Macrium Reflect Broken Pipe Error: A Comprehensive Guide to Resolving the Issue

When using Macrium Reflect, users may encounter a frustrating error known as the 'broken pipe' or 'VSS_E_INSUFFICIENT_STORAGE' error. This error is characterized by an error code of 0x8004231f and is typically accompanied by the message 'Failed to create volume snapshot.' If you're experiencing this issue, don't worry – it's often caused by a simple misconfiguration that can be easily resolved.

One common cause of the broken pipe error is the allocation of drive letters to small partitions. This can occur when you inadvertently assign a drive letter to the Microsoft System Reserved (MSR) partition or an OEM utility partition, such as those found on DELL systems. Ordinarily, these partitions do not have drive letters assigned to them, and allocating one can cause problems with Microsoft's Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS).

Another possible cause of the broken pipe error is insufficient shadow storage space. This is used by both system restore points and Macrium Reflect for its backup and imaging capabilities. If you have too many restore points on your system or have inadvertently allocated a drive letter to the MSR partition, it can lead to a lack of available shadow storage space.

Fortunately, there are two simple solutions to resolve the broken pipe error:

Solution 1: Remove Unnecessary Drive Letters

To resolve the issue, you need to remove any unnecessary drive letters that may be allocated to small partitions. This is typically done by right-clicking on the partition in question and selecting 'Change drive letter or path.' From there, you can select the 'Remove' option to eliminate the drive letter.

Solution 2: Increase Shadow Storage Space

If removing drive letters does not resolve the issue, the next step is to increase the available shadow storage space. This can be done by deleting any unnecessary system restore points or freeing up disk space on your system. You can also consider increasing the size of your system partition to provide more room for shadow storage.

In conclusion, the broken pipe error in Macrium Reflect is often caused by a simple misconfiguration that can be easily resolved. By removing unnecessary drive letters and increasing available shadow storage space, you should be able to resolve the issue and continue using Macrium Reflect without any issues.

Macrium reflect broken pipe error