XP (Home, SP2) "System Restore" never seems to work!

My XP (Home, SP2) sometimes throws a hissy-fit and I've attempted to back up a day or two to attempt a "System Restore ".

Syst Restore ALWAYS comes up with the lame excuse that "It's unable to perform a SR on the date picked. Truth be told; doesn't matter WHAT date I pick off the offered choices - the same lame "can't do it" pops up every time!

On 16 July 2007, "PeteC" posted a How to Restore "System Restore" step-by-step procedure on: [URL="http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?p=354844]http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?p=354844[/URL]

Pete's instructions work fine -
System Restore erases ALL previous restore points; and appears to re-start with a new listing of historical Restore Dates ...

BUT - IF I go back a week later and try to "Restore" to the beginning of the "new" date list -
the old "Can't do it" message appears again.

Has ANYBODY ever successfully "restored" a Win XP (Home, SP2) ??

 

Hello Phred,

A basic question, how much space is allocated for SR? Right click My computer > Properties > SR tab > Settings. And how much free space do you have?

"hissy-fit" sounds like you may have a corrupt system file(s) - run sfc and see if that's the problem: http://www.helpwithwindows.com/WindowsXP/howto-24.html



http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302796 a basic SR troubleshooter.

 

Answers:

SR is "monitoring" both C: and D: ~ allocated space is "max" and shown as 12% (22,366 MB).

Drive C: has 18.2 GB used; and 163 GB "free ".

I'll run "SFC" the next time my brain wakes up.


/s/ Phred

 

If all else fails, back up your data, and do a windows repair with your original XP disk. Be sure to hit R for repair. It will take you through the long trip, almost like a clean install of XP, but won't get rid of any of your apps, files, etc, etc.

Once it's done you will still have all of your programs and such and your desktop will look the same as before. This process has corrected a corrupted firewall issue I had, and I'm sure will correct any other windows issues.

The only thing is... you have to start over with... windows updates. You'll have to download the 80 + updates that are required after using most XP SP2 disks out there. Hopefully you have an XP sp2 disk to repair from. If you don't ask around and get one, or order one from MS. MS doesn't care what cd you use as long as your CD key code is correct and matches your hardware (motherboard) that you (or the PC manufacturer) originally installed XP on. (bad grammar, I know). the updates don't take too long, just an annoyance really.

 

If you can answer that question for partition or drive D - it has a bearing on what happens on C.

For an example: http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=69250

If D is a data partition, shouldn't be monitored anyway.