used sector for NTFS partition. While for other file systems, it will backup every sectors on the partition.

It supports all kinds of storage devices like a traditional hard disk drive, SSD, all removable flash drives and thumb drive, NAS, shared network and cloud drive, etc.

Then, learn the steps below to create a system backup with this software.

Steps to create system image backup:

First download AOMEI Backupper Server, install and open it. 

Step 1. Select System Backup under the Backup tab.

Step 2. AOEMI Backupper will choose source automatically for you. All you have to do is to choose a destination path.

Step 3. At the bottom, click Options and click Backup Mode, then select either use Microsoft VSS or use AOMEI Backup Service. Both features allow the program to back up data without interrupting operations in the process. 

Note: VSS is a backup technique which is provided by Microsoft. Even if there is something wrong with VSS, you can still use AOMEI’s built-in technique to backup without interrupting. Therefore, there is no need to worry system writer missing in server 2008 (R2)/2012 (R2)/2016 issue at all.

Step 4. To set automatic backup, click Schedule Backup > Enable Schedule Backup and select one or more settings. To set full/incremental/differential backup or delete old backup, click Backup Scheme at the lower location. Finally, click Start Backup and wait for the process done.

• Incremental/Differential Backup: Both incremental and differential backup methods can improve backup efficiency, but incremental backups are more demanding to restore, so it is recommended that you choose differential backup.

• Daily/weekly/monthly backup: To continuously backup system and keep the latest updates, newly installed apps, added or deleted files, you could try daily backup, weekly backup or monthly backup.

• Event triggers: To backup system without any interfering of your operations, "System Shutdown" in Event triggers is recommended.

• Wake the computer to run scheduled tasks: To backup system during off-peak hours, you can set the backup time to midnight or any other times, then tick this feature.

In addition, you can create a bootable USB to boot your computer in case it won't boot.  If you don't have a bootable USB/CD/DVD etc, you can create a recovery environment on your computer in advance. It will help you to boot your computer without the device and  successfully enter the software interface at the next time you boot the system.

★ More advanced way to create system image backup in Windows Server

If you want one key system backup & recovery solution for your server, specialized onekey recovery software - AOMEI OneKey Recovery comes to help. It supports both Windows PC and Windows Server operating systems.

With it, you are allowed to save system image and custom recovery partition into a hidden partition, which greatly avoids mistake deletion and other data loss risks. And it also supports Daily, Weekly, Monthly to continuously backup system.

In addition, you can also set fast key "F11" or "A" or boot menu for disaster recovery as well as restore system from the recovery partition either within Windows or under Windows PE.

Conclusion

That’s all for how to fix the system writer is not found in the backup in Server 2008/2012/2016. Hope one of the solutions can help you get out of the trouble. Or you can just try AOMEI Backupper Server, which is designed for professional backup and restore. With it, you do not need to worry the system writer is not found in the backup issue will happen again.

If you want to protect unlimited PCs and servers within your company, AOMEI Backupper Technician Plus will be the best choice. It offers unlimited billable technical services to clients. It also enables you to copy installation directory for portable version creation.