XP System Restore Failures & Symantec

If you are using a 2006 or 2007 Symantec security product, such as Norton Antivirus, this will prevent you from being able to use your System Restore points.

There is no saving your existing Restore Points. You must set some Symantec product options to be able to use System Restore in the future:

http://bertk.mvps.org/html/symantec_doc_1.html

And, as a comment, this is unbelievable and just wrong on Symantec's part. Make the changes now.

 

thanks

thank you i have ammended my norton as recommended
keith

 

Other XP functions such as Windows Update may be affected as well http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=59801

Perhaps someone with 2006/2007 versions can confirm that.

Regards - Charles

 

Thank you gentlemen ...... certain to raise a stink and rightfully so.

 

I am so glad I found your post! I have Norton Antivirus Antispyware (2006 version) and have been confounded by the fact that I cannot restore my computer to an earlier date. I will try to do it with the Norton stuff turned off when I go home tonight (I'm on my employer's computer right now!) Thank you.

 

so are you saying we must uncheck those norton features then switch them back on every time we want to system restore. is norton aware of this
keith

 

Hello Keith,

Go to the thread in General Security that I linked to above and one option is to follow Joyce's procedure if using NIS.

I'm sure Symantec knows about this. Whether they consider this a problem, I don't know.

Regards - Charles

 

Norton v. System Restore

Thank you so much for this very valuable information. I had messed up my computer by trying to remove AOL software (which is like trying to remove bubble gum out of your hair ) and was unable to open Add/Remove Windows Components. System Restore failed every time until I read the advice to disable the Product Protection on my Norton Antivirus 2006 version. I was then able to successfully restore my system to where I was before I started to tinker. Still can't get rid of the AOL software (AOL uninstall refuses to be uninstalled!), but everything seems to be running ok now. I turned the Product Protection back on after I had restored my system and got all the Windows downloads that were recommended. Now I'm wondering if I should leave that feature (Product Protect) unchecked?? Next time I buy a computer I am getting a Mac. I've heard they are less problematic.

 

Just an update, my pc is still not making system restore checkpoints. My pc has been turned on and sitting idle for over a week now and no checkpoints have been made except when new software is installed. Currently the last checkpoint made was made on Jan 3rd which I forced by turning sytem restore off then on again. The only other restore points are when software was installed on the 16th which I assume must have have been windows updates but am not sure, it just says software distrubution service 2.0 as the restore point.

Anyone got an "in" with Symantec to discuss this problem with them?

 

I just spent an hour in online chat with Symantec and this was their response:
"No known issues have been discovered in testing with Norton Internet Security 2006/2007 and backup software programs that make a complete back up of all files "

Tried to tell me that it was me that was causing the problem and/or OS. However if I uninstall NIS then system restore makes normal check points and automatic updates downloads and installs normally.

And their advice was to do it manually on a weekly basis!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

If you look at the top of the page in the link, you will see it is actually a copy of an official Symantec support page:

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/sharedtech.nsf/pfdocs/2005113009323013

 

Problem is that solution doesn't work. I followed those instructions several weeks ago and still it is preventing OS from making system restore check points. That information in that link is for restoring your system to an earlier time not for creating "automatic" system restore check points which Windows XP does every 10-24 hours when idle, however NIS prevents your OS from creating these system restore check points and any system restore points have to be made manually.

In order for those instructions to work then you 1st must have restore points and if you have not made those restore points manually there are NONE there to restore to because NIS has prevented your OS from performing this task. This was also true in NIS 2006, but as I said before doing a program scan corrected that problem, but there is no program scan option in NIS 2007.

 

If we could eliminate the problems caused by Norton Utilities and the difficulties of using XP System Restore, and instead have everyone use disk imaging for their backup system, do you suppose the help forums would die of lonesome?

 

Well I completely removed NIS 2007 and downloaded firewall from www.comodo.com which I like a lot, however, my pc is still NOT making system check points in System Restore even though there has been plenty of idle time for it to do. I am also using the AVG anti-virus free edition.

Any suggestions?

 

Hi Joyce,

See this thread for a laundry list of possible fixes for this: http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=58998&highlight=system+restore

The first thing to check is to make sure that Symantec didn't diddle the Task Schedular service which whether there is a scheduled task or not needs to be running.

Congratulations

Regards - Charles

 

I have already done ALL those things mentioned in the links provided. I looked in Event Viewer and there are no listings for srservice, is there supposed to be?

You mention Task Scheduler, is it supposed to be listed in there and if so which file should be listed as a task? If you just select System Restore in the list then the System Restore window will just pop up. There is not a system restore task listed in Task Scheduler.

Indexing was mentioned in one of the posts, does that mean it should or should not be started? And what about Windows Desktop Search? It was automactically installed with either Office 2007 or IE7. Can this be uninstalled or is it required with one of the ones mentioned? I don't use a desktop search, when I search I search the whole drive so desktop search is of no use because when I do a search I put in to search the C drive and it tells me that drive is not indexed and to switch to the Search Companion. Should indexing be disabled, manual or automatic in Services?

I have the Automatic System Restore.exe that was mentioned in the MVP site, and I could schedule that, but I want my system to operate the way it is SUPPOSSED to and when it doesn't I want to know why.

 

There wouldn't be, the serivce has to be automatic and from what you write, it is.

Yes, turn indexing on for the OS partition, I assume you have only one partition, C. In the properties dialog box for C > check "allow indexing.. ".

I think it would be Office that did that. IE7 adds a default web search which can be changed to Google or anything else.

Regards - Charles

 

There are many different Symantec removal tools available - I'd suggest using several of them to ensure that all traces are gone. Just yesterday I found traces of Norton's Protected Recycle Bin on a system that had had the Norton Removal tool used on it (and it couldn't be emptied). There were no traces visible to the user - but when using the PE environment the Norton stuff stood out.