Hyper-V: Delete Checkpoint Catastrophic Failure

Do you have a VM with checkpoints or a checkpoint subtree that you want to delete but receive the following error? I have seen the Windows Backup tool create a new checkpoint upon every backup resulting in dozens of checkpoint in a long and nasty tree that simply will not allow you remove it, whether through the admin interface or PowerShell.

Virtual machine failed to generate VHD tree: ‘Catastrophic failure'(‘0x8000FFFF’)

Here’s a quick and painless option to try before punching your Hyper-V server:

*Note: This process will merge changes so previous checkpoints will no longer be available for rollback.

• Locate the most recent snapshot and select it.
• Click Export from the actions menu.
• Export the VM to a new location.
• Shutdown the VM.

Once the export completes you will have a new merged vhdx!

• Click Import Virtual Machine.
• The VM will have the name of the snapshot. Power the VM on and validate it’s working as desired.
• Once satisfied with the new VM, delete the offending VM.
• Rename the newly imported VM.
• Enjoy the lack of snapshots.