VSS_E_ASRERROR_NO_PHYSICAL_DISK_AVAILABLE: meaning and diagnosis

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Description:

Windows RE cannot see a fixed disk usable for ASR recovery.

Could be also:
Constant	Type	OS
VDS_E_DEVICE_IN_USE	HRESULT	Windows

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VDS_E_DEVICE_IN_USE	VDS_E_DISK_NOT_EMPTY

VSS_E_ASRERROR_NO_PHYSICAL_DISK_AVAILABLE

No fixed recovery disk is available. ASR cannot find a fixed disk on which to recreate the volumes described by the backup. The legacy description directs operators to verify that disks are online and that storage drivers are installed.

The documented condition is: “Windows did not find any fixed disk that can be used to recreate volumes present in backup. Ensure disks are online, and disk drivers are installed to access the disk(s). 'diskpart.exe' tool with list disks command can be used to see the list of available fixed disks on the system.”

Where VSS_E_ASRERROR_NO_PHYSICAL_DISK_AVAILABLE appears

This is an inventory failure at the beginning of disk reconstruction. Unlike a size mismatch, the recovery environment has no usable fixed-device candidate to evaluate.

Likely causes

The storage-controller or RAID driver is absent from Windows RE.
All internal disks are offline, disabled, disconnected or not presented to the recovery virtual machine.
SAN zoning, multipath configuration or controller mode prevents device enumeration.
Only removable, shared or otherwise noneligible storage is visible.

Evidence to capture before changing storage

Run DiskPart list disk and retain the complete output, even when it is empty.
Capture storage-controller hardware IDs, driver versions and device-manager or setup logs from the recovery environment.
Record firmware/UEFI detection and controller mode such as RAID, AHCI or vendor-specific settings.
Document virtual-machine disk attachments and SAN presentation outside the guest.

Diagnostic sequence

First determine whether firmware sees the disks; if it does not, VSS troubleshooting is premature.
If firmware sees them but Windows RE does not, load the signed matching storage driver.
Bring verified offline disks online and rescan without altering their contents.
Confirm that backup media is not the only disk currently attached.

Recovery and retry

Restore storage visibility, load the correct driver, attach a fixed target or bring it online, then start ASR again. Repeated retries before a disk appears in the recovery inventory cannot succeed.

What this HRESULT does not prove

The HRESULT does not report that visible disks are too small or excluded. It means no fixed disk reached the usable inventory.

Difference from nearby VSS results

VSS_E_ASRERROR_RDISK_FOR_SYSTEM_DISK_NOT_FOUND can occur even when disks are visible but none fits the system role. This code is the more fundamental absence of a physical target.

Practical example

A server boots generic Windows RE without the vendor RAID driver. Backup storage is visible over USB, but the internal RAID virtual disk is absent, so ASR reports that no fixed recovery disk is available.

Guidance for backup software and telemetry

Include the raw storage inventory and loaded-driver list in support bundles. Mapping this HRESULT directly to “replace the disk” would be wrong when the actual cause is driver visibility.

Official Microsoft references

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