I looked in my trash can, and it is actually called "tracking.log". Please notice the . between them as well. I'm still not understanding why there would, or should be a tracking log in my system restore points. Unless it's a natural way for the restore system to set points even though your not asking for them.
Hi,
I still don't fully understand it myself. You can read the thread here:
https://forum.avira.com/wbb/index.ph...&postID=709692
As far as I can work out it's not in your System Restore Points but it's in your System Volume Information folder (This folder doesn't only contain System Restore Points). What's supposed to be in the System Volume Information folder? I searched for more information and this is what I found:
It’s not just System Restore data that gets stored in the System Volume Information folder and the Windows Indexing Service uses it to store search databases, the Volume Shadow Copy Service creates live system backup data and also Distributed Link Tracking stores database information to repair shortcuts and linked documents. Check Disk logs are also saved here.
As far as I can work out tracking.log is created by Distributed Link Tracking Client (TrkWks) Service or at least has something to do with it.
As a test - on my machine I've disabled the service and deleted tracking.log.
I'll reboot and see if the file re-appears.
[EDIT]:
After a reboot tracking.log has so far failed to reappear. I should point out to other users that before experimenting I do have several system image backups to fall back on in the event of problems occurring!
I reckon that if the Distributed Link Tracking Client (TrkWks) Service is left enabled then tracking.log will be recreated automatically if it's ever deleted.
Last edited by Callender; 15 Feb 2014 at 09:46. Reason: Add info
If you need VSS for partition image backups etc. you MAY encounter difficulties if you prohibit "System Volume Information" from partition C:\
Very recently I have seen on the Macrium Reflect forums, and elsewhere,
that VSS places system snapshots in "System Volume Information".
I understand from Macrium that when I make a Macrium partition image of a partition then VSS snapshots are placed in the "System Volume Information" of that partition.
That is NOT my experience.
Before I was aware of VSS I used my technique to absolutely prohibit "System Volume Information" from any non-system partition,
and yet Macrium still created good restore-able image backups of non-system partitions.
It seems plausible that the first choice for a VSS snapshot MIGHT be in the "System Volume Information" of the relevant partition,
but it obviously is able to find an alternative location.
It may well be that VSS snapshots may be all held in "C:System Volume Information".
Please not that originally I was unaware of such repercussions.
My sole concern was that non-system NTFS partitions on a USB2 external drive caused pain and grief.
If I right clicked on a 100 MB file with a desire to inspect its properties,
Windows XP would make me wait for perhaps one or more minutes whilst it COPIED that file into a Restore Point on the same partition,
and only after completing that duplication would it open up the context menu to choose "properties",
I suppose XP is so feeble minded that it assumed I would choose "Delete" and that it would not be fast enough to intercept the action and delay until it had actually backup up into the restore point.
I was able to disable monitoring of all external drive partitions,
BUT
I could only disable drive letters, and sometimes a power-up race hazard resulted in partitions getting DIFFERENT drive letters which defaulted to MONITORING.
Hence I developed the technique to permanently block "System Volume Information" on all such partitions.
I have never blocked "System Volume Information" on System C:\ because it never caused me grief.
I will be interested in hearing if the warnings I have seen are actually justified.
I also wonder where chkdsk.log files will appear if "System Volume Information" is prohibited.
N.B.
I am able to learn from my own mistakes,
but life is sweeter if I can learn from yours
Regards
Alan
In response to alan10
The prohibition of System Volume Information on the windows partition was short-lived. It re-created itself anyway but I can't say when this happened. It just wasn't there immediately after a reboot.
The permissions for System Volume Information have been mysteriously all reset to defaults with SYSTEM regaining full control in spite of my efforts to recreate an empty folder
Here's a screenshot of what I see in the folder now.
The highlighted file is a VSS Macrium snapshot (Macrium was running when I took the screenshot).
My intention was just to experiment with SVI to see what happens if I attempt to remove it.
Macrium Reflect still works fine.
The steps taken were:
Deleted System Volume Information using Power Tool 1.6
Confirmed that it had actually been deleted.
Created a new SVI from the command prompt using the following:
echo > "<DRIVE>:System Volume Information"
attrib +r +s +h "<DRIVE>:System Volume Information"
Rebooted and checked that SVI remained empty and indeed it did.
Checked back again sometime later and SYSTEM had regained control but it now contains only what is shown in the first screenshot in this post.
Your advice on deleting SVI from external drives and preventing it's return is most welcome. I was just curious to see if the same technique could be applied to SVI on a windows partition.
No need for Format in Win 7
For Windows 7:
1. Click Start, right-click Computer and click Properties.
2. Click the System protection link in the left pane.
3. In the System protection options, select each drive letter and click Configure.
4. Select Turn off system protection and click Apply.
5. Click Delete, click Continue when prompted and then click OK.
Thanks for the info! The thread title is "How to delete System Volume Information folder" rather than how to delete all system restore points. Just to be clear for anyone else reading this thread.
Here's a screenshot including sub-folders contained within System Volume Information and all system restore points are deleted.
I just found the easiest answer by accident. I did this: With the external drive connected to your computer, open "My Computer". Right click on the drive in question, then select "Open as Portable Device". You can now go ahead and delete the "System Volume Information" folder without any problem.
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