Problems With System Restore In Vista.

Can no longer depend on System Restore.
Automatic and Manual restore points are disappearing after a short time,
and always after shut down.
Generally when I open System Restore there is a large red X and a notice
saying that no restore points have been created.
I see no mention of System Restore in services.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

The issue might be that your hard drive could be running low on disk space and has to remove them to make room.

This behavior causes the system to delete all restore points in an attempt to free up disk space. However, you have probably already received a warning about running low in disk space prior to this point. In this case, when sufficient disk space is freed, System Restore starts to monitor the system again. At this point, it creates an automatic System Checkpoint.

Double check to see if your main drive is out of room.

 

Have 35 GB free out of 90 on "C".

 

Are you running any kinda Dual boot on system.

 

No, not running any dual boot.

 

Another cause of missing restore points is a problem with the task scheduler. Before you start troubleshooting this issue, click the Start button, then type Services.msc in the Start Search box. Check to make sure that Volume Shadow Services is running.

 

No, it wasn't running, although it is set to run automatically.
I found a few days ago that it wasn't running so I started it.
Don't understand why it stopped again.
Have set it going again.

 

Well if it is resetting it self to off automatically then i am starting to think you might have a virus or malware issue hiding some where.

For now i would recommend on scanning your system fully.

Use the READ & RUN ME FIRST. Malware Removal Guide Link be low.
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=35407

Then post any thing found in the malware forums.And if the system is clean come back to this thread.

 

Here's the link to the page someone copy/pasted part of earlier in this thread. There are other possible fixes, might want to see if any of them help.

http://helpdeskgeek.com/help-desk/fix-missing-system-restore-points-in-windows-vista-and-7/

 

Had to set Volume Shadow Copy to started again.
I presume that it is supposed to be on automatic, as when I encountered it first it was set to manual, and in the screen shot it shows as set to manual.

Checked out your very useful link.
Changed scheduled restore point time and ran sfc/ scannow.
Will see how that much goes.

 

Did exhaustive scans in recent days and nothing malicious showed up.

 

Altered schedule restore point time is not working.
Got the following information when a restore point should have been created at 6pm:
Last Run Time 22/10/2013 17:59:59 Last Run Result OxO.

A JAVA update at 17.35 did create an Automatic restore point.

 

Greetings, Novice22.

It's my understanding that the Volume Shadow Copy service stops normally when not being used - the service only starts when a backup is being performed.

Pardon me if this has already been asked: have you checked your System Properties > System Protection configuration settings? You might try adjusting the slider to see if you can get a change in symptoms (see thumbnail).

You might also try toggling the System Restore function by disabling System Restore on all drives, rebooting, and then re-enabling System Restore. Sometimes this "jump-starts" the whole System Restore routine.
.

 

Just noticed your last post - interesting information.

 

Hi Caliban.
Good to hear from you.
My set up in Vista would be different to your thumbnails, so I could not find
any slider.
I did manage to disable System Restore, rebooted, and enabled.
Hopefully, as you say, this might jump start the process.
Great if it does.
Will keep you posted.

 

An automatic restore point should have been created
at 8pm but failed.

 

Space would not appear to be a problem judging by the following information:

Used Shadow Copy storage space 225.938MB
Allocated Shadow Copy storage space 431.234 MB
Maximum Shadow Copy storage space 3GB.

 

Ah - I apologize. Forgot how much Vista sucks. :-o

I agree about the space - looks as if that might not be the problem. If you ever do decide to play around with the SR min/max there's a good walkthrough at VistaForums - Brink offers some sound advice there.

Are these System Restore symptoms the only issues you're having with the machine?

 

Thanks for the suggestions.
Will check them out and let you know how it goes.
Yes, that is the only issue that I am having with the machine - touch wood!
It is getting on now, like myself, and is in it's 7th year - unlike myself!

 

A scheduled restore point which I created yesterday for today did take place as scheduled.
Early days yet but maybe the "Jump start" is taking effect?
Would be great if it did.

 

Fingers are crossed - keep us posted.

 

Just took a quick check before submitting reply and, unfortunately, restore
points have been lost.
But hope hasn't been lost, and I will read up on suggestion from your earlier
post and, hopefully, get there.
Will keep you posted.

 

Checked the numbers again. They were:
Used Shadow Copy Storage Space 0B
Allocated " " " " 0B
Maximum " " " " 3GB.

Read the excellent article by Brink.
Created a manual restore point and checked numbers again;
Used Shadow Copy Storage Space 71.422MB
Allocated " " " " 300MB
Maximum " " " " 3GB.

Will see how that goes.

 

Malwarebytes and Hijack this were 2 of them.
Will look back and check the others.
Results were posted on another site and all came up clean.
Will get back again after I check out the full list of programmes used.

 

Adw Cleaner was another one.
I feel that there was one other but I can't find it.

 

I decided to give this a shot.
Downloaded CC Cleaner as a first step.
Exited Firefox as I had numerous tabs open, most of them important.
Unchecked cookies in CC Cleaner and ran the cleaner.
I have now lost all open tabs and am wondering if there is any way in which I can get them back.
Although Firefox was closed, they are still missing.
I only get a blank page on starting Firefox.
I badly need help on this one.
Thanks.