How to fix "Error: Device already exists. Device = q:"

[Nathaniel]

I'm adjusting my hobocopy to now use shadowspawn and robocopy and my
first two tests went fine but when I killed the command line script to
then rerun it again later with new options I find that shadowspawn
errors with this info: Error: Device already exists. Device = q:

Here is some vssadmin list information on the computer in question.
Should I find out how to fix it I will include a check in the script
for it

c:\Program Files\Robocopy>VSSADMIN List ShadowStorage
vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line
tool
(C) Copyright 2001-2005 Microsoft Corp.

Shadow Copy Storage association
For volume: (D:)\\?\Volume{7c5976e3-5ebd-11df-be03-806e6f6e6963}\
Shadow Copy Storage volume: (D:)\\?\Volume{7c5976e3-5ebd-11df-
be03-806e6f6e6963}\
Used Shadow Copy Storage space: 0 B (0%)
Allocated Shadow Copy Storage space: 0 B (0%)
Maximum Shadow Copy Storage space: 74.462 GB (15%)

Shadow Copy Storage association
For volume: (C:)\\?\Volume{7ac446ec-5c65-11df-bb7c-806e6f6e6963}\
Shadow Copy Storage volume: (C:)\\?\Volume{7ac446ec-5c65-11df-
bb7c-806e6f6e6963}\
Used Shadow Copy Storage space: 6.559 GB (4%)
Allocated Shadow Copy Storage space: 6.975 GB (4%)
Maximum Shadow Copy Storage space: 7.441 GB (5%)


c:\Program Files\Robocopy>VSSADMIN List volumes
vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line
tool
(C) Copyright 2001-2005 Microsoft Corp.

Volume path: \\?\Volume{7ac446eb-5c65-11df-bb7c-806e6f6e6963}\
Volume name: \\?\Volume{7ac446eb-5c65-11df-bb7c-806e6f6e6963}\
Volume path: D:\
Volume name: \\?\Volume{7c5976e3-5ebd-11df-be03-806e6f6e6963}\
Volume path: C:\
Volume name: \\?\Volume{7ac446ec-5c65-11df-bb7c-806e6f6e6963}\

c:\Program Files\Robocopy>VSSADMIN List Providers
vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line
tool
(C) Copyright 2001-2005 Microsoft Corp.

Provider name: 'Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider 1.0'
Provider type: System
Provider Id: {b5946137-7b9f-4925-af80-51abd60b20d5}
Version: 1.0.0.7


c:\Program Files\Robocopy>VSSADMIN List Shadows
vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line
tool
(C) Copyright 2001-2005 Microsoft Corp.

Contents of shadow copy set ID: {8b283876-3146-4c9a-a632-eef39f3d8132}
Contained 1 shadow copies at creation time: 7/19/2011 10:06:53 AM
Shadow Copy ID: {21f43785-4378-492c-a9f3-217c3e6fc116}
Original Volume: (C:)\\?\Volume{7ac446ec-5c65-11df-
bb7c-806e6f6e6963}\
Shadow Copy Volume: \\?\GLOBALROOT\Device
\HarddiskVolumeShadowCopy133
Originating Machine: itdepartment.archergroup.local
Service Machine: itdepartment.archergroup.local
Provider: 'Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider 1.0'
Type: ClientAccessibleWriters
Attributes: Persistent, Client-accessible, No auto release,
Differential, Auto recovered

Contents of shadow copy set ID: {df98ca7f-2711-4046-b763-d503d2947d08}
Contained 1 shadow copies at creation time: 7/22/2011 10:30:48 AM
Shadow Copy ID: {f952c99e-7858-45b3-a04d-6fccf7ba76db}
Original Volume: (C:)\\?\Volume{7ac446ec-5c65-11df-
bb7c-806e6f6e6963}\
Shadow Copy Volume: \\?\GLOBALROOT\Device
\HarddiskVolumeShadowCopy207
Originating Machine: itdepartment.archergroup.local
Service Machine: itdepartment.archergroup.local
Provider: 'Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider 1.0'
Type: ClientAccessibleWriters
Attributes: Persistent, Client-accessible, No auto release,
Differential, Auto recovered

Contents of shadow copy set ID: {a47398f8-4131-4d65-9634-2e4593dfd88e}
Contained 1 shadow copies at creation time: 7/26/2011 10:24:33 AM
Shadow Copy ID: {06d7fe79-de75-4f5a-b4ca-1a8e760e6b70}
Original Volume: (C:)\\?\Volume{7ac446ec-5c65-11df-
bb7c-806e6f6e6963}\
Shadow Copy Volume: \\?\GLOBALROOT\Device
\HarddiskVolumeShadowCopy303
Originating Machine: itdepartment.archergroup.local
Service Machine: itdepartment.archergroup.local
Provider: 'Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider 1.0'
Type: ClientAccessibleWriters
Attributes: Persistent, Client-accessible, No auto release,
Differential, Auto recovered


c:\Program Files\Robocopy>VSSADMIN LIST WRITERS
vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line
tool
(C) Copyright 2001-2005 Microsoft Corp.

