The volume shadow copy operation failed with error 0x800423F0

This message showed up in the Windows Server backup console when the backup job is initiated. In the cmdlet when you run the command vssadmin list writers the SPSearch4 VSS Writer shows in a failed state.

Writer name: ‘SPSearch4 VSS Writer’
Writer Id: {35500004-0201-0000-0000-000000000000}
Writer Instance Id: {34a1fd6e-667d-4671-a551-2d4689c4e508}
State: [8] Failed
Last error: Inconsistent shadow copy

More Symptoms:

Event Viewer

Log Name: Application
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Backup
Date: 5/5/2012 12:36:46 AM
Event ID: 521
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords:
User: SYSTEM
Computer: xxx.xxx.local
Description:
The backup operation that started at ‘‎2012‎-‎05‎-‎05T04:36:27.540000000Z’ has failed because the Volume Shadow Copy Service operation to create a shadow copy of the volumes being backed up failed with following error code ‘2155348129’. Please review the event details for a solution, and then rerun the backup operation once the issue is resolved.

Screenshot from the Windows Server Backup Console

Solution:

The SharePoint services writer is waiting for completion.  Did you install any SharePoint updates lately?  (It could be due to the Sharepoint SP 1). If this is installed, then you need to fix SharePoint before your backup will work.

1. Open an Administrative command prompt.
2. Change directory to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\14\BIN
3. Run PSConfig.exe -cmd upgrade -inplace b2b -force -cmd applicationcontent -install -cmd installfeatures

Try to run a backup after running this command. Exceptionally the server might be needed a restart otherwise we are good to after running this command.