Windows 7: System Restore failed

Tried it, same result.

Norton Utilities blew up my registry on an optimization/defrag/compress, which caused me to have the same problem described above. I checked \windows\system32\config and there were two registry hives with "rmbak" extensions... I renamed their corresponding live hive files to a "bak" extension and copied the "rmbak" files over the live hive files. This allowed me to boot up successfully. I was then able to go into Norton Utilites and restore the original registries (don't know if that was necessary but I did it just to be safe). I then uninstalled Norton Utilities forever.

Make sure yoe go to the Norton site and download the Norton Removal tool - sometimes things remain after a full un-install.

jbaileyn, I got the exact same result, running the exact same program; Norton Utilities. Do you mind explaining how exactly you were able to boot up your system?

Sure, GTXND. Forgive me if I oversimplify but I'll include each step in case you're not familiar with navigating command lines (I was a tech support guy in college 20 years ago; old habits die hard). Also, changing registry files can be VERY DANGEROUS... I would only do it as a last resort before reinstalling Windows 7.

I first booted from the Windows 7 install disc to get to the system recovery console. I then selected Command Line. From there, I had to change from the X: drive to the C: drive by typing "C:". I then typed "cd \windows\system32\config" to get to the registry file directory. By typing "dir" I could see that two of the five hive files (default, sam, security,software, and system) had recent copies with an "rmbak" extension: default.rmbak and software.rmbak. I then executed the following commands:

ren software software.bak
copy software.rmbak software

ren default default.bak
copy default.rmbak default

I would suggest you execute the "ren" then "copy" commands as above for any other hives that have "rmbak" backups with the same date/time stamp. This ensures your registry remains in sync. You can now reboot and see if your computer comes up.

Here is an alternative suggestion if you don't have these "rmbak" files (if the above worked, don't do these steps; these would be a last-last resort before reinstalling Windows 7). From where we left off above type "dir RegBack". See what the time/date stamp is on the hive files there. If recent (use your judgment; mine is a couple days old so I would have probably used it had I not had the rmbak files, as I hadn't installed much in that time), you could do the following to restore that backup registry:

ren default default.bak
ren sam sam.bak
ren security security.bak
ren software software.bak
ren system system.bak
copy RegBack\*.*

Reboot and see what happens. If this worked, you may have to reinstall any software that was installed after the time/date stamps of the files in the RegBack directory.

One final note: I did try to restore to an earlier restore point once I made the above fixes. It kept coming up with an error. Therefore, I suggest creating a new restore point once the computer recovers, just so you have a clean one.

An update on my end, I got my system up and running by doing the same as jbaileyn - i.e. restoring the SYSTEM & SOFTWARE sections of the registry through DOS prompt. Never did find any way to get System Restore working, with it insisting that System Protection was turned off on my C: drive. I double checked it once I got booted up again, it's definitely turned on, so I don't know what the deal is . . . but it sure makes me nervous about the feature for the future.

Oh, and I tested the cleanmypc registry tools some more - the error fixing part of the software wasn't the culprit, it seems to be the registry defrag that killed my system. And my original hypothesis of it somehow being combined with a Windows Critical Update may not be accurate either, a second go-around of the defrag screwed my registry again, even without a pending update.

For what it's worth, the tech I exchanged e-mails with from Cleanmypc was very helpful. He said they're gonna do some more testing on their end to try and reproduce my results on a 64-bit OS.

jbaileyn, I need to thank you publicly for posting the great description of the problem you encountered and your step by step instructions for resolving it.

Apparently at about the exact same time that you submitted your post, I ran Norton Utilites' registry defrag tool on my 64x Windows 7 computer. After the program tried to restart my computer to complete the process, I only got the "blue screen of death." When neither System Restore nor Startup Repair would work to get my computer going again, I panicked.

After collecting my thoughts, I tried chatting with Norton. Their first level of tech support was unable to help me. I would have to wait a day or two for someone to get back to me. That wasn't going to work.

Then I used another computer to do a Google search. After just a couple of minutes I found your post. I followed it to the letter and it worked perfectly!

So, jbaileyn, thanks for posting so articulately about your problem and your handy solution. If you're in Northern California, I'll have to buy you a beer.

Looks like I had a slightly older version of Cleanmypc - v.4.02 . . . tech support said that version isn't compatible with 64-bit OS's (which I obviously discovered the hard way). Anyway, the latest version is 4.2X, and it seems to work fine.

Still, I really want to figure out what the problem is with System Restore. As far as I can tell, it works when running it from a successful Windows boot. It's running it from the rescue/repair non-booting options where I (we) get the "System Protection is turned off" error.

jbaileyn,
Thank you so much for the fix you have posted here, I would have been screwed without it. I joined the forums just so I could thank you for what you have done, it helped me heaps! My error came about with Auslogics Regdefrag, which seemed to affect my Windows 7 64 bit system in the same way other members have experienced.

Once again, thanks for such a clear and concise description of how to fix the problem, many thanks indeed.

Happy New Year!

I also want to publicly thank you for your post.

I did not have the .rmbak files listed so I went on to the bottom part of your post to look for answers.

I copied the files as specified out of the RegBack file. I was then able to use system restore.

Unfortunately the restores didn't fix the problem. The computer is still unable to start.

This situation makes a great case for having backups done regularly