If Disk Management could not start Virtual Disk Service, start with the service itself: press Windows key + R, run services.msc, find Virtual Disk, and start it. On a remote PC the cause is almost always the firewall, and the fix is enabling the Remote Volume Management rule group on both machines. Locally, unplug external drives and repair system files with sfc /scannow.
Disk Management is only the window you look at. The actual work of reading disks, creating partitions, formatting volumes and resizing them is done by a background component called the Virtual Disk Service, or VDS.
When Disk Management opens, it asks VDS for a picture of your storage. If that request fails, you get the error and Disk Management either sits on Connecting to Virtual Disk Service forever or opens with an empty list.
On a remote machine the full message reads: Disk Management could not start Virtual Disk Service (VDS) on SERVER-NAME. This can happen if the remote computer does not support VDS, or if a connection cannot be established because it was blocked by Windows Firewall.
Microsoft describes VDS as the interface that manages storage configurations ranging from a single desktop disk up to external storage arrays, documented in the Virtual Disk Service reference. Nothing is wrong with your disks when this appears. Something is stopping the conversation with that service.
Could Not Start Virtual Disk Service: Local or Remote Error?
Whether Disk Management could not start Virtual Disk Service on your own PC or on another machine decides which half of this guide you need, and it is the step most people skip.
- If the message names another computer or a server name, it is the remote case. Go to the firewall and remote support fixes further down.
- If the message names your own machine, or names nothing at all, it is the local case. Start with the service, the external drives and the system file checks.
- If Disk Management hangs on the connecting message with no error at all, treat it as local first.
Microsoft is explicit that remote disk management is a domain feature. Workgroup computers do not support these remote connections, and both the local and remote machines must be domain members for it to work at all.
Fix 1: Make Sure the Virtual Disk Service Is Running
VDS is set to start manually, which means Windows launches it on demand. If that on-demand start fails, the error appears immediately.
- Press
Windows key + R, typeservices.mscand press Enter. - Scroll down the list and find Virtual Disk. The list is alphabetical, so it sits near the bottom.
- Double-click it. If the status is Stopped, click Start.
- If it will not start, set Startup type to Automatic, click Apply, then click Start again.
- Click OK, close Services, and reopen Disk Management.
While you are there, check that Remote Procedure Call (RPC) and Plug and Play are both running. VDS depends on them, and a stopped dependency produces the same symptom as a stopped VDS.
On a remote setup, do this on both machines. The service has to be running at each end of the connection, not just the one you are sitting in front of.
Fix 2: Disconnect External Drives and USB Devices
This sounds too simple to matter, and it resolves the problem often enough to be worth doing before anything else.
VDS enumerates every storage device attached to the system. A drive that is failing, a card reader with no card in it, a phone in the wrong USB mode, or an enclosure with a flaky cable can make that enumeration stall. Disk Management waits, then gives up with the VDS error.
- Unplug every external drive, USB stick, card reader and phone.
- Restart the PC rather than only closing Disk Management.
- Open Disk Management again with an empty USB setup.
- If it works, reconnect devices one at a time until the error returns. The last one you plugged in is your answer.
Do the same with virtual drives. Disc emulation tools, encrypted container software and backup agents all present themselves as disks, and any of them can be the device that stalls the scan.
Fix 3: Repair Damaged System Files
If the service refuses to start on a local machine, damaged system files are the most common underlying cause. Two built-in tools deal with that, and they should be run in order.
- Right-click Start and open Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
- Run
sfc /scannowand wait for it to reach 100 percent. It may take fifteen minutes or more. - If it reports that it could not fix everything, run
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealthnext. - Let DISM finish, then run
sfc /scannowa second time. - Restart the PC and try Disk Management again.
sfc /scannowDISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealthDISM repairs the component store that SFC draws its replacement files from, which is why running SFC again afterwards matters. Skipping that second pass is a common reason people conclude the tools did not help.
10 Quick and Easy Solutions for Common Windows Errors — The same repair sequence fixes a surprising number of unrelated Windows errors. Worth bookmarking.
Fix 4: Allow Remote Volume Management Through Windows Firewall
This is the fix for the remote version of the error, and it is the one Microsoft points to first. Windows Firewall blocks the ports and programs VDS needs unless you explicitly allow them.
The exception is called Remote Volume Management, and it covers Vds.exe, Vdsldr.exe and TCP port 135.
- Open Command Prompt as administrator on the remote computer.
- Run the command below.
- Repeat exactly the same command on your local computer.
- Close Computer Management or Disk Management completely, then reopen it and reconnect.
netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Remote Volume Management" new enable=yesEnabling the rule on only one of the two machines is the classic mistake. Configure the server alone and the error usually changes to The RPC server is unavailable, which sends people hunting for a completely different problem.
