Windows 10 Backup Fails to Complete, No Clue What to Do About It

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In preparation for updates, I usually try to run a windows system image backup. I use the native windows (formerly win 7) system image app. I tried several times after trying a troubleshooting step, but sadly, my backups hang at 97%, or else just fail. I don’t understand the problem, there doesn’t seem to be any explanation or reason for this. I looked on google to find out what might be wrong, and read advice to try several things, among them disable startup programs, and then to run a chkdsk with all the recommended “switches” from a command line on bootup, (took quite awhile to go through five phases, and chkdsk indicated it was ok). I also checked several recommended windows services to make sure they were all “automatic”. There is plenty of free space on my backup USB drive

None of these steps made any difference. I went ahead and installed the Jan 2023 updates and that went ok. Then I ran SFC /Scannow and that reported some issues but they were fixed ok. I feel as though I just don’t know what else to do. Is there any help on this forum for non-techie people like me who really have no formal training or understanding about what is going on. Should I be using some other kind of backup software instead of the native widows app(s)?

I made a “system restore” point successfully, and I think I updated my “file history” without a problem, (but only because it reported complete). The things I read seemed to suggest that something was “corrupt” or “bad”, (but chkdsk seemed to conclude it was ok) or else something was “using my volume” (whatever that means). I thought disableing startup and antivirus app was supposed to prevent that. Very discouraged over here. If you have any pointers or explanations I would appreciate it. I’m using

Windows version 21H2 build 19044.2251

Thank you.

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You should also run “dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth”
Then SFC again.

It may be worth trying one of the free 3rd party backup apps to get a full backup before going any further.

cheers, Paul

1 user thanked author for this post.

Hiawatha

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Thanks Paul,

I tried both of the things you suggested, and the DISM and SFC both completed successfully, but the backup still hangs at 97%. The reason I used the native Windows backup/system image was because I don’t really understand the many processes involved in “choosing” what to backup. Do you have a suggestion about which of the many available options besides Windows Backup I could use? The options all claim to be “best”, etc., and I’m not able to separate the marketing hype from the facts. Thank you.

Hiawatha

 

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For what it is worth after Windows backup finishes backing up files it always stays at 97% until image backup is complete.  Takes a while, how long have you let it go?  Wait for an hour maybe and see if it finally finishes.

Also Control Panel>Backup and restore>Create a system image. (See attachment.)

If you can get an image this way I don’t why you can’t using Backup and Restore. But if it works you will at least have a current image of your computer.

 

HP Pavilion Desktop TP01-0050 – 64 bit
Windows 10 Home Version 22H2
OS build 19045.2486
Windows Defender and Windows Firewall
Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019
-Version 2211(Build 15831.20208 C2R)

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Hiawatha

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mpw wrote:

For what it is worth after Windows backup finishes backing up files it always stays at 97% until image backup is complete.  Takes a while, how long have you let it go?  Wait for an hour maybe and see if it finally finishes.

Also Control Panel>Backup and restore>Create a system image. (See attachment.)

If you can get an image this way I don’t why you can’t using Backup and Restore. But if it works you will at least have a current image of your computer.

 

Hiawatha wrote:

For what it is worth after Windows backup finishes backing up files it always stays at 97% until image backup is complete.  Takes a while, how long have you let it go?  Wait for an hour maybe and see if it finally finishes. Also Control Panel>Backup and restore>Create a system image. (See attachment.) If you can get an image this way I don’t why you can’t using Backup and Restore. But if it works you will at least have a current image of your computer.

Thanks mpw. I’ll try it that way and see if it behaves differently.

Alex5723 wrote:

What is your destination drive for the image backup ?

Alex,
Thank you for the question. The backup drive is a Seagate 2TB USB drive in two partitions of 1TB each, (sizes are approximate). File history backup in in partition D: and I had a successful file history backup yesterday. To your specific quesiton, the system image goes into partition J: (where do these drive letters come from? They seem to be automatically assigned). I have 535 gigabytes free in this partition, and somewhere in this process I saw it needed only 335 GB of space for the backup. There are a couple of prior backups in there that were successfully completed, the last one in November 2022.

