Are you getting virtual disk service error when trying to run DiskPart? This can be a very frustrating problem, but luckily it’s easy to fix. In this article, I will guide you through the steps to fix this problem. This is a technical article for virtual machine users. But first, some definitions in case you’re new to virtual operating systems.
A virtual machine (VM) is a digital version of a physical computer. Virtual machine software can run programs and operating systems, store data, connect to networks, and perform other computing functions, and requires maintenance such as updates and system monitoring. The main purpose of virtual machines is to run multiple operating systems at the same time, from the same hardware.
A virtual hard disk (VHD) is a disk image file format for storing the entire contents of a computer’s hard disk. The disk image, sometimes called a virtual machine (VM), replicates an existing hard disk, including all data and structural elements. It is important to note that the VHD is a backup copy of your disk drive.
What is Virtual Disk Service?
Virtual Disk Service is a Windows service that manages and provides information about virtual disks. This service is required for many disk management related tasks, such as creating or extending a volume.
In the Windows 2000 era, each storage device manufacturer offered its own application to install and manage its devices. Therefore, if users have different types of storage devices on their computer system, they should use separate applications. Managing disks and partitions has become difficult because of this.
Virtual Disk Service (VDS) was created in Windows Server 2003 to solve the management problem. VDS is a set of application programming interfaces that include Disk Management snap-in, DiskPart command-line tool, and DiskRAID command-line tool, which provides a unified interface for disk management .
VDS eliminates the need to use multiple storage applications to manage various storage devices. Instead, any hardware with a VDS hardware provider can be managed using the same compatible storage application.
Why are you getting a virtual disk service error?
There are several reasons why you may get virtual disk service error.
- The most common reason is that the service is not working.
- Another common problem is that the security descriptor of the VDS registry key is corrupted. This can happen if you recently installed or uninstalled a third-party storage app.
- The VDS dynamic link library (DLL) may be damaged or missing. This is usually caused by malware or a virus.
- The storage device is not compatible with VDS.
- You do not have the appropriate permissions to manage the storage device.
- The storage device is in use by another process.
Common DiskPart virtual disk service errors and their solutions
The DiskPart Virtual Disk Service error can occur due to various circumstances. We will list all the errors and their solutions with.
In most solutions, you will need to use third-party applications such as EaseUS Partition Master or Minitool Partition Wizard.
Error #1: Cleaning is not allowed on the disk containing the current boot, system, pagefile, crash dump, or hibernation volume
While confirming the DiskPart clean command on the system disk, if you receive the following error message, this solution is for you:
“Virtual Disk Service Error: Scrubbing is not allowed on the disk containing the current boot, system, pagefile, crash dump, or hibernate volume.”
This error is caused by trying to clean up the system disk. You cannot use the DiskPart clean command on the current boot, system, pagefile, crash dump, or hibernate volume. To fix this error and use DiskPart clean command successfully, you will need to create a bootable disk using EaseUS Partition Master. This will allow you to boot your system with external media and clean up your system partition.
Here are the steps for that:
- Create a disc or hard drive. You will need a storage medium, such as a USB flash drive or CD/DVD disc, to create a bootable EaseUS partition master disc. Properly connect the device to your computer. Then from the top menu bar choose “WinPE Creator”. Select it to continue.
- When you select a drive, your computer detects the connected device and indicates whether it is a USB device or a CD/DVD. If you don’t have a storage device, you can also save the ISO file to a local drive and then burn it to storage media later. Once you have chosen an option, click “Continue”.
- Connect WinPE bootable disk to PC. Restart your computer and press the Esc button several times to enter the BIOS. Set it so that the PC boots from “Removable Devices” or “CD-ROM Drive” instead of the hard drive. Press “F10” to save and exit the BIOS menu.
- Install and open EaseUS Partition Master. Select the hard drive or solid state drive to erase. Then right-click and select “Clear data”.
- Set the number of times to erase data. You can only set it to 10 at a time. Then press “OK”.
- A message box will appear telling you that “A computer would restart after wiping the disk is recommended”. Click “OK” to continue.
- To start erasing data, click “Execute Operation” and then “Apply”.
Error #2: The volume size is too large
The following error message may appear when trying to format a partition to FAT32 using DiskPart:
“Virtual Disk Service Error: The volume size is too large. »
If you get this error, the size of the disk you are trying to format is probably larger than 32 GB. Windows does not support formatting a device beyond 32 GB in FAT32 due to the system limitation of files. You have two choices to solve this problem, either use a third-party tool like EaseUS Partition Master to format the drive to FAT32 file system, or you can format the drive to another format such as NTFS or exFAT. To do this, follow these steps:
- In the Windows search box, type Disk Management and launch it.
- Right-click on the disk and choose Format.
- Choose a volume label, file system (like NTFS), and allocation size. Click OK to format.
Error #3: There is not enough usable space for this operation
If you receive the message “Virtual Disk Service Error: There is not enough usable space for this operation”. this may be because there is no unused free space or not enough unallocated space available on a hard drive for some specific operation, such as extending a partition or creating new partitions. a primary partition using the DiskPart utility.
The solution is to reduce the volume:
- In the Windows search box, type Disk Management and launch it.
- Right-click on the disk and choose Shrink Volume.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to lower the volume.
Error #4: The service failed to initialize
Normally, the Virtual Disk Service automatically launches on a Windows PC. However, sometimes it may fail to start or fail to initialize. In such a scenario, you will get the following error:
“Virtual Disk Service Error: The service failed to initialize.”
To fix the error, you need to start the VDS service, from Windows services. Here are the steps for that:
- In the Windows search box, type Services and click its icon to launch Windows Services.
- Find Virtual Disk Service and double-click it.
- Click the Start button to start the Virtual Disk Service.
Conclusion – some questions
Windows DiskPart is a powerful command-line tool you can use to manage partitions on your hard drive. However, sometimes you may encounter errors when trying to use it. In this article, I have provided solutions to some of the most common DiskPart errors.
How to Fix Invalid Parameter DiskPart Error?
If you get the error “DiskPart encountered an error: the parameter is incorrect”, it may be because you are trying to clean up a drive that is in use. To solve this problem, you must first unmount the drive and then run the clean command.
How to Fix Virtual Disk Service Error in Windows Server 2008?
If you get the error “Virtual Disk Service Error: The service failed to initialize”, it may be because the Virtual Disk Service is not running. To solve this problem, you need to start the VDS service from Windows Services.
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George Cox is the owner of Computer Diagnostics and Repair. He can be reached at 346-4217.
