FIX: An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine Hyper-V

‘Server’ cannot create the storage required for the checkpoint using PATH. The system cannot find the path specified.

I have a Windows 10 and Server 2016 on Hyper-V as standard. I often use this for testing. Sometimes they are not on for months and sometimes I use them every day.

I wanted to give the devices in Hyper-V an update, but the servers did not even start on this time.

I received the following error message:

An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine
An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine

An error occurred while attempting to start the selected virtual machine(s).

There was some more text in the error message, but the below text sounded most important. See the last header for the complete error message.

‘Server’ cannot create the storage required for the checkpoint using PATH. The system cannot find the path specified.

Okay that’s strange. When I go to the location myself, I do not see any vhdxs of the devices in Hyper-V.


Let’s fix “‘Server’ cannot create the storage required for the checkpoint using PATH.

Fortunately, I have been able to solve it for myself. Below is the tutorial for the techies and dummies among us. The dummy tutorial contains screenshots.


The tutorial for the techies among us.

With me the problem was caused after updating my own windows.

I copied the directories from windows.old on the C-drive. That’s exactly the same folder as you see in the error message.

Make sure you set the permissions to the directories correctly.
Otherwise, Hyper-V does not yet have access to the .vhdxs and you’ll get a second error.


The tutorial for the dummies among us including screenshots.

As I said above it is probably caused by an update of your own windows device. Windows always creates a backup folder on the C-Disk under Windows.old. These directories will still contain your Virtual Machines.

Go to Explorer.exe and go to C:\Windows.old\Program files\Hyper-V.
Copy all of your Hyper-V virtual machines.

An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine(s).
An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine(s).

Go to C:\windows\program files\Hyper-v and paste the Hyper-V virtual machines.

An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine(s).
An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine(s).

I tried to start my VMs and got another error message. The error message itself says that the service account has no permissions on the directory.

An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine(s).
An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine(s).

Right-click the virtual machine directories on the C drive and choose Properties.

An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine(s).
An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine(s).
  • Select the tab Security and click on Users.
  • Then click on Edit…
An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine(s).
An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine(s).
  • Then choose Users and give users at least Modify permissions.
  • I have given full control because it is my own device.
  • Click Apply.
An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine(s).
An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine(s).

After these steps my virtual machines started again without problems.


The complete error messages

I place the full error message for when someone searches for another part of the error message.

An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine(s).
An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine(s).

An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine(s).

Checkpoint operation failed.

Cannot create the checkpoint.

Checkpoint operation for ‘Server’ failed. (Virtual machine ID XXXX)

Failed to delete .avhd file (PATH)

‘Server’ cannot create the storage required for the checkpoint using disk PATH. The system cannot find the path specified (0x80070003). (Virtual machine id XXXX)

An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine(s).
An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine(s).

An error occurred while attempting to start the selected Virtual Machine(s).

‘Device’ failed to start.

Synthetic SCSI Controller (Instance ID XXXXXX). Failed to Power on with error ‘General acces denied error’.

Account does not have permission to open attachment PATH. Error: ‘General access denied error’.

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Bas Wijdenes

My name is Bas Wijdenes and I work as a PowerShell DevOps Engineer. In my spare time I write about interesting stuff that I encounter during my work.

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