If you prefer a graphical route, open Windows Defender Firewall, choose Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall, click Change settings, and tick Remote Volume Management for the network profile in use. Microsoft covers the full procedure in its guide to troubleshooting Disk Management.
Fix 5: Check the Remote Computer Actually Supports VDS
The error message offers two causes, and firewall rules are only the first. The second is that the remote machine cannot provide the service at all.
That happens with older systems, with stripped-down or core installations that ship without the relevant components, and with appliances or storage devices that present a Windows-like interface without the full service set behind it.
It is worth noting that VDS has been superseded by the Windows Storage Management API since Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012. The old service is still present for compatibility, but newer management tooling does not depend on it, so a modern remote target may simply not respond the way Disk Management expects.
If the remote end genuinely does not support VDS, no amount of firewall work will help. Skip ahead to the Remote Desktop approach.
Fix 6: Rule Out Third-Party Disk and Security Tools
Two categories of software interfere with VDS regularly, and both are easy to test.
Third-party partition managers
Partition and cloning utilities install their own storage filter drivers. When one of those drivers is holding a lock on a disk, VDS cannot enumerate it and the error follows. Close the tool completely, check Task Manager for any leftover background process from it, then retry.
Third-party firewalls and antivirus suites
Security suites that replace Windows Firewall will happily block the remote volume management traffic no matter what you configure in the Windows rules, because the Windows rules are no longer the ones being enforced. Temporarily disable the suite firewall component, test, then add the exception in that product rather than leaving protection off.
Turn any security software you disabled back on the moment the test is finished, and disconnect from untrusted networks while it is off.
When Diskpart Reports a Virtual Disk Service Error Instead
The same service backs the command line tool diskpart, so a broken VDS shows up there too, usually as a line beginning Virtual Disk Service error: followed by a specific reason.
Those follow-on messages are useful because they are far more specific than the Disk Management wording. A message about the media being write protected points at a physical lock switch or a read-only attribute rather than a service problem. A message about the volume size or the object not being found points at the disk layout instead.
Read the second line before assuming the fix is the same. In practice, diskpart errors that mention write protection or unsupported operations are disk problems, while ones that mention the service failing to start are the same VDS problem covered above.
How to fix 100% disk usage in Windows 10/11 — If the drive is also pinned at full usage, sort that out first. A saturated disk makes every storage operation time out.
If Nothing Works: Use Remote Desktop Instead
Microsoft recommends this openly for remote machines that do not support VDS, and it is a legitimate answer rather than a workaround.
Instead of pointing Disk Management at the remote computer across the network, connect to that computer with Remote Desktop and run Disk Management locally on it. There is no VDS conversation to fail because everything is happening on one machine.
On a server you can also use Server Manager, which connects through a different mechanism and often works when the Disk Management route will not. Either approach gets the partitioning job done today while you investigate the underlying cause at your own pace.
How to Stop the Error Coming Back
- Leave the Virtual Disk service on Manual once it is working again. Automatic is a diagnostic step, not a permanent requirement.
- Keep the Remote Volume Management rule enabled on both machines if you manage disks remotely on a regular basis.
- Eject external drives properly rather than pulling them out. A drive left in an inconsistent state is a frequent cause of stalled scans.
- Uninstall partition tools you no longer use instead of leaving their filter drivers loaded.
- Run
sfc /scannowoccasionally on a machine that has had unexpected shutdowns or power failures.
And before any partitioning work at all, back up. Disk Management is a powerful tool and mistakes there are not gentle ones.
Windows Data Recovery: How to Recover Lost Files — Read this before you start resizing or deleting partitions, not after.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to set the Virtual Disk service to Automatic?
Yes, it is safe. It simply starts with Windows instead of on demand, using a small amount of memory. Once Disk Management is working again you can set it back to Manual.
Why does Disk Management hang on Connecting to Virtual Disk Service?
It is waiting for a response that never arrives. A stalled external drive is the usual cause locally, and a blocked firewall port is the usual cause remotely.
Does this error mean my hard drive is failing?
Not on its own. The error is about a Windows service, not the disk. If you also hear unusual noises or see read errors in Event Viewer, check the drive health separately.
Can I manage disks remotely between two home PCs?
No. Microsoft states that workgroups do not support these remote connections and both machines must be domain members. On a home network, use Remote Desktop instead.
Which command enables the firewall exception?
Run this as administrator on both computers: netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Remote Volume Management" new enable=yes
Will restarting the PC fix it?
Sometimes, because a restart clears a stalled service and releases locked devices. If the error returns after every restart, work through the fixes above rather than restarting repeatedly.
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