Windows Vista System Restore Point Problem

When I attempt to manually create a restore point on my Vista Ultimate machine, I get this error message:

"System Restore failed due to an unspecified error. Cannot create a file when that file already exists. (0x800700B7) "

I am, also, searching for a solution at this website:

http://social.answers.microsoft.com.../thread/d91d7785-9a00-4b26-9ae3-ae35b0d9317b/

Look there for a fuller description of my problem and already-tried solutions.

Thank you in advance.

 

Yes. This is the same problem. I was able to get the back-up problem fixed but the Restore Point is still not working.

Sorry I bothered you. See summary below and you will be on the same page as me:

Backup registry keys:
1. Click "Start" -> Under "Start Search" -> Type "Regedit" and press Enter
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\TaskCache
3. Right click on TaskCache and select export
4. Save to a file on the desktop.
After that, please delete the WindowsBackup folder in the TaskCache\Tree\Microsoft\Windows.
Please try to the WINDOWS BACKUP files again.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________


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Okay, I did that. I can now utilize the Backup Files function in the expected manner. However, I still get a 0X800700B7 error message when trying to set a manual Restore point. How do I fix that?

Fix for System Restore error (0x800700B7) for Setting Manual Restore Point
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/itprovistahardware/thread/725c6f1a-2f62-4a1c-8072-ac82fbbd87ab
Start-up failure / unable to use system restore
http://www.windowsbbs.com/windows-vista/80192-start-up-failure-unable-use-system-restore.html
Try running ChkDsk to check your drive for errors. Right-click your Drive icon/ Properties/ Tools/ Error Checking. Try it first by not checking either box (this will run it in a Read-only mode) to see if it flags any hard drive or file problems. If it does, restart it by ticking both boxes, and rerun it to allow it to attempt to fix any found problems.
Will System Restore work from Safe Mode?
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I changed "Maximum Shadow Copy Storage Space Value" from 1.041 GB to /maxsize=300Mb. This did not fix the problem. I have not changed the setting back to 1.041Gb. Please advise.

System Restore doesn't seem to be an available option in Safe Mode.

I ran ChkDsk and several corrections were made. System Restore Point problem continues to exist, however. (File Backup still works as expected.)

What's next?
(Did I mention that this is a Vista Ultimate machine?)

The hard drive manufacturer will have free (bootable) software on their site which will thoroughly check the condition of your hard drive. It may be worth running that diagnostic software if every time you run ChkDsk it reports (and fixes) errors.

System Restore wouldn't allow the creation of restore points is Safe Mode for me either, probably because of being in Safe Mode, it would allow a restore to be run however.

What about turning off System Restore on all drives, rebooting, and then turning it back on. That might get its' act together?

Turn Off System Restore
http://vistasupport.mvps.org/turn_off_system_restore.htm

See what this article says about "Maximum Shadow Copy Storage Space Value ", concerning that 300MB setting.

Error message when you try to perform a file backup operation or a system restore operation in Windows Vista: "Incompatible version of the serializing package. (0x80070724) "
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940970


See if any other programs or services are causing problems.

How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista or in Windows 7
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/929135

Okay, I did all that... no joy. I am, however, back to the 1.041Gb Copy Storage Space.

Interestingly, I can create a "Restore Point" with 3rd Party programs -- Registry Cleaners that suggest a Restore Point creation before application. I just cannot do it manually. I, also, notice that only one retore point is saved -- with 3rd party programs creation deletes previous Restore Point.

I wonder whether those Registry Cleaners are running System restore under another user account, perhaps System etc. rather than your account? Did you ever test for problems if you created a different user?

If you launch System Restore via the Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\System Tools, and right-click on the System restore shortcut and then select the "Run As Administrator" option, does that allow you to create a restore point?

How do I restore security settings to the default settings?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313222/#appliesto



A program like this might allow you to see what is going on under the hood with System Restore, hiccups because of access permissions might be a problem?

Process Monitor v2.8
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb896645.aspx

When you dual boot XP with Vista or Windows 7, the latter two lose all restore points every time you boot into XP. That is because XP makes changes to the System Restore files on all drives. Maybe you are seeing something like that?

Have you tried tackling the Event Viewer yet, it is enough to make ones hair fall out (you'll see what I mean), but it may have some errors related to System Restore or Volume Shadow Copy?

Working with Vista’s new Event Viewer
http://www.petri.co.il/vista-event-viewer.htm

Hmmmm. "Run as Administrator" did not help. I am logged in as an "Administrator" in any event. I had forgotten about "Process Monitor" -- I had v2.0 -- and "Event Viewer. "

I am not "dual booting." It is strictly a Vista Ultimate machine.

Anyway, I won't have much time for this today but will get back to it tomorrow... or over the weekend.

 

Neither "Event Viewer" nor "Process Monitor" indicated any problems during an attempt to create a manual Restore Point. There was, however, "information" on the VSS service:

The Volume Shadow Copy service entered the running state.

followed by:

The Volume Shadow Copy service entered the stopped state.

The only thing new I can bring to the table is that I have a "file Back-up" scheduled to run every evening at 10:00. This backup appears to delete all (just one in my case) "Restore Points" and then create a new one. The same as I mentioned earlier about the Registry Cleaners. "