System Restore not working OS = XP home

OS= XP home, SP2, Norton Systemworks 2005, Norton Personal Firewall 2005, I also have various adware/spyware products recommended in another MG forum post on my computer. Thought I would give the above information right off so you can help me better..
I have searched on here for my problem and have found bits and pieces but nothing specific to my specific problem.
I can not do a System Restore at all on my computer when I try it goes through the motions even to the point of shutting down and rebooting but once it boots back up it says unable to create a restore point nothing was changed etc.. What is happening to cause this? Again i use Windows XP home for my OS.
I do know I can use the Norton Go Back which I did have installed on my computer at one time about a month ago but I had to uninstall that because it was creating a conflict with a photo editing software program I use frequently. So, now I am stuck with not being able to do a system restore at all because the Windows System Restore will not work. I have even tried disabling System Restore shutting down and booting back up and then enabling system restore still no go still get the same error message that can't create a restore point and nothing was changed etc.... I have tried different dates and still can't do a system restore.
I would like to dump my computer to see if this solves the problem but I have too much data I don't want to loose and really haven't had the time to send it to a CD at the present time. I just need to know how to get my system restore working again.
If you need any further information ask and I will provide..
Thanks,
shewolf

 

D:\> Format C:

 

When I do a format of the C drive will I loose all information?
Just wanted to be sure to ask that before doing a format..
Thanks for your help and reply..

 

Try this Quote
If you are running Windows XP Home and after going thru the System Restore process, a message stating "Cannot restore the computer to an earlier restore point, no changes have been made to your computer" pops up, try the procedure listed below to restore its functionality.

Right click [My Computer] [Properties] then click on System Restore tab.
Put a check in the box for Disable Restore on all drives.
Click apply, then Reboot your PC.
After the system reboots, navigate to the System Restore tab and turn it back on. Click apply.
Navigate to [System Tools] [Restore...] and choose [Create a Restore Point]
Provide a name for the new restore point.
Try and restore the new point just created. It should work properly.

 

Yes, formating will cause you to lose all your data.
I'm not sure if you are needing to go back to a specific date in the past, or if you simply want to get the system restore working again.
If you just want to get it working again - you could try just re-installing XP, without formatting. It may or may not work, but it's worth a shot.
At any rate - you should take time to back up your data anyway. Don't depend on system restore totally, because it's less than totally dependable.

 

Thanks to all who have answered..
Now I need to know how to backup my computer??? We can either discuss this here or I can start a new thread..
I am aware of the backup program that comes with XP but that won't let me backup to a CD in my CD drive E it will only allow me to back up to a Floppy in my A drive. It seems to take forever I have tried but gave up after using 27 floppies in 2 hours and it was still no way near being done. I chose to do my whole system, so maybe I am going about this the wrong way so I would appreciate any advice or help anyone can give me on this. I really don't have the time to sit here and insert floppy after floppy which is why I would like to know how to go about doing this in the most easiest way possible and would prefer to be able to backup to a CD-R or CD-RW.
Thanks again..
shewolf

 

Most CD Burners do come with CD burning software that includes some type of backup, both Nero 6 Suite and Roxio's Easy Media Creator 7 come with Backup programs that would let you do full and also 'incremental' backups, meaning they will add "whatever was created/modified since the last backup" to an already existing Full Backup on a CD-R or more preferably a CD-RW media. You could also look into purchasing a JAZZ or RAVE drive for backups (easier but more costly I believe).
Also know this, it is not formatting that wipes all your data, it is re-creating/re-writing new data on that once previously used space on the HardDisk that say bye-bye to the old data....

 

Question?-does your system restore work now

 

yes that did the trick but now I need to learn the easiest way to back up my computer so I don't have to rely on System Restore.
I do have Roxio installed on my computer it came with the computer preinstalled but I have to upgrade from the free Basic5 version inorder to be able to use the backup program. I can not afford to buy a backup program at this time. So any suggestions out there?? I know I can use XP backup but unless I am doing it all wrong it will take longer then I have to make a back up. I tried it and wasn't even half done after 2 hours and 27 floppies and I had to sit here changing floppies all the time. It won't allow me to burn to a CD-R or CD-RW which would be alot easier for me to be able to do.
So again any suggestions on backing up?????
Thanks
shewolf

 

Hi,

Deep Burner is free.

http://www.deepburner.com/?r=downlo

 

Sorry about the invalid URL..

Try <www.deepburner.com>