Writer name: 'Task Scheduler Writer'
Writer Id: {d61d61c8-d73a-4eee-8cdd-f6f9786b7124}
Writer Instance Id: {1bddd48e-5052-49db-9b07-b96f96727e6b}
State: [1] Stable
Last error: No error

Writer name: 'VSS Metadata Store Writer'
Writer Id: {75dfb225-e2e4-4d39-9ac9-ffaff65ddf06}
Writer Instance Id: {088e7a7d-09a8-4cc6-a609-ad90e75ddc93}
State: [1] Stable
Last error: No error

Writer name: 'Performance Counters Writer'
Writer Id: {0bada1de-01a9-4625-8278-69e735f39dd2}
Writer Instance Id: {f0086dda-9efc-47c5-8eb6-a944c3d09381}
State: [1] Stable
Last error: No error

Writer name: 'System Writer'
Writer Id: {e8132975-6f93-4464-a53e-1050253ae220}
Writer Instance Id: {2735aa50-5230-4fc1-bf37-e7813f3c852a}
State: [5] Waiting for completion
Last error: No error

Writer name: 'ASR Writer'
Writer Id: {be000cbe-11fe-4426-9c58-531aa6355fc4}
Writer Instance Id: {9242bb17-4787-4573-8ab5-cc6a48a01b22}
State: [1] Stable
Last error: No error

Writer name: 'Shadow Copy Optimization Writer'
Writer Id: {4dc3bdd4-ab48-4d07-adb0-3bee2926fd7f}
Writer Instance Id: {e6f55711-ebd4-4217-b7e6-38abe854ca0a}
State: [1] Stable
Last error: No error

Writer name: 'Registry Writer'
Writer Id: {afbab4a2-367d-4d15-a586-71dbb18f8485}
Writer Instance Id: {238fa922-aa76-4c87-94f1-658d6a0efc4c}
State: [1] Stable
Last error: No error

Writer name: 'COM+ REGDB Writer'
Writer Id: {542da469-d3e1-473c-9f4f-7847f01fc64f}
Writer Instance Id: {0a9a2cae-8471-42d6-8ba1-dfcee13a3e9a}
State: [1] Stable
Last error: No error

Writer name: 'MSSearch Service Writer'
Writer Id: {cd3f2362-8bef-46c7-9181-d62844cdc0b2}
Writer Instance Id: {e2ad43e8-7fa1-4977-a9b8-8333b20089c9}
State: [5] Waiting for completion
Last error: No error

Writer name: 'BITS Writer'
Writer Id: {4969d978-be47-48b0-b100-f328f07ac1e0}
Writer Instance Id: {855e7504-e4a9-48f2-b186-5d9389206363}
State: [1] Stable
Last error: No error

Writer name: 'IIS Metabase Writer'
Writer Id: {59b1f0cf-90ef-465f-9609-6ca8b2938366}
Writer Instance Id: {19cf44ad-e394-467d-9320-af65cc174790}
State: [5] Waiting for completion
Last error: No error

Writer name: 'WMI Writer'
Writer Id: {a6ad56c2-b509-4e6c-bb19-49d8f43532f0}
Writer Instance Id: {808e5429-7810-4bda-a7b5-75c2f9551ebc}
State: [5] Waiting for completion
Last error: No error

I stopped my Volume Shadow copy service as a test but shadowspawn
wouldn't work again. How can I fix this (without restarting)?

[Nathaniel]

I can't search to save my life. Answer is here by Craig. Two bugs are
submitted on this issue: http://groups.google.com/group/shadowspawn-tool/browse_thread/thread/9743d811dc429369

[Craig Andera]

> I can't search to save my life. Answer is here by Craig. Two bugs are
> submitted on this issue: http://groups.google.com/group/shadowspawn-tool/browse_thread/thread/9743d811dc429369

:)

Yep, those are pretty high on our list of stuff to fix. As always, the
first ingredient is going to be finding some time to make the changes!