What does HRESULT 0xC0380021 (ERROR_VOLMGR_INTERLEAVE_LENGTH_INVALID) mean?

ERROR_VOLMGR_INTERLEAVE_LENGTH_INVALID

Interpret the state transition: volmgr interleave length invalid

ERROR_VOLMGR_INTERLEAVE_LENGTH_INVALID has unsigned value 0xC0380021. In the volmgr layer, the operation is rejected because the stripe interleave value violates the volume-manager alignment or supported stripe-unit constraints. Diagnosis of this result should follow kernel volume-manager layout transaction and VM_VOLUME_LAYOUT input through one controlled state transition.

Diagnosis of this result should begin with the object model and generation current at the failure. A later successful enumeration may describe a replacement object and cannot retroactively validate the rejected request.

Record geometry, identity and ownership

Separate validation from capability

1. Create a nonproduction case that preserves the same geometry and ownership model.
2. Collect pack and volume IDs, input structure version and sizes, transaction ID, disk-layout snapshot before the call and the first kernel storage event before invoking the first mutating API.
3. Change one condition only: serialize the exact VM_VOLUME_LAYOUT buffer, validate every count and Size field, and compare it with a layout produced by a known-good management API.
4. Re-enumerate after the transition and confirm it is not reproduced by a stale handle from the old generation.

The distinction from ERROR_VOLMGR_UNEXPECTED_DISK_LAYOUT_CHANGE is operational. The stripe interleave value violates the volume-manager alignment or supported stripe-unit constraints; log the neighboring code separately so capability, identity and state are not conflated.

Mechanism-specific note

Interleave is the stripe unit used to distribute successive logical ranges across disks. Preserve the requested byte value, each disk sector size and any provider granularity. Do not “fix” the request by rounding silently: the management layer must either choose a documented supported value or report the capability mismatch to its caller.

Verification after correction

Rebuild the layout from enumerated objects and checked arithmetic rather than patching one serialized field; validate counts, indices, sizes, alignment and overflow before submission. Apply the change through the supported storage API, then close and reacquire affected objects before retrying.

• The controlled A/B case changes only the invariant that triggers this result.
• No unrelated disk, cluster owner, tier policy or virtual-disk backing file is altered to hide it.
• Health, synchronization or job state reaches a terminal value consistent with the repaired operation.
• Telemetry includes both symbolic names when it or ERROR_VOLMGR_UNEXPECTED_DISK_LAYOUT_CHANGE occurs again.

Technical references

• Microsoft: COM error codes for VOLMGR, VHD and SDIAG — documents the supported management path relevant to this HRESULT.
• Microsoft: Virtual Disk Service object model — defines the volmgr objects used to interpret it.
• Microsoft: Pack object — primary API or object-model reference.
• Microsoft: Virtual Disk Service common return codes — use this source to verify volmgr state and parameters.