[SOLVED] WIN7 not creating system restore points manually or automatically

Jed · Jun 1, 2015

My WIN7 Ultimate x64 system restore does appear to be creating system restore points manually or automatically weekly (when it should in Win7).
When I manually create a system restore point it says it was successfully created but when I check there are no system restore points shown (either manual or auto).

Win Updates also says it successfully creates a system restore point before installing updates.

The Task Scheduler service has the SystemRestore weekly auto restore point creation set to run.

sfc /scannow does not report any corruptions.

Microsoft Shadow Copy Provider service is running & set to automatic.
Volume Shadow Copy service is running & set to automatic.

Are there any other services I should check?

Has anyone come across this type of system restore points in Win7 not working problem?

Corrine · Jun 1, 2015

Hi, Jed.

Have you checked that you are allowing enough space? Go to Control Panel\System and Security\System and select "System Protection". Under "Available Drives", select the drive for your OS and click "Configure". If Current Usage is approaching Max Usage, try moving the slider up a bit.

Although you said the services are running, are they set for Automatic? Type Services.msc in Start Menu Search Box and press Enter. Make sure that each of Volume Shadow Copy, Task Scheduler and Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider Service is Running and set on Automatic. If the Status of System Restore Service is Not Started, Start it. Also set it on Automatic if it is not. A reboot may be required. Re-confirm again, and now try.

Jed · Jun 2, 2015

Hi Corrine

Did your suggestions with following results (see attached screen shots):
1. Space Current Usage is 0 bytes with Max Usage set to Gb's
2. Volume Shadow Copy, Task Scheduler and Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider Service are Running and set on Automatic
3. Status of System Restore Service - not seen on my services list so not able to be done ?? - what is the file name for the System Restore Service?
FYI my wife Toshiba laptop (Win7 Ultimate x64 with SP1) has no problems with system restore/creating restore points but her laptop also does not list/show a System Restore Service on Services.msc
4. Rebooted laptop, re-confirmed settings again however when I manually created a test system restore point it says it was successfully created but when I check there are no system restore points shown (either manual or auto) ie my problems still remain.
5. I have attached settings for Task Scheduler- System Restore - Triggers, Actions & History tabs

What can I try/check next ?
The missing System Restore Service seems to me to be the likely cause but a mystery as to why it is not listed on my wife Toshiba laptop with OS the same as mine.

Corrine · Jun 2, 2015

System Restore is located at %systemroot%\system32\rstrui.exe. See what happens when you run System Restore from an elevated command prompt.

Click Start, type cmd.
Right-click cmd.exe to run as Administrator.
Type rstrui.exe and press enter.

Jed · Jun 2, 2015

The system restore wizard starts (it has always started) but again no 2015 restore points (manual or automatic) shown as per the screen shot in file restore point manually created.pdf

I presume there is no System Restore Service normally shown on my services list so it is not possible to do "If the Status of System Restore Service is Not Started, Start it. Also set it on Automatic if it is not."

This test confirms to me that the System Restore Service is not missing.

As the Task Scheduler>System Restore>History tab shows restore point creation appear to be happening but they are not shown in the system restore wizard (restore points available list).
This is a real mystery.

What can I try/check next ?

Corrine · Jun 2, 2015

This may sound strange but is the time set correctly on the computer?

You may need to do a system repair but first, have you run System File Checker?

Click Start, and then type cmd in the Start Search box.
Right-click cmd in the Programs list, and then right-click Run as administrator.
If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type your password or click Continue
At the command prompt, type the following line, and then press ENTER: sfc /scannow (note the space before the slash)
When the scan is complete, if no errors are found, restart your computer and post back
If the message does not say "Windows resource protection did not find any integrity violations", restart your computer and run System File Checker again.

Jed · Jun 3, 2015

Hi Corrine

Correct time is set on the laptop.

Ran SFC as per your above instructions & got this result (twice)
"Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.
Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log"

CBS.log output (sfcdetails@3Jun15.pdf) is attached - note last sfc /scannow log was after running SFCFix.exe which fixed the previous corruptions.

FYI yesterday I uninstalled Update KB3035583 to get rid of the Get Win10 Popup so I wonder if the SFC errors were now related to this.
Prior to this SFC did not report any corruptions as I mentioned in my initial post.

Ran SFCFix.exe which fixed the SFC errors - see SFCFix@3Jun15.pdf
Rebooted & ran sfc /scannow again which reported "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations."

Created a manual restore point successfully (or so the process said) but again no 2015 restore points (manual or automatic) found when I tried to system restore.

This mystery problem deepens.

Corrine · Jun 4, 2015

Hi, Jed.

I'm going to see if other members of the team have any suggestions.

xilolee · Jun 5, 2015

You could try to do a system restore point when the PC is in safe mode.

Jed · Jun 5, 2015

Safe mode confirms there a no restore points on the laptop - also the system protection tab is not available in safe mode so I could not create a restore point manually.
See attached pdf.

jcgriff2 · Jun 6, 2015

Hi. .

Let's see if vssadmin command can tell us anything.

Please download & save this batch script to Desktop or Documents - https://www.sysnative.com/apps/vss.bat

RIGHT-click on vss.bat; "Run as Administrator"

You'll see a CMD screen appear and scroll.

