Windows 10 backups always fail

Factual Questions
1

I have set the Windows 10 built-in backup utility to make automatic file backups. I always get error messages that the “last backup did not complete successfully”, or words to that effect.

Today I attempted to do a system image backup; it also failed. The error message:

“Volume shadow copy service operation failed. Try checking the VSS and SPP application event logs for more information”.

"The writer experienced a transient failure. If the backup process is retried, the error may not reoccur. " (wrong.)

I Googled the issue, and found a fix, which I tried, but it didn’t work. (It involved going into “Windows Administrative Tools”, and “Services” and restarting the SPP Service)

Much of the information I found on this issue is several years out of date, so it may be of no use to me. I am running the latest version of Windows 10 Professional.

2

Use third party backups. I use Macrium Reflect to make a disk image of my C drive and Syncback Free to make data backups (both free):

3

If you’re okay with not have an actual image, Google Backup & Sync works very well. Tell it which folders to keep synced and everything you do in those folders is reflected in the cloud within a few minutes.

4

Thanks for the replies. My next question was going to be if I used third party backup software, would I still get these error messages.

My ultimate goal:
Make a backup or image of my C drive, which is an HDD, onto an external USB drive.
Replace my HDD “C” drive with an SSD drive.
restore the image to the new SSD drive.

5

You might need to do a repair “installation” of Windows, in effect, rewriting the core rules to correct any errors on the hard drive.

6

I ran chkdsk, and it said the disk was fine.

7

Same here. I’m still on Win7, Backup never worked right from the start.