Volume Shadow Service component error 0x80042302

[ursularuth]

Some time ago I installed WinCleaner on my pc (which I had been successfully using for the previous decade on various machines) and obviously managed to damage/delete some key registry entries, as when I try to access various functions as an administrator (most notably trying to open Services) I get a message:

C:\Windows\system32\services.msc
Windows cannot access the specified device, path or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.

I've also lost the option to change start menu/control panel etc to Classic View - the option just isn't there any more.

So I tried to do a System Restore but there are no restore points and when I try to create one I get another message:

The restore point could not be created for the following reason:
A Volume Shadow Copy Service component encountered an unexpected error. Check the Application event log for more information. (0x80042302)

I assume the problem is all connected but have no idea what to try, short of doing a "reset to factory settings" which I'm loathe to do in case anything goes wrong - if it will even work!

Any ideas for the fairly non-technical?

 

[richc46]

Welcome
All that we can do is give our best guess of the cause. I think that in your case your cleaner has made detrimental changes to the registry and it has to be restored. I would go back to before the problem with a system restore. After its fixed, I would no longer the cleaner that has caused the problem in Seven. The fact that it worked in the past has no bearing on the present.
If you are having a problem with System restore try in safe mode. If you do try in safe mode there is no option to return to where you started from.

 

[wanchoo]

Google shows that this problem is quite widespread. One of the comprehensive solutions found on Googling is below.

i. Check whether Volume Shadow Copy Service, System Restore Service is started and Set to Automatic

1. Type Services.msc in Start Menu search box, hit Enter.
2. Make sure that the Volume Shadow Copy Service is Running and set on Automatic.
3. If the Status of System Restore Service is not Started, Start it. Also set it on Automatic if it is not.
4. Restart your computer and try to do a system restore.

ii. Check how the computer works in safe mode. If the computer works fine in safe mode, then do a clean boot. The procedure to do a clean boot is at How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista or in Windows 7

iii. Run the System File Checker (SFC.exe) to make sure system files are intact. Follow the steps below.

1. Click Start, and then type cmd in the Start Search box.
2. Right-click cmd in the Programs list, and then click Run as administrator. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type your password or click Continue
3. At the command prompt, type "sfc /scannow" without the inverted commas and then press Enter.

If all the above fails then the only option left would be to start again by clean reinstalling Windows 7 and then staying away from WinCleaner.

 

[HammerHead]

Question

Are you able to access the services panel? If not maybe we can fix that.

 

[ursularuth]

Thanks for all the advice - it looks like I will have to do a clean install, as part of the problem is that I can't do a system restore (even though the system says it is active) and I can't access the Services panel to check anything else.

Any ideas how to access the service panel would be useful!

 

[HammerHead]

Bat File

This is a bat file to repair WMI. It came from Windows Seven Forums. I cant find it now in the tutorials so I will zip it up and attach. It might work for you.

1. Unzip the file.
2. It is a txt file. Open it and edit out the comments at the end of the file.
3. Save the edited file as a .bat file.
4. Right click and run as admin.

This might repair corrupted WBEM files. I would try a reboot after running it.

View attachment 201976

 

[ursularuth]

Thanks, I'll give this a go.