Upon completion, a Notepad will open.

Save it and attach to your next post.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

xilolee · Jun 6, 2015

Sorry.
Re-try after a clean boot (click).
Also, according to helgeklein.com/blog - Windows 7 Default File System Permissions Listing (click), I'd check System Volume Information permissions:

Code:

c:\System Volume Information
 
   Owner: Administrators
 
   DACL(protected):
   SYSTEM                full   allow   container_inherit+object_inherit

Jed · Jun 6, 2015

jcgriff2 said:
Hi. .

Let's see if vssadmin command can tell us anything.

Please download & save this batch script to Desktop or Documents - https://www.sysnative.com/apps/vss.bat

RIGHT-click on vss.bat; "Run as Administrator"

You'll see a CMD screen appear and scroll.

Upon completion, a Notepad will open.

Save it and attach to your next post.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

Hi jcgriff2 - vss.bat output is attached - regards Jed

jcgriff2 · Jun 6, 2015

VSS looks fine for drive c:

Code:

Shadow Copy Storage association
   For volume: (C:)\\?\Volume{ad9aa4ea-1715-11e3-bf10-806e6f6e6963}\
   Shadow Copy Storage volume: (C:)\\?\Volume{ad9aa4ea-1715-11e3-bf10-806e6f6e6963}\
   Used Shadow Copy Storage space: 0 B (0%)
   Allocated Shadow Copy Storage space: 0 B (0%)
   Maximum Shadow Copy Storage space: 18.122 GB (4%)

I have no idea what this entry is - no drive letter -- shows 1.262 GB (or 10%) of the drive/partition is allocated to system restore -

Code:

Shadow Copy Storage association
   For volume: (\\?\Volume{ad9aa4e8-1715-11e3-bf10-806e6f6e6963}\)\\?\Volume{ad9aa4e8-1715-11e3-bf10-806e6f6e6963}\
   Shadow Copy Storage volume: (\\?\Volume{ad9aa4e8-1715-11e3-bf10-806e6f6e6963}\)\\?\Volume{ad9aa4e8-1715-11e3-bf10-806e6f6e6963}\
   Used Shadow Copy Storage space: 0 B (0%)
   Allocated Shadow Copy Storage space: 0 B (0%)
   Maximum Shadow Copy Storage space: 1.262 GB (10%)

Do you know what the 2nd entry refers to?

Please take a picture of (maximized) Disk Management -
START | type diskmgmt.msc | maximize screen | take screenshot | attach to your next post

Please also try xilolee's recommendations.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

niemiro · Jun 6, 2015

At a guess I'd say the second entry looks to be a Recovery Partition. Which I would also guess doesn't really need SR to be active.

Jed · Jun 6, 2015

Hi jcgriff2

diskmgmt.msc & system protection tab screenshots attached.
I did not setup the Recovery Partition (named Recovery & has SR set to Off) - it has always been there since I bought the laptop new.
Agree with niemiro post that 2nd entry appears to be a Recovery partition.

Regards
Jed

Jed · Jun 6, 2015

Hi xilolee

I am not sure what diagnostic info or how a clean boot will fix the system restore points problem - can you elaborate on your rationale for this suggestion.

How do I check System Volume Information permissions? - please note my Sony VAIO laptop is a 64 bit machine running Win 7 Ultimate.

regards
Jed

Jed · Jun 7, 2015

More diagnostic/error info that might help zero in on the problem.
I just tried to backup just the system image only but it failed with error code 0x80780020
So it looks like creating backups is also affected by this no restore points problem.

regards
Jed

xilolee · Jun 7, 2015

Jed said:
I am not sure what diagnostic info or how a clean boot will fix the system restore points problem - can you elaborate on your rationale for this suggestion.

A clean boot is performed to start Windows by using a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. This helps eliminate software conflicts that occur when you install a program or an update or when you run a program in Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, or Windows Vista. You may also troubleshoot or determine what conflict is causing the problem by performing a clean boot.

Jed said:
How do I check System Volume Information permissions? - please note my Sony VAIO laptop is a 64 bit machine running Win 7 Ultimate.

To check the "system volume information" owner, in case you'll need to take the folder ownership and replace the original owner when done, launch the following command from an elevated command prompt:

Code:

dir c:\sys* /a /q

Result in my system (win8.1):

Read More:

Then you can right-click "system volume information", properties, and...check the screenshots (taken from Win8.1, I hope Win7 has got the same functionalities

):

Read More:

Jed · Jun 7, 2015

The result of dir c:\sys* /a /q was
-------------------------------------------------
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>dir c:\sys* /a /q
Volume in drive C has no label.
Volume Serial Number is B8BF-484B

Directory of c:\

07/06/2015 04:45 PM <DIR> BUILTIN\Administrators System Volume Information
0 File(s) 0 bytes
1 Dir(s) 328,628,518,912 bytes free

C:\Windows\system32>
------------------------------------
"system volume information" permissions+owner+effective permissions tab screenshots are attached.

Can you see any major issues that might affect system restore point creation?

[SOLVED] WIN7 not creating system restore points manually or automatically

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