Windows 7 backup error code 0x81000037 "Shadow files cannot be read."

Hello,

 

I have the same problem two days ago. However, I had Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) installed at the beginning when I bought my computer from Dell (Dec 2010) (I did not use McAfee) . Two days ago I ran backup to my network drive as usual and got the error message, but I noticed the MSE detected a threat from java. I decided to uninstall all the downloads within two days ago, and the most important was to run FULL SCAN from MSE. It catched 3 threats from java and removed them. After this, I ran backup again and it worked beautifully. I hope this experience will help someone when I post my response.

My computer is a Dell desktop, i-5, Windows 7 Ultimate, My network drive is Seagate connected to Linksys E3000.

Note 1: I regularly update MSE to the latest.

Note 2: I've gone through the so-called 'reparse points' and no success.

Note 3: The download ones that I uninstalled all came from Apple (please do not get me wrong that I don't like Apple. I just wanted to test in all circumstances.)  

Exactly the same issue, and same solution: run Full scan in MSE (which finds some "malware" that is javea related) and uninstall java, then worked fine!

I have tried all the solutions above and in other threads, I'm sure they all helped but I kept getting 0x81000037 error UNTIL I found this:

http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm

I solved the very same problem by installing a partition manager (Easeus's Free one) and enlarging the standard 100 MB hidden boot partition to 300 MB (any value under 500 MB will do). That was accomplished by shrinking the C partition by 200 MB, moving it up over the unallocated space created on the right (in a linear representation of partitions starting with the hidden one to the left). Then the unallocated space "moved" to the left so I could expand the hidden boot partition.

It appears that Shadow Copy cannot work properly if available space on any drive is less than 40%.

Maybe this worked because my downloads, music, pictures folders became too large for shadow copy to process in the 100mb partition? Whatever, the 300mb partition has cured it for now and if Backup fails again in future I can extend it some more.

Best wishes, Tim

I worked around this  0x81000037 network backup problem by

1. Removing all personal data folders from the backup
2. Mapping my network drive

I think (1) is mainly responsible for fixing the problem since my data folders contain zip files. If MS backup can't deal with that it's not fit or purpose as a general backup tool, and so I use it exclusively for all the application & system stuff on a weekly basis, and use GoodSync for data backup on a live basis (i.e. mirrored copy on the network drive) - it's so much better, quicker and robust.

Well thank you very much for this information.

We couldn't wait for it so we called the shop where windows 7 got installed.

They gave us the tip to put of the programs running on the background, yes including the antivirus (you can just pull out your cable), and then run the backup again.

It worked soo we're fine now I think.

Allthough thanks for the response!

Hi,

Welcome to Microsoft Answers!

If the reparse point points to a location that contains any compressed file format (multimedia files, .zip files, and so on), you receive this error message.

To work around this problem, remove this reparse point from the library, and then run the backup wizard again. To back up content for this reparse point, select the absolute path of this location from the Windows Backup configuration user interface.

For further information, visit the below mentioned link:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/973455

For information on Reparse Point and its operations you can refer the below mentioned links.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa365503(VS.85).aspx

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa365507(VS.85).aspx

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa365505(VS.85).aspx 

You can also  perform a scan on your computer; you can do this by going to http://www.safety.live.com

 Perform a scan for a spyware or malware on your computer using this software,

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

Important Note: This response contains a reference to a third party World Wide Web site. Microsoft is providing this information as a convenience to you. Microsoft does not control these sites and has not tested any software or information found on these sites; therefore, Microsoft cannot make any representations regarding the quality, safety, or suitability of any software or information found there.

There are inherent dangers in the use of any software found on the Internet, and Microsoft cautions you to make sure that you completely understand the risk before retrieving any software from the Internet.

Download and install the malware bytes in safe mode with networking, then scan the computer and remove the infected objects, restart the computer

 Thanks and regards

 Fouzan – Microsoft support

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