If your Hyper-V virtual machine (VM) is stuck in "Backing Up" status and you can't start it, it usually indicates an issue with backup integration services, VSS (Volume Shadow Copy Service), or a failed backup attempt. Since you mentioned the backup doesn't run this early, it's likely a stuck backup operation or a miscommunication between Hyper-V and the backup software.

Possible Causes & Solutions

1. Stuck Backup or Previous Snapshot Issue

Sometimes, Hyper-V gets stuck in "Backing Up" mode due to a failed or incomplete backup.

🔹 Solution: Restart Hyper-V Virtual Machine Management Service

1. Open Command Prompt (Admin) or PowerShell and run:

   net stop vmms
   net start vmms
   

   
   


2. This restarts the Hyper-V Virtual Machine Management Service without rebooting the host.


3. Check if the VM is now accessible.

2. Check for Active VSS Snapshots

A snapshot (checkpoint) might be causing the issue if it's still open.

🔹 Solution: Check for stuck VSS snapshots

1. Open Command Prompt (Admin) and run:

   vssadmin list shadows
   

   
   


2. If you see a snapshot related to the VM, try deleting it:

   vssadmin delete shadows /all
   

   
   


3. If the VM is still stuck, restart the Hyper-V Volume Shadow Copy Requestor service.

3. Check Windows Backup or Third-Party Backup Software

A third-party backup tool (like Veeam, Acronis, or Windows Server Backup) might be trying to take a backup.

🔹 Solution: Restart the Backup Service

1. Identify the backup software in use.


2. Restart the related services (e.g., Veeam Backup Service, Windows Server Backup, or other backup tools).


3. Check the backup logs to see if there was a failed attempt.

4. Manually Remove a Stuck Checkpoint

Hyper-V may have created a checkpoint (snapshot) that is causing the issue.

🔹 Solution: Delete the stuck checkpoint manually

1. Open Hyper-V Manager.


2. Check if the VM has a stuck checkpoint under Checkpoints.


3. If there is one, delete it.


4. If you can't delete it via GUI, use PowerShell:

   Get-VMSnapshot -VMName "YourVMName" | Remove-VMSnapshot
   

   
   

5. Force Stop the VM and Restart

If all else fails, try forcefully stopping and restarting the VM.

🔹 Solution: Force Stop the VM

1. Open Task Manager.


2. Look for vmwp.exe (Virtual Machine Worker Process).


3. Find the process related to your VM (check Process ID in Hyper-V Manager).


4. End Task for that specific VM.


5. Try starting the VM again.

Final Thoughts

• If the issue is caused by a stuck backup, restarting the VMMS service usually fixes it.


• If a backup is truly running (even though it shouldn’t be), check your backup software logs.


• If none of these solutions work, consider restarting the Hyper-V host (as a last resort).

Let me know if you need further troubleshooting! 🚀