windows 7 - "sdclt.exe /config" fails with unspecified error

When using the "Backup and Restore" page from the control panel, I can see no backup has been set up, so I click "Set up backup":

this results in the error (given here in text form for search engines):

[Window Title]
C:\Windows\system32\sdclt.exe

[Content]
C:\Windows\system32\sdclt.exe

Unspecified error

after a UAC prompt (actually SuRun in my case).

When attempting to start C:\Windows\System32\sdclt.exe /config straight from an admin command prompt, nothing happens either. And by nothing I mean that no process is lingering afterwards.

Sysinternals' procmon shows that the process starts briefly, but ends on its own.

The only events in the event viewer that could be related (by time and context) are from sources VSS and Backup:

• The Block Level Backup Engine service has stopped. (Backup)


• The VSS service is shutting down due to idle timeout. (VSS)

those are informational, though. And yes, VSS is not disabled and it's working, too.

What's wrong here and how can I fix it?

Additional notes:

• This is a Windows 7 x64 with latest patches applied.


• The command C:\Windows\System32\sdclt.exe /BLBBACKUPWIZARD runs without problem, as opposed to the C:\Windows\system32\sdclt.exe /config (started as %windir%\\system32\\sdclt.exe /configure) which causes the unspecified error.