Windows 11 All 22H2 Builds explorer.exe Previous Versions / Shadowcopy broken for local drives, NtFsControlFile failed error 1450 ntdll.dll/kernel32.dll

Question

First noticed with 22621.105, and then tested with all builds up to 22621.436: Explorer "Previous Versions" tab shows no previous versions for local drives:

But when checking with vssadmin I see that those shadowcopys are there ! They are just inaccessible.

Using my own tool from https://github.com/Joachim-Otahal/Windows-ShadowCopy I can see which exact call failed, it is NtFsControlFile with Error 1450. This is the same call explorer.exe uses.

Can this be checked please?

I reported each time to insider feedback:

The feedback hub links are (chronological):

https://aka.ms/AAhhfuw 22621.105 where I first noticed the problem
https://aka.ms/AAhh88j 22621.160
https://aka.ms/AAhhlr7 22621.169
https://aka.ms/AAhhlr5 22621.290
https://aka.ms/AAhiia4 22621.436

I reported to https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/forum/all/windows-11-22621-shadowcopy-previous-versions/3df7b9e4-2aca-4ac1-85b3-0fd9a631781f and so on, until I finally got redirected to this place here. I hope someone ar Microsoft finally notices the problem and fixes it with the next update, or at least before it is rolled out to public.

I will switch back to 22000.795 now, 'cause I rely HEAVILY on ShadowCopy on top of my regular normal backups.

kind regards,

Joachim Otahal

Answer 1

Th bug has creeped over to the newest insider build 25336.1000 as well, albeit with different error in either kernel32.dll or ntdll.dll. This is bad... https://aka.ms/AAkaril

Answer 2

Build 22631.1825 German, build 23466 German and build 25375 German: Still broken.

Insider Feedback: https://aka.ms/AAkz5wa

Update: A fresh installed build 25375.1 ENGLISH: Works! Is this a localization problem? Nope, a fresh 25375.1 German works as well, but not when upgraded from 22H2 German. WTH?

A fresh installed build 23466.1001 ENGLISH: Fails!

Answer 3

Build 23511.1000 : Bug is still there. This is so disappointing.

And another bug, not related to this one: The mouse cursors don't change when trying to resize a window. This makes using Windows 11 really difficult.

Feedback links:

https://aka.ms/AAlvj4d

feedback-hub:?contextid=395&feedbackid=8f257305-62c9-4186-a1a2-1e46c235b240&form=1&src=1

Answer 4

The bug made it into the release version of Windows 11 23H2 :D -

I hope it will be fixed soon.

Usual screenshot: My tool with the exact error, vssadmin proving that there is a snapshot, and the empty previous version. Windows 11 21H2 and all previous Windows versions down to Windows XP SP2 don't have that issue.

It is difficult to be without Shadowcopy / snapshots if you used them since Windows XP SP2.

Answer 5

Build 22631.3371 Release Preview, released yesterday: Fixed. After 1 year and 9 Month. Finally I can upgrade, still stuck at 21h2 (which doesn't get updates any more since October 2023, but I cannot live without shadowcopy)

https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/03/21/releasing-windows-11-builds-22621-3371-and-22631-3371-to-the-release-preview-channel/