How to Fix VolSnap Error 36 on Windows 10/11?

VolSnap Error 36

Volsnap or Volsnap.sys refers to the Windows system file that is related to Volume Shadow Copy Service. This system file enables you to access core files, hardware, and more during the backup process. Sometimes, you might receive VolSnap error 36 while backing up. Volsnap Event ID 36 indicates that there is not adequate storage space for the shadow copies. If you have the same issue, scroll down to get some workable solutions.

Fully Fixed - Shadow Copies Are Lost During Backup Windows 10/11

What to do if shadow copies are lost during backup? How to get rid of this issue from Windows 10/11? See this guide to get more workarounds!

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How to Fix VolSnap Error 36 on Windows 10/11?

Fix 1: Delete Old Shadow Copies

Sometimes, Windows creates restore points automatically to back up your data. Although these restore points are pretty useful when there is something wrong with your system, old restore points take up some disk space. When your shadow copy storage space is insufficient, you can follow these guidelines to delete old shadow copies to spare more space:

Step 1. Press Win + S to evoke the search bar.

Step 2. Type cmd and then run Command Prompt as an administrator.

Step 3. In the command window, type vssadmin delete shadows /for=c: /oldest and hit Enter to delete the oldest shadow copy of volume C.

Step 4. If you want to remove a specific shadow copy, run the following commands. Make sure to replace the ID with your Contents of shadow copy set ID.

vssadmin delete shadows/ shadow= {ac26ca0b-3acc-45b7-a299-2637f71ad579}

Fix 2: Increase Shadow Storage Space

Another way to free up more shadow storage space is to allocate more manually. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1. Run Command Prompt with administrative rights.

Step 2. Type vssadmin list shadowstorage and hit Enter to display your shadow storage space.

Step 3. To increase the storage space to 10 GB, type the following command and don’t forget to hit Enter. Don’t forget to replace 10 GB with the amount of space you would like to increase.

vssadmin resize shadowstorage /For=C: /On=C: /MaxSize=10GB

Step 4. After the process is done, quit Command Prompt to see if VolSnap error 36 disappears.

Suggestion: Create a Backup with a Hand Tool – MiniTool ShadowMaker

In addition to Windows inbuilt backup utility, there are some free and handy third-party PC backup software such as MiniTool ShadowMaker. This tool is dedicated to making backup plans for individuals and companies. It supports various items like files, folders, systems, partitions, and disks. Now, let’s see how to back up files with it:

Step 1. Download, install, and launch MiniTool ShadowMaker for free.

MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Step 2. Go to Backup > SOURCE > Folders and Files to tick the files you want to backup.

In DESTINATION, you can choose a path to store the backup image file. Here, an external hard drive or USB flash drive is more preferred.

Step 3. Click on Back Up Now to start the process at once or delay the task by hitting Back Up Later. If you choose the latter, you can find the delayed task in the Manage page.

Final Words

This post introduces 2 ways to fix VolSnap 36 by adjusting the shadow storage space. Also, we recommend creating backups with another tool called MiniTool ShadowMaker to safeguard your data. Try it out for free now!