The VSS service is shutting down due to idle timeout

For some users, VSS aka Volume Shadow Copy Service is not running on their Windows 11/10 computers. And when they tried probing the issue in Event Viewer, they find out that the error message was The VSS service is shutting down due to idle timeout. In this article, we are going to take the investigation a step further and see what can be done to resolve the issue.

What is The VSS service is shutting down due to idle timeout?

The error message indicates that the VSS Service is not working on your computer the way it should. There are multiple reasons for that, the most common is that the service itself is not started or, starts and shuts down due to some reason.

Also, the issue can occur because of corrupted system files, there are many reasons why the files got corrupted, improper shutdown is an obvious one. However, there are ways to fix corrupted system files, we are going to see a bunch of them. We are also going to see some other things, so, let us buckle up and see how the error can be resolved.

The VSS service is shutting down due to idle timeout

If you are seeing the error message “The VSS service is shutting down due to idle timeout“, then check out the following solutions to resolve the issue.

1. Configure the VSS Service
2. Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Service
3. Repair Corrupted System Files
4. Troubleshoot in Clean Boot
5. Perform System Restore

Let us talk about them in detail.

1] Configure the VSS Service

By default, the Volume Shadow Copy Service should be set to Manual. We are going to use Services Manager, which lists all the services running on your computer, to configure the service in question. So, follow the prescribed steps to do the same.

1. Open Services by searching it out of the Start Menu.
2. Look for Volume Shadow Copy service.
3. Right-click on the service and select Properties.
4. If you see it as Disabled, then change the Startup type to Manual.
5. Click Apply > Ok.

Next click on the Start button to see if the Service starts.

Read: Use Vssadmin command-line to manage VSS.

2] Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Service

Using Services Managre, you should also ensure that the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Service is set to Automatic and Started.

3] Repair Corrupted System Files

Your system files can get corrupted causing the issue in question. We won’t go into the details of why your files got corrupted in the first place, just make sure to not directly turn off the power button to shut down the system. To repair system files, there are various methods, we are going to use some commands to do the same. Open Command Prompt as an administrator from the Start Menu, and execute the System File Checker command.  The command will scan your system files and repair them.

The following is the SFC command.

sfc /scannow

If running SFC is to no avail, execute the DISM or Deployment Image Servicing and Management command. The following is the DISM command.

Dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth
Dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

Once you are done with that, restart your system and check if the issue persists.

3] Troubleshoot in Clean Boot

There could be processes that may be interfering with the VSS service directly or indirectly. What we need to do is perform Clean Boot, and then troubleshoot the issue manually.

Clean-boot troubleshooting is designed to isolate a performance problem. To perform clean-boot troubleshooting, you must take a number of actions, and then restart the computer after each action. You may need to manually disable one item after another to try and pinpoint the one that is causing the problem. Once you have identified the offender, you can consider removing or disabling it.

4] Perform System Restore

System Restore Point helps the user to dial the system back to the point in time when the issue was not occurring. What we need to do is to restore your system when the issue was not happening. Follow the given steps to do the same and see if that works.

1. Search out “System Restore Point” from the Start Menu and open it
2. ClickSystem Restore.
3. Select a Restore Point and click Next.
4. Follow the on-screen instruction to perform a restore.

Hopefully, your issue will be resolved.

TIP: This post will help you if you face VSSVC.exe high disk usage issue.

How do you fix VSS errors?

There are a lot of VSS errors, so, you need to identify which one you are facing before trying to fix it, we have mentioned some of the most common VSS errors hereinafter. But if you are facing the error message in question, then try the solutions mentioned in this article. However, you may want to update your computer before that and see if that works. It is not an actual solution but can help in some cases. Once you are done with that, move to the troubleshooting guide.

Some Common VSS Errors.

• Volume Shadow Copy Service component encountered error 0x80042302
• Fix VSS Error Code 0x8004231f on Windows 11/10.