Disk Image Backup – Checking if device is ready: DeviceIoControl: The request could not be performed because of an I/O device error

This message is stating that an I/O device error occurred when attempting to check if the disk device named 'xx' is ready.

Generally these I/O device errors can occur when there is a problem with the communication between the computer and the device. This could be caused by a hardware issue, such as a faulty cable or disk, or a software issue, such as a problem with the device driver or file system.

In this particular error, it mentions the DeviceIoControl function, which is a Windows API function used to send control codes to a device driver. This suggests that the error occurred while attempting to communicate with the device driver for the disk.

These kinds of issues can be related to the disk itself, such as a mechanical failure, bad sectors, or file system corruption. It could also be caused by a problem with the disk controller, such as a faulty cable, a driver issue, or a problem with the motherboard or other hardware component.

You may need to perform further diagnosis to determine the root cause. For e.g. disk diagnostic tools, checking the cable connections, updating device drivers or firmware, or replacing hardware components, etc.