System restore points missing/deleted

[GabRieL]

Yes i did a full new custom install from the original Win 7 disk and chose the option to format my boot/Win7 partition beforehand
I did a windows easy transfer first to another partition to keep a lot of my stuff and transferred it back
I only had about 25 programmes to re-install :-( and re-configure
My restore points now remain. With less space set aside for them too!

Okay i understand your first part where you did a full new custom install as I tried that and it didn't work...now what I didn't do and I don't understand either is what u mean by "and chose the option to format my boot/Win7 partition beforehand." What does that mean exactly? Where along the custom install do your chose the option to format the boot/Win7 partition beforehand?

 

[SIW2]

When you see the screen with partitions asking where you want to install.

Click Drive Options(advanced)

 

[GabRieL]

When you see the screen with partitions asking where you want to install.

Click Drive Options(advanced)

I only have one hard drive in my computer so ill take this in literal steps...once I click Drive Options(advanced), what do I do then? Thx for your help btw.

These are the steps I'm looking at to help me.
http://www.techtalkz.com/windows-7/514412-windows-7-installation-guide-tutorial.html

 

[SIW2]

Click the partition you want to format (to highlight it), then click Format.

After that, make sure the partition you want to install to is highlighted , then click Next to start the installation.

 

[GabRieL]

Click the partition you want to format (to highlight it), then click Format.

If it is already Unallocated Space, click New instead ( that means create new partition). Select the size you want it to be, click Apply.


After that, make sure the partition you want to install to is highlighted , then click Next to start the installation.

Okay as it stands if I get to this part and it only shows one partition in the list(my hard drive), which is my 250GB Seagate, i should NOT have to click new correct?...all your telling me to do is to click format and then next...see when I originally installed windows 7 i didn't click format i only hit next...what does clicking "Format" do? And again this is what whoosh did to fix his system restore problem like I am trying to fix...so it might work?

 

[SIW2]

If the drive is already partitioned ( it might all be just one partition ) - you don't need to click New - in fact you can't unless there is Unallocated space.

If you don't format the partition , the data currently on there will be shoved into a folder called Windows.old.

If you format , it will be a clean install.

 

[GabRieL]

If the drive is already partitioned ( it might all be just one partition ) - you don't need to click New - in fact you can't unless there is Unallocated space.

If you don't format the partition , the data currently on there will be shoved into a folder called Windows.old.

If you format , it will be a clean install.

WHAT!!!! LOL I thought you only had to hit custom install to get a clean install of windows 7...thx dude I never knew that...

So here are the steps Im going to take if u don't mind reviewing them
1. I click Custom Install
2. Then Highlight drive I want and click "Drive Options(advanced)"
3. Then Highlight the drive I want again and click "Format" (to do a CLEAN install)
4. Then once i click "Format" I click "Next" and take it from there.

Thx alot for your help I think this might fix the problem! Oh one other question, Im gonna do this tomorrow and I was wondering do you recommend to install windows updates first before installing motherboard/video card drivers, etc?

 

[SIW2]

Yes.

Mobo drivers should be installed by 7.

Look in device manager and see any yellow exclamation marks - they will need drivers.

If you have an up to date video card driver - install it and your antivirus ( most of the Team here use Avast Home free Edition ) before windows updates.

http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html

When you have 7 setup the way you like, make an image of the 7 partition ( and the system reserved partition ). Store it preferably externally, but another partition is better than nothing.

Make another image periodically - you can restore that to save reinstalling and setting it all up again , if you ever get into trouble.

It can be done with windows own System Image Utility, but the free version of Macrium Reflect is better.

http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp

How to create a disk image with Macrium Reflect

How to create the Macrium Linux rescue CD

How to recover your PC using the Linux rescue CD

 

[GabRieL]

okay thx for your help...ill let u know tomorrow how it worked out! I use AVG 9.0 is that one good and how do I make an image of the 7 partition using windows 7 software?

 

[gregrocker]

AVG is not as lean as it once was. Avast is much lighterweight but just as effective free solution.

Type backup in start search box and "Create a System Image" to save externally and/or in a primary formatted partition on another HD. Make the offered System Repair CD to use if you ever need to reimage the HD or a replacement, or use your Win7 DVD repair console.

