Windows 7: System Restore failed

Hi,
Has anyone tried a system restore from the RC1 install disk? Mine lists about 8 restore points, but when I select one, it tells me that "You must enable System Protection for this drive." and it will not restore.. I understand that from the Brink tutorial on this topic of System Restore, that it’s supposed to be on my default. There is no way I can check to see if it is on or off, because my computer will not boot. I certainly didn’t turn it off, so I’m wondering what is going on. It doesn’t seem to make sense to create restore points if you can’t use them, but you know the old saying… It might be interesting as well as prudent to check and see if yours is turned on like it is suposed to be.
Doug

System Restore works. Only thing i can think of is that your system restore files got corrupt or are too outdated to be used?

The latest point is only a few days old. If you're running RC1 can you confirm for me that System Protection is on by default. Also, have you tried it from the dvd install disk?

System Restore is on by default on RC. I would try it but the last image i have is from a few weeks ago.

When booted to the Install DVD and clicking repair, somewhere along the way, you should be offered to start a command prompt.

1. At the command prompt, type rstrui.exe, and then press ENTER.

If asked for a password, type password and press enter. If no password has been made, but it still asks you for one, just press enter.
It should tell you if system restore has started. If so, go to 3.

2. If that doesn't work, try typing this in the command prompt:

%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

3. close the command prompt and go directly to the restore my computer option and see if it will now run.

This is how to start system restore when in safe mode, for whatever reason, you may have to do this with the install dvd repair/restore option. I've used the install disk to run a restore and had no problems, so not sure why it isn't working for you.

Good Luck

If the above do not work. try this:
from command (run as admin if possible) rstrui.exe /offline:C:\windows

If C:\ is not your Windows 7 drive change to appropiate.
If you have a restore point set it will always choose the last point.

Hi,

Thank you for the comment. I was able to run System Restore. However, it gave me the error message that said "You must enable System Protection for this drive". As I understand it, System Protection is ON by default and I certaintly did not turn it OFF.
I have eight restore points listed and selecting any of them gives me this message. Is there any way I can turn it ON now?

Doug,

I confirm that this condition is definitely not unique. I had the same problem. Further detail: Whereas the Restore Points are listed (indicating that the System Protection and System Restore is ON), the check box for the drive cannot be filled with a check, and therefore the Next box is grayed-out. When trying to fill the check box, the response, 'You must enable System Protection for this Drive' doesn't make sense.

I couldn't use a Restore Point and didn't have an image of the system to restore. An "in place" upgrade from the install disk wouldn't work either. (Strangely, the software responded by indicating that I had booted from the disk, asked me to remove it and run the upgrade after booting normally; a rediculous suggestion.) Fortunately, I did have one other option: I used the command prompt to go to \Windows\system32\config and found that I had recent backup files for four hives. By renaming them to the active files names, my problem was solved.

The only other discussion of this condition with Windows 7 RC (that I can find) was in Microsoft TechNet concurrently. That's here:
Windows 7 RC Crashed On Recent Software Install

Ronnie, the moderator, offered a logical suggestion on May 30. He wrote:

Go to the command prompt in the repair options. Type:

net start vss

Press ENTER.

This should start the System Protection Service.
Type the following command.

rstrui.exe

Press ENTER.

This command should start System Restore.

Unfortunately, the man with the problem reported that it didn't work. So, unless you backed up the hives and can get to them through the command prompt, or unless you have a system image, or unless some new fix comes along from Microsoft, I don't see a way out. What I can provide is validation about the circumstances, information on what hasn't worked, suspecions that this issue is the consequence of unproven code, and some empathy.

Does anyone know if a solution was ever found to this problem? I've got a retail version of Windows 7 Pro-64, and managed to screw up my registry pretty good (combination of a missed reboot after a windows update and a clean/optimize using cleanmypc).

I've got a couple good System Restore point options, but like the others here, System Restore is claiming that System Protection isn't enabled on my C drive. Very frustrating.

One thing to try is to run a restore from the recovery console via the install DVD - restores sometimes work without windows running that will not when inside the OS