Win7 Backup not working
When I try to back up my files using Win7 backup and restore I am receiving error code 0x81000031. It tells me BitLocker Drive Encryption cannot be used because critical BitLocker files are missing or corrupted. Is there a way to not use BitLocker during back-up? BitLocker is not currently enabled on my PC.
June 7th, 2009 2:30am

Breanne,Were you doing a file backup or an Image?
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June 7th, 2009 8:34pm

The default Windows Backup settings (if you choose during backup to "Let Windows Decide For Me") includes an image of the Windows startup disk on the backup. I believe this is what causes the problems with Bit Locker if your Windows system disk is bit locker protected but your backup isn't. If instead of choosing "Let Windows Choose For Me" on what to backup, you choose "Decide Myself" you will be taken to a screen where you can uncheck "Include Windows Image on the Backup" which solves the problem of backing up from a bitlocker protected drive to a non-bit locker protected drive.Another approach is to bitlocker the backup drive. I worry that that could cause problems, though, if I get another machine (e.g. because this one dies) and need to resotore the Documents, Pictures, etc.
June 25th, 2009 1:18am

A file backup. BitLocker is not enabled on my PC or external device.
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June 30th, 2009 9:38pm

Same here. It failed with and without Bitlocker and with or without the system image option enabled.William (Bill) Vaughn -- Mentor, Author, Dad and MVP
August 19th, 2009 6:22pm

NOT The answer.William (Bill) Vaughn -- Mentor, Author, Dad and MVP
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August 19th, 2009 6:23pm

Hi,Thanks for reporting this issue! We have been seeing considerable number of hits for this error and are unable to get a local repro for this. Really appreciate ifyou couldgive usthe following details to investigate this issue. 1. Which build are you running? Where did you install this build from? Is it a clean install or an upgrade?2. Screenshot of your disk management UI. Run-> diskmgmt.msc3. Contents of <<SystemDrive>>\Windows\Logs\WindowsBackup4. Contents of <<SystemDrive>>\Users\<<UserName>>\Appdata\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries. Replace <<UserName>> with every user on your machine. Note:This path is hidden. Please enable hidden files in Explorer before navigating to them. These files when double clicked will open the actuallibraries. But do not worry; they are only the library definition files and are small in size. Please zip and email2, 3 and 4and info required in 1 to me at sneham_at_microsoft_dot_com (Remove underscores and replace words with characters). Thanks a lot!-Sneha[MSFT]
September 7th, 2009 2:57pm

I am having the same issue (same error code) though it is working fine with default settings on my portable pc, but not on my workstation. 1. Workstation is Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit clean install RTM release (from MAPS subscription) and Portable is Windows 7 Professional 64-bit clean install also RTM release from MAPS. 2, 3 and 4 emailed to you, Sneha. If I change what to backup and only select e.g. a normal directory on the C-drive e.g. C:\ATI\, then the backup works. I also tried to disable system image creation but that does not work either. BitLocker is not enabled on either pc nor on the backup drive (internal).
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September 18th, 2009 12:40am

Hi,We have seen this error occur when locations on a CD/DVD drive on your machine have got included in one of your user libraries. This is not possible directly but there is a chance that you added locations from an internal/external drive to your library and the drive later got deleted/renamed and the driveletter now represents a CD/DVD drive. Please remove such locations from your library and re-run backup. For example, suppose F:\ is a CD/DVD drive on your machine. And, User John's Music library has some location under F:\ included in it. (Note: Launching the library and clicking on 'Locations' will give you the list of locations including in the library.) Remove F:\ locations from the Music library.This should fix your backup error. Please let us know if this helps.Thanks,Sneha[MSFT]
September 25th, 2009 10:06am

For example, suppose F:\ is a CD/DVD drive on your machine. And, User John's Music library has some location under F:\ included in it. (Note: Launching the library and clicking on 'Locations' will give you the list of locations including in the library.) Remove F:\ locations from the Music library. This helped me in determining the problem. I had added additional locations to the Libraries folders from an external HDD. I then changed the drive letter for the HDD and so the location in the Libraries folder were pointing to an invalid location. So I made sure all the locations were valid and the backup ran smoothly. Thanks for the help.
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October 24th, 2009 4:43pm

For example, suppose F:\ is a CD/DVD drive on your machine. And, User John's Music library has some location under F:\ included in it. (Note: Launching the library and clicking on 'Locations' will give you the list of locations including in the library.) Remove F:\ locations from the Music library. This helped me in determining the problem.I had added additional locations to the Libraries folders from an external HDD. I then changed the drive letter for the HDD and so the location in the Libraries folder were pointing to an invalid location.So I made sure all the locations were valid and the backup ran smoothly.Thanks for the help. I recenly ran intothis problem with my system backup. It turned out to be thatthe library location for "Music" was pointed to my external HDD that I recently encryptedwith TrueCrypt verstion 6.3. I removed "Music" from the list of locations to backup and now the backup completes.
November 23rd, 2009 6:08pm

Me too! I suggest to review library locations of all users. Surely you will find an invalid location.Kind regards.
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January 3rd, 2010 11:53pm

Has this problem been solved? Backup was working a month ago. Since then, there was a big Windows update. Did that cause the problem?
January 3rd, 2011 7:08pm

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