Error message: “A database snapshot cannot be created because it failed to start” when running DBCC

I recently learned to hate even more the virtualization thing – once your host fails, guess what, everything else goes downJ.

Anyway, the topic for today is not related to my personal feelings, but to DBCC failing on one of my servers.

Msg 1823, Level 16, State 2, Line 1
A database snapshot cannot be created because it failed to start.
Msg 5123, Level 16, State 1, Line 1

The database snapshot for online checks could not be created. Either the reason is given in a previous error or one of the underlying volumes does not support sparse files or alternate streams. Attempting to get exclusive access to run checks offline.

Pretty much the usual messages you would expect NOT to see when running a DBCC CHECKDBJ.

Well, and now let me quote Paul Randal:

the ability of DBCC to create the hidden snapshot is purely based on the file-system allowing it

… something crashed and caused a hidden snapshot to stay around. In that case another hidden snapshot cannot be created. If this is the case then restarting the server should fix the problem – it’s the only way to remove existing alternate streams.

(http://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/Topic450261-146-2.aspx#bm477512 – this is the source of this particular copy > paste)

So, if you’ve tried anything else and failed, a server restart might help you outJ.

Best regards,
io