Virtual Disk (vds) Service Defaults in Windows 11

Provides management services for disks, volumes, file systems, and storage arrays.

Default Settings

Startup type: Manual
Display name:Virtual Disk
Service name:vds
Service type:own
Error control:normal
Object:LocalSystem
Path:%SystemRoot%\System32\vds.exe
Registry key:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\vds

Default Behavior

Virtual Disk is a Win32 service. In Windows 11 it starts only if the user, an application or another service starts it. When the Virtual Disk service is started, it logs on as LocalSystem and running in its own process of vds.exe. If Virtual Disk fails to start, the failure details will be recorded into Event Log. Then Windows 11 should boot up and notify the user about the vds service startup failure.

Dependencies

Virtual Disk cannot be started, if the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service won't start.

Restore Default Startup Configuration of Virtual Disk

Before you begin doing this, make sure that all the services on which Virtual Disk depends are configured by default and function properly. See the list of dependencies above.

1. Run the Command Prompt as an administrator.

2. Copy the command below, paste it into the command window and press ENTER:

sc config vds start= demand

3. Close the command window and restart the computer.

The vds service is using the vds.exe file that is located in the C:\Windows\System32 directory. If the file is removed or corrupted, read this article to restore its original version from Windows 11 installation media.