(I'm only answering because I know SIW2 doesn't like WIn7 backup imaging, which we use on 6 of 7 computers here )

 

[SIW2]

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html

 

[BSkiLLs]

Let me re-iterate, the restore points are NOT too big or too many
here's my disk info
The original W& was freash install RC beta - then upgraded to a full copy of W7 Ultimate 64bit
I'm about to try a W7 system disk restore from backup - I'l report back later

It's now "later" - booted from repair disk, did restore from system backup - still the same

no i get what your saying it's not that their to big for me either its just the farther you alocate space the bigger in size the restore points become...But they only hang around after shutdown-reboot at 100% alocated space...anything else like default at 4% at 9.36GB and one restore point size 135MB will disappear at shutdown/reboot so yea its the same problem basically

Did you guys get this worked out and fixed ?? Was it a non-clean/fresh install issue ??

 

[whoosh7]

I did a boot from W7 Ulitimate 64 bit install media a full new, clean, format disk, install and it fixed my problem. if you do this you will not have a windows.old dir as it wipes everything.

I use Microsoft Security Essentials - it appears as good as most and free and seems to have a small system/perfromance footprint

If your data is on that disk you need a backup or you will lose it.I used easy transfer to transfer a lot of my win7 settings and stuff to another diak - then transferred them back after the install.

I currently have 16 restore points to choose from

I have 3 disks in my PC.
disk 1 - W7 partition and data backup partition
disk 2 data partition
disk 3 2nd backup
external usb 1 TB for fianl backup - normally kept at my mums house
I have too many photos and too much music to risk losing them

Sorry but I'm on UK time here, so I'm a bit out of phase with you all....

 

[GabRieL]

AVG is not as lean as it once was. Avast is much lighterweight but just as effective free solution.

Type backup in start search box and "Create a System Image" to save externally and/or in a primary formatted partition on another HD. Make the offered System Repair CD to use if you ever need to reimage the HD or a replacement, or use your Win7 DVD repair console.

(I'm only answering because I know SIW2 doesn't like WIn7 backup imaging, which we use on 6 of 7 computers here )

Okay I typed backup now wat do I click..nothing comes up saying "create system image".

Now lets do this in steps k...once I go to backup and "create a system image" its just a file I can drag and drop to my 8gb USB stick to save it for example right? What does this system image do? Im guessing it allows you to "restore" your computer to the state you created it in. So you don't have to reformat your whole hard drive again and install everything, correct?

Now wat is the difference between that and creating the system repair cd?

 

[gregrocker]

AVG is not as lean as it once was. Avast is much lighterweight but just as effective free solution.

Type backup in start search box and "Create a System Image" to save externally and/or in a primary formatted partition on another HD. Make the offered System Repair CD to use if you ever need to reimage the HD or a replacement, or use your Win7 DVD repair console.

(I'm only answering because I know SIW2 doesn't like WIn7 backup imaging, which we use on 6 of 7 computers here )

Okay I typed backup now wat do I click..nothing comes up saying "create system image".

Now lets do this in steps k...once I go to backup and "create a system image" its just a file I can drag and drop to my 8gb USB stick to save it for example right? What does this system image do? Im guessing it allows you to "restore" your computer to the state you created it in. So you don't have to reformat your whole hard drive again and install everything, correct?

Now wat is the difference between that and creating the system repair cd?

Yes, the backup image makes it unnecessary to ever reinstall the OS again, just reimage the HD or a replacement from the image.

You use the Repair CD or Win7 DVD to do this, selecting "Recover Using an Image" from the Tools list (Startup Repair, Command Line, System Restore, etc.) which will autodetect the image stored in the root of an external drive, or in a primary partition on an internal HD and reimage from boot mode.

 

[BSkiLLs]

I did a boot from W7 Ulitimate 64 bit install media a full new, clean, format disk, install and it fixed my problem. if you do this you will not have a windows.old dir as it wipes everything.

I use Microsoft Security Essentials - it appears as good as most and free and seems to have a small system/perfromance footprint

If your data is on that disk you need a backup or you will lose it.I used easy transfer to transfer a lot of my win7 settings and stuff to another diak - then transferred them back after the install.

I currently have 16 restore points to choose from

I have 3 disks in my PC.
disk 1 - W7 partition and data backup partition
disk 2 data partition
disk 3 2nd backup
external usb 1 TB for fianl backup - normally kept at my mums house
I have too many photos and too much music to risk losing them

Sorry but I'm on UK time here, so I'm a bit out of phase with you all....

OK cool. Glad you got it working.

I thought it was kinda either an install issue or a space issue.