System restore not working - "insufficient storage"

[whs]

Element, this is a fix when the system partition is too small. Has nothing to do with this problem here.

 

[cbrundage]

Whs, I did that and both times it said it succeeded, but when I went into Sys. Restore, the same restore points are listed - if they are really there. I'm trying a restore point now but it goes on for a long time and I suppose I'll still get that error message.

Element7, I am going to print that off before trying it. It looks rather intimidating! But thank you so much for providing that. I will get my daughter to do that for me - she knows computers better than I do.

Many thanks to both of you!!

 

[whs]

There seems to be something wrong with your shadowstorage manager. Try to run this command:

sfc /scannow

Maybe the system file checker can fix it.

 

[cbrundage]

Just as I feared, the same error of insufficient storage. Thanks, all - you have been very patient! I will think about reformatting as that should fix it, but I may wait a while. This may also have something to do with my inability to get Win to back up to an external drive with lots of space - it kept saying there wasn't enough room. So I already had Macrium and used that without difficulty.

 

[cbrundage]

whs, I'm running that now.

 

[whs]

Yeah, system imaging uses the shadowstorage facility. So there is definitely something wrong. Try the command in my last post.

 

[cbrundage]

I just ran it - it went to 100% and then closed! There wasn't any result listed.

 

[whs]

I just ran it - it went to 100% and then closed! There wasn't any result listed.

That is strange. It should have at least said that no problems were found.

I suggest you try this: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

 

[cbrundage]

You know, I had just bookmarked that page because I thought that might be the answer. Many thanks - I think it will need that.

 

[whs]

It is better than a complete reinstall.

The SFC can only fix files that it has in the 'mirror' - and those are only the most vital system files. But a repair/install can fix any file that came with the system and is on the installation disc - not files that came with programs that were installed late though. But that is not the problem in your case.

 

[cbrundage]

I've always thought reformatting was what you did if you were sent to hell in the next life - always reformatting, over and over! So if I can do this instead, it will be better!

 

[whs]

For the future, I suggest you make images. Keep a couple of the early ones and then make one per week and keep 3 or 4 on a continuing basis. Then you can always bail yourself out in 20 to 30 minutes.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I

 

[mjf]

As per the WHS advice System Images are your best "get out of jail" card even if your HDD bites the dust. I gave up on restore points a long time ago. Macrium Reflect is a good product.

 

[cbrundage]

I have made images with Macrium on a regular basis but I suspect the problems go back to Jan. or earlier because that's when the system restore seems to have stopped working.

 

[cbrundage]

I'm just going to leave it off for now. I used to have GoBack for decades and it bailed me out so many times. It was hard to give it up. Macrium Reflect seems good but I haven't had to restore an image yet.