Hiawatha

 

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Hiawatha wrote:

something was “using my volume” (whatever that means).

If it refers to shadow copy volume (VSS) problem, some of the third party aps use the same shadow copy volume storage as Windows backup and they won’t work either.

Someone here may be able to help you find a third party ap that doesn’t use Windows VSS.

HP Pavilion Desktop TP01-0050 – 64 bit
Windows 10 Home Version 22H2
OS build 19045.2486
Windows Defender and Windows Firewall
Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019
-Version 2211(Build 15831.20208 C2R)

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Hiawatha

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What is your destination drive for the image backup ?

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Hiawatha

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I have had the same issue with it appearing to stall at 97%, you have to just pack your patience.  It will complete, mine always has, but it does give me a panicky feeling. After researching it as you have, I couldn’t find any problems or solutions. I find it’s best to just go do something else, have a coffee, and don’t check on it for a couple of hours. If you have an older computer (as I do), it might just take a lot longer than other people with newer computers are saying theirs take to complete.

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Hiawatha

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Thank you Cijan. Yesterday, I waited up to several hours and it was clearly just “stalled”. I don’t know why there are “waiting points” like 13% 57% or 97%.  However, some have counseled patience and so when I try again, I’ll give it more time, probably overnight.

I’m using a Windows 10 Pro HP Envy with Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4770 CPU @ 3.40GHz, 3401 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s) for  a CPU. There is also 16 GB of ram. Overall, this computer seems to be fast enough for the stuff I do on it, (office apps, no gaming or graphics). However, it is several years old, probably dating back to 2015 or 2016, I’m not sure. So maybe it has reached the end-of-life and needs to be replaced, I can’t really tell. I use “malwarebytes” for an AV in conjunction with the native Windows Defender firewall and additional AV scans, never had any kind of infection on it that I can recall. It’s been generally satisfactory, except the WiFi adapter seems to have “vanished” and I know nobody has gone inside to remove it so there’s that. I use a hardwire ethernet connection for this one anyway.

Hiawatha.

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I use Windows 10 Backup, too. On one of my machines (dating back to 2016), the backup and image-making sometimes takes as long as 4.5 hours and stays at 97% until it finishes.

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Hiawatha

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To everyone who helped me: Thank you so much for this. It makes me wish that I could also help somebody, but afraid I don’t know enough to be of any use. After looking at the replies, and doing DSM and SFC and all that, I started another backup through the “control panel” and went out to do chores/groceries/and a stop at my fav tavern. When I got home, I saw the attached message, telling me the backup was successful.

I don’t know what the problem was, b/c I certainly allowed longer time periods for completion immediately preceeding the successful one, (although I had not tried it from the control panel before b/c I did not know that was an option).

Was I impatient? Yes, I was. I feel that way every time something on my computer just “hangs” without explanation. I remember one of our IT people, (i’m retired) once said to me there was a “problem between the screen and the seat”.  Evidently he continues to be right about that.  Interestingly, The process created a new subdirectory on the backup drive with today’s date, (as compared to prior backups located in a different subdirectory from Nov 2022 when I did the last prior successful backup). Was also prompted to make a “repair disk” so I put a CD into the drive and it created one for me. Funny how CDs seem like old technology now.

I would like to mark this one resolved, I see there is a “resolved” drop-down and perhaps that’s the way so I’ll try that. But to everyone who reached out to help me, THANK YOU!

Hiawatha.

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I would never use a backup product that took that long.

I have used the products in this post and they take around 20 minutes to do a full image and they also allow you to backup files (Documents folder etc) separately.
Free Backup Apps

cheers, Paul

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Hiawatha, Alex5723

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I use Acronis. It takes ~15-20 min. to Backup 100GB of data on C: + 150GB of data on D: creating 90GB backup image file on external SSD..

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Hiawatha

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