Windows Backup Utility Error: 80042301

[Costas Calogeropoulos]

I have a Dell PC XPS series with Windows XP.
When I got this new PC in Oct 2003 I used the windows
backup utility to create a "System Data" Backup.

Lately when i try to do the same back. I get the message:
Disable Volume shadow copy error returned while creating
the Volume shadow copy: 80042301, Aborting Backup.

I am the only one using the PC and I am the
Administrator. I use Mcaffee Antivirus, Firewal and
Security. I disable all of them to see if this was the
problem...but I got the same error.
When i tried to backup some data files... I had to
disable the Volume Shadow copy so that i could back the
files.

I also tried to re-install the backup utility and the
same problem exists

Can anyone help? Thank you

Costas

 

[James M. Fisher {MVP}]

Have a look at this article (near the bottom it describes Shadow Copy) and
see if it helps:
http://tinyurl.com/3x692

 

[Costas]

I red the article, and it did not help. The article says
that you should disable the volume Shadow copy when you
back up files.. but you cannot do that when you backup
the System Data Files...which I want to backup. Every
time I try to backup the System data files ...the backup
process starts...and then 15 seconds after it
stop..aborts and gives me the error
"Disable Volume shadow copy error returned while creating
Something in the system prevents the backup or hangs
up....Would anyone know what is the error code 80042301?

Costas

 

[James M. Fisher [MVP]]

I just tried it on my XP Pro system and it worked fine. I selected another
partition as the destination. Where are you trying to back up *to*, Costas?

 

[Costas]

I tried to backup in my C-drive...or in a second hard
disk D-drive and also on a Floppy... and i still get the
same error...Error: 80042301

Costas

 

[James M. Fisher]

Sorry, I am stumped on this one, Costas. I admit I am not a big user of
Backup. I prefer an imaging program like DriveImage for backup & recovery.