Creating a Writable VSS Snapshot

By default a Volume Shadow Copy snapshot is Read-Only. So when you create a new volume (purevol copy) you cannot modify the volume. Below are the steps to make the VSS snapshot writable.

The steps show end-to-end how to:

  • Connect to the FlashArray,
  • Locate a VSS snapshot
  • Create a new volume
  • Connect new volume to host
  • Then clear read-only attribute

$FlashArray = New-PfaArray -EndPoint 1.1.1.1 -Username pursuer -IgnoreCertificateError

PS>Get-PfaVolumeSnapshot -Array $FlashArray -SnapshotName *VSS*                                                         

source  : ch2-barkz-02-data3
serial  : 45084F3508BF4614000160CC
created : 4/19/2019 2:03:23 AM
name    : ch2-barkz-02-data3.VSS-A3251DC17C5643F8BBD80D00E4390483
size    : 1099511627776

PS>New-PfaVolume -Array $FlashArray -VolumeName vss_writeable -Source ch2-barkz-02-data3.VSS-A3251DC17C5643F8BBD80D00E4390483                                                                                                                   

source  : ch2-barkz-02-data3
serial  : 45084F3508BF46140001E07A
created : 4/30/2019 12:00:03 PM
name    : vss_writeable
size    : 1099511627776

PS>New-PfaHostVolumeConnection -Array $FlashArray -VolumeName vss_writeable -HostName ch2-barkz-02                      
vol           name         lun
---           ----         ---
vss_writeable ch2-barkz-02  13

Copyright (C) 1999-2013 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: CH2-BARKZ-02

Use diskpart to clear the read-only attribute. Note, Volume 6 is the newly added volume.

Copyright (C) 1999-2013 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: CH2-BARKZ-02

DISKPART> list volume 

  Volume ###  Ltr  Label        Fs     Type        Size     Status     Info
  ----------  ---  -----------  -----  ----------  -------  ---------  --------
  Volume 0         System Rese  NTFS   Partition    500 MB  Healthy    System
  Volume 1     C                NTFS   Partition    149 GB  Healthy    Boot
  Volume 2     D   ch2-barkz-0  NTFS   Partition   2047 GB  Healthy
  Volume 3     H   ch2-barkz-0  NTFS   Partition   1023 GB  Healthy
  Volume 4         ch2-barkz-0  NTFS   Partition   1023 GB  Healthy
  Volume 5         ch2-barkz-0  NTFS   Partition   1023 GB  Healthy
  Volume 6     I   ch2-barkz-0  NTFS   Partition   1023 GB  Healthy    Hidden
  Volume 7     N   ch2-barkz-0  NTFS   Partition   1023 GB  Healthy
  Volume 8     F   ch2-barkz-0  NTFS   Partition   1023 GB  Healthy
  Volume 9     K   ch2-barkz-0  NTFS   Partition   1023 GB  Healthy
  Volume 10    E   DOES         NTFS   Partition   5119 GB  Healthy
  Volume 11    M   DOES         NTFS   Partition   5119 GB  Healthy
  Volume 12    G   ch2-barkz-0  NTFS   Partition   1023 GB  Healthy
  Volume 13        ch2-barkz-0  NTFS   Partition   1023 GB  Healthy
  Volume 14    P   ch2-barkz-0  NTFS   Partition   1023 GB  Healthy

DISKPART> select volume 6

Volume 6 is the selected volume.

DISKPART> attributes volume
Read-only              : Yes
Hidden                 : Yes
No Default Drive Letter: Yes
Shadow Copy            : Yes

DISKPART> attributes volume clear readonly

Volume attributes cleared successfully.

DISKPART>DISKPART> attribute volume
Read-only              : No
Hidden                 : Yes
No Default Drive Letter: Yes
Shadow Copy            : Yes

HTH — Barkz

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