Windows System Image backup failed - error with remote shared folder - semaphore timeout

[flyingsquirrel]

I’m getting the error shown in the screenshot at the bottom of this post. Here are some important details I think will help:

[ul]
[li]I’m running the “old Windows 7 backup” to make a “system image” of my Win 10 PC.[/li][li]I’m only backing up the main drive with the OS, applications, etc[/li][li]I have another internal m2 drive and an external NAS system but I’m NOT including them in the backup.[/li][li]I have received this error in the past when creating system images, and if I recall, I could sometimes get it to work again by shutting down the computer, restarting, then immediately starting the system image creation.[/li][li]A few times I made the assumption it was my NAS causing issues, and I thought maybe if I continually access files on the NAS while Windows is running the backup, it would keep the NAS “responsive” so when Windows wants to access it’s “available.” (I have NAS hibernation turned off so that doesn’t make sense but I thought “why not try”). So I’d open an application which accesses photos on the NAS, and it seemed like sometimes that worked and let Windows create the system image. It could be coincidental so take it with a grain of salt.[/li][li]Now, it appears that none of the above tactics are working, and I cannot get past this error to get my system image made.[/li][/ul]

Questions:

[ol]
[li]It says it encountered an error when accessing the remote shared folder. If possible I would like to confirm for sure what exactly Windows is referring to by “remote shared folder”…as in, WHICH remote shared folder. I suppose it could be my NAS, but I don’t want to keep making that assumption; I want to know for sure. Also, that would make no sense because the NAS isn’t included in the system image. Anyway, is there a way for me to get a report / log which indicates which remote shared folder so I can pinpoint the culprit?[/li][li]What suggestions or questions do you have to help resolve this issue, aside from the above point?[/li][li]Related question pertaining to backup images: I’ve heard that newer Windows won’t include system image creation at some point. Do you think Macrium Reflect would be a good option for me to start using soon? Also do you think Macrium could bypass the issue I’m experiencing currently?[/li][/ol]

Thank you so much for any help you can provide, I greatly appreciate your generous assistance

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[flyingsquirrel]

Forgot to add that the drive I’m writing the system image to is an HD in a dock connected via USB 3.
As noted, in the past this has worked, so I doubt it has anything to do with that.

[flyingsquirrel]

Well…I just got the backup to work, so I suppose this thread can be marked as resolved.

I am not 100% sure this was the issue, but it seems it may have been that there was already a previous system image on the backup drive.
I moved that system image into a subfolder on the backup drive so Windows wouldn’t see it in the base directory.
Then I ran the system image process and it completed successfully.
My theory is that Windows can only use one file name for system images, so the existing one prevented the new one from being completed.
I must have known this in the past and just forgot it. It’s been a long time since I did a backup, not to mention my memory isn’t what it used to be. ???♂️
Regardless, I’m pretty sure I ran into this issue in the past even when there was not an existing system image there, so it’s all a bit weird.
Anyhow, good for now I guess.

[xrobwx71]

Thanks for letting us know.

[Bruce]

As a test you could try using another image creating software, like Macrium, to make a system image.
See my signature for link.