System Restore Problems

oxford750 · 25th June 2004

I don't know why or how but I cannot use system restore.

The box to turn system restore off has no checkmark next to it and the slider is as maximum (12% 11447 MB) and I have system restore checkpoints for June 1-23,2004, May 1-13,15-31 (some I have made) but when I go to use it (after finding a virus and cleaning my system with Mcafee virus scan 7). Windows XP will shutdown, restore, restart and tell me the restore did not work.

What do I do? Can someone please help?

Oxford750

**charlesvar** · 25th June 2004

Hello oxford,

You probably have a currupt restore point somewhere in the chain of Restore Points, the integrity of each restore point is dependent on the previous one.

You shouldn't be using any previous restore points anyway because of the virus problems. Cleaning SR out by disabling/re-enabling should have been done before this.

Shut SR off: My Computer > Properties > System Retore tab > Check "Turn off System Restore on all drives" - below, if multiple drives - have the option to differentiate.

Reboot.

Go back and re-enable SR - will create an initial restore point.

After re-establishing SR, a way to test the Restore function:

Take any executable file ( extension .exe) , and burn it out and/or move it to the My Documents folder and delete it from it's original location. SR does not monitor files in My Documents folder regardless of file type.

Then restore to the initial restore point created by the system; the deleted executable should be back in it's original location. Afterwards, you can delete the copy in My Documents.

FYI: The file types (extensions) SR monitors

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d..._extensions.asp

Regards - Charles

**Johanna** · 25th June 2004

You will receive a message saying a System Restore could not be performed if there are NO CHANGES for it to make. Suggest, since you are cleaning up after a virus, follow Charles' advice and delete all points prior, and create a new one when you are sure the system is clean. Also, you only need to use SR on the drive with your OS on it, and you don't need the slider set at max. When SR is needed, you are seldom going to want to go back more than a few days anyway.
HTH
Johanna

**Zander** · 26th June 2004

The virus may be what's causing the system restore problems. If so, charlesvar's suggestion is the way to go. Even if this is not what's happening you're better off getting rid of the restore points. Have a look at this article from MS. Note the following paragraph.

Quote:

During a restoration, an active antivirus program scans for infected files. If the antivirus program detects any infected files, the antivirus program tries to modify, move, or delete the infected files. If the antivirus program successfully cleans the infected files, System Restore restores the cleaned files. However, if the antivirus software cannot clean a file, the antivirus software deletes or quarantines the file. As a result, the restoration does not work because these actions to the file cause an inconsistent restoration state. As a result, System Restore reverts to the state immediately before the restoration.

How antivirus software and System Restore work together

oxford750 · 27th June 2004

Thanks to one and all for your advice. Will let you know how things go.

Oxford750