Block Based Transfer Method selection fails with an Error: "VSS snapshots are required in order to perform Block Based transfers"

During the initial job configuration after workload discovery, an error which states: "VSS snapshots are required in order to perform Block Based transfers" is displayed upon selecting the Block Based option in the Transfer Method section of the Replication Settings

By default, "EarliestWindowsVersionForCommonInventory" is set to "5.2" which means that for Windows 2003 (whose internal number is "5.2") and up, PlateSpin will use the new discovery mechanism also known as Common Inventory. Kindly refer below for the Windows versions and their corresponding internal number

- Windows 8.1; Windows Server 2012 R2 = 6.3

- Windows 8; Windows Server 2012 = 6.2

- Windows 7; Windows Server 2008 R2 = 6.1

- Windows Server 2008; Windows Vista = 6.0

- Windows Server 2003 R2; Windows Server 2003; Windows Home Server; Windows XP Professional X64 Edition = 5.2

- Windows XP = 5.1

- Windows 2000 = 5.0

To work around this issue, set the value of the "EarliestWindowsVersionForCommonInventory" parameter in the PlateSpin Configuration to "5.2" and then rediscover the source server

OR

You can edit the XML file of the source machine in the PlateSpin Browser by adding the following lines below the <systemCacheFileList /> tag

<volumeShadowService>

<providers>

<provider>

<id>{b5946137-7b9f-4925-af80-51abd60b20d5}</id>

<name>Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider 1.0</name>

<version>1.0.0.7</version>

</provider>

</providers>

</volumeShadowService>

There could be some variations in the XML file that you have to be aware of. For instance:

<machines:systemCacheFileList />

Add the lines below including the prefix "machines:"

<machines:volumeShadowService>

<machines:providers>

<machines:provider>

<machines:id>{b5946137-7b9f-4925-af80-51abd60b20d5}</machines:id>

<machines:name>Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider 1.0</machines:name>

<machines:version>1.0.0.7</machines:version>

</machines:provider>

</machines:providers>

</machines:volumeShadowService>

OR it could also be in this instance:

<q1:systemCacheFileList />

Add the lines below including the prefix "q1:"

<q1:volumeShadowService>

<q1:providers>

<q1:provider>

<q1:id>{b5946137-7b9f-4925-af80-51abd60b20d5}</q1:id>

<q1:name>Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider 1.0</q1:name>

<q1:version>1.0.0.7</q1:version>

</q1:provider>

</q1:providers>

</q1:volumeShadowService>

In some cases, using the old discovery mechanism can cause the snapshot transfer method provider to be not recognized, thus throwing VSS snapshot error during job configuration.