Exact Errors:

An error was encountered while attempting to browse the contents of System State.  A failure occurred accessing the Writer Metadata.

(Figure 1)
 


An error was encountered while attempting to browse the contents of Shadow Copy Components .A failure occurred accessing the Writer Metadata

(Figure 2)
 


Check the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) writer status by running the command VSSADMIN LIST WRITERS. For additional information refer to the Related Documents section.


In some cases running the VSSADMIN LIST WRITERS command returns no writers or writer status:

(Figure 3)
 


The following Event ID is observed in the Application Log


Event Type: Error
Event Source: VSS
Event Category: None
Event ID: 12302
Date: 5/3/2008
Time: 6:14:13 PM
User: N/A
Computer: SERVERA
Description:
Volume Shadow Copy Service error: An internal inconsistency was detected in trying to contact shadow copy service writers.  Please check to see that the Event Service and Volume Shadow Copy Service are operating properly.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 2d 20 43 6f 64 65 3a 20   - Code:
0008: 42 55 45 43 58 4d 4c 43   BUECXMLC
0010: 30 30 30 30 37 32 38 33   00007283
0018: 2d 20 43 61 6c 6c 3a 20   - Call:
0020: 42 55 45 43 58 4d 4c 43   BUECXMLC
0028: 30 30 30 30 37 32 31 39   00007219
0030: 2d 20 50 49 44 3a 20 20   - PID:  
0038: 30 30 30 30 32 34 30 30   00002400
0040: 2d 20 54 49 44 3a 20 20   - TID:  
0048: 30 30 30 30 30 31 39 36   00000196
0050: 2d 20 43 4d 44 3a 20 20   - CMD:  
0058: 22 43 3a 5c 50 72 6f 67   "C:\Prog
0060: 72 61 6d 20 46 69 6c 65   ram File
0068: 73 5c 53 79 6d 61 6e 74   s\Symant
0070: 65 63 5c 42 61 63 6b 75   ec\Backu
0078: 70 20 45 78 65 63 5c 52   p Exec\R
0080: 41 57 53 5c 62 65 72 65   AWS\bere
0088: 6d 6f 74 65 2e 65 78 65   mote.exe
0090: 22 20 20 20 20 20 20 20   "      
0098: 2d 20 55 73 65 72 3a 20   - User:
00a0: 53 45 52 56 45 52 41 5c   SERVERA\
00a8: 41 64 6d 69 6e 69 73 74   Administ
00b0: 72 61 74 6f 72 20 20 20   rator  
00b8: 2d 20 53 69 64 3a 20 20   - Sid:  
00c0: 53 2d 31 2d 35 2d 32 31   S-1-5-21
00c8: 2d 31 31 39 30 32 34 39   -1190249
00d0: 38 39 38 2d 32 37 38 34   898-2784
00d8: 33 31 36 33 38 35 2d 32   316385-2
00e0: 35 31 37 39 37 39 33 37   51797937
00e8: 35 2d 35 30 30 20 20 20   5-500  


Resolution:

Perform the steps in the following Microsoft Article:

 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940184