Converter Standalone uses VSS snapshots to save the state of source volumes during hot cloning of physical and virtual machines that run Windows. VSS snapshots are also used to synchronize the destination virtual machine with the source machine after the initial conversion. Some of the VSS-related issues are inherited in Converter Standalone and can prevent the proper completion of your conversion tasks.

Read the limitations listed in VSS Snapshotting Limitations before you initiate a conversion task.

If your conversion task fails with an VSS-related error message, you can check the table for possible reasons and workarounds.

Table 1. VSS Snapshotting Limitations
VSS Limitations Error Messages Workarounds
For all operating systems that support volume-based cloning, you need at least one NTFS volume for VSS to work. There is no workaround for this limitation.
VSS under Windows Vista and later does not support FAT and FAT32. Deselect all FAT and FAT32 volumes on the View/Edit Options page of the vCenter Converter wizards.
VSS under Windows Server 2008 does not support unformatted or unrecognized volumes.
Failed to create VSS snapshot of source volume. Error code :2147754764 (0x8004230C)
  • Format all unformatted or unrecognized volumes and try the conversion again.
  • Deselect all unformatted or unrecognized volumes while setting up the conversion task in the Data to copy pane of the View/Edit Options page.
If the space in the VSS snapshot storage area is not enough for VSS to create a snapshot, the conversion fails.
Failed to create VSS snapshot of source volume. Error code: 2147754783(0x8004231F)
Clean up the source volumes, especially the system volume and all NTFS volumes, and try to convert the source again.
Importing powered-on Hyper-V sources fails if the following two VSS services are not started or are not operating properly on the source machine:
  • Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider Service
  • Volume Shadow Copy Service
Failed to create VSS snapshot of source volume. Error code: 2147754758 (0x80042306)
  1. Set the starting mode for Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider Service and Volume Shadow Copy Service to Automatic.
  2. Restart the source machine and try cloning it again.