Windows 7 not saving any restore points

[billmcct]

OK guys, (and Gals) I have never ran into this before.
My system will no longer save any restore points after a restart. I can install updates, install/uninstall programs or even set a manual restore point but when the system is restarted there are no restore points left to roll back to. System restore is set to keep 41% of my drive (which is about 120GB). Anyone got any idea what's going on here?

Bill

 

[Layback Bear]

Some things that come to mind.
First from the CMD Prompt run this to verify their are no Restore Points.

This should show you how much space is for Restore points and where they are located.

vssadmin list shadowstorage

The one below will show you your Restore Points.

vssadmin list shadows

 

[billmcct]

Results below,

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>vssadmin list shadowstorage
vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool
(C) Copyright 2001-2005 Microsoft Corp.

Shadow Copy Storage association
For volume: (C\\?\Volume{5cb66838-cfc1-11e5-8f6c-806e6f6e6963}\
Shadow Copy Storage volume: (C\\?\Volume{5cb66838-cfc1-11e5-8f6c-806e6f6e69
63}\
Used Shadow Copy Storage space: 0 B (0%)
Allocated Shadow Copy Storage space: 0 B (0%)
Maximum Shadow Copy Storage space: 178.911 GB (41%)


C:\Windows\system32>vssadmin list shadows
vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool
(C) Copyright 2001-2005 Microsoft Corp.

No items found that satisfy the query.

C:\Windows\system32>


Bill

 

[Layback Bear]

Very strange.
How much free space do you have on the "C" partition?

A while back Avast was causing Restore Point problems. You could check their forum and see if anything new has come up.

 

[billmcct]

371.9 GB

I do use Avast however the last problem I am aware of with Avast was that it would set the System Restore limit to 50% of the drive. That was fixed. I will check their forums though.

Now here's one more thing. I turned off System restore on the C: drive and rebooted and system restore was still enabled. I have tried this 3 times now and the system keeps turning it back on. Winduhs go figure.

Bill

 

[Layback Bear]

I'm missing something.
Why are you turning off system restore on the "C"?

 

[whs]

Run this command in elevated command prompt and see whether it fixes the problem:

"%windir%\system32\rundll32.exe /d srrstr.dll,ExecuteScheduledSPPCreation"

 

[billmcct]

I had the thought that if the SysVol folder was corrupted that turning off restore would delete the folder at restart
and recreate after restoring the monitoring on the C: drive. Just something to try. However the monitoring should not have been restarted.

Also I have disabled Avast and it has made no difference.

Bill

 

[Layback Bear]

I do remember something about 3rd party defrag program causing Restore Points not to show up. My understand was the defrag tool moved things around where Windows 7 couldn't find them.

 

[billmcct]

I ran the command that WHS suggested and it did set a system restore point. However on restart it disappeared. This is not my computer it belongs to my Niece (in law). I did a boot sector rebuild for her a coupla weeks ago because the system wouldn't boot and also ran a dfrag on the drive. Now I see she has Iobit Smart Defrag installed. Also several others. I am now running Windows defrag, (which is only a striped down version of Diskeeper) to see if it will help. At analyze it showed about 90% fragmentation. If all else fails I will reload from the Recovery partition.

Bill

 

[whs]

In the interim you could use imaging until you got this restore point story figured out.

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

 

[Layback Bear]

Because a IObit product has been use on the system I would recommend a Clean Install.
IObit programs/products destroy computer systems. Even after you remove them it would take forever to repair the damage that the programs have done.
Others might have different suggestions but Clean Install is my suggestion.

I would also suggest that all passwords she or anybody else that used that computer be changed using another known safe computer.

 

[billmcct]

Thank you, I have Macrium on disk and my flash drive. I am considering cloning this drive to an extra WD blue 500GB drive I have laying around here somewhere and reloading her system just so I can give her back her computer to use until I figure this out. I realize there is a solution though I personally have never ran into this problem. I have checked all the Services and they are set to the defaults per BlackVipers website. Just have to keep investigating.

Humm, after defrag it shows only 236000+ files and I seem to remember that a coupla weeks ago there were 313000+ files on her system.

Bill

 

[Layback Bear]

If you clone the drive you are just clone the problem over to the other drive.

 

[DavidE]

I agree with the previous advice.

What i would also do is see what all programs your niece has installed.
CCleaner can save the installed programs list to a file, so you can review it and see what she has done.

You may need to teach her to not download/install everything offered, and ask you for advice before "clicking Yes".

Even with a clean install you/she could end up with the same problem.
That's where keeping periodic backups can really help to recover without having to start over with a clean install.

 

[billmcct]

Because a IObit product has been use on the system I would recommend a Clean Install.
IObit programs/products destroy computer systems. Even after you remove them it would take forever to repair the damage that the programs have done.
Others might have different suggestions but Clean Install is my suggestion.

I would also suggest that all passwords she or anybody else that used that computer be changed using another known safe computer.

I personally have never tried anything but Iobit uninstaller though I do use Revo uninstaller. Looking at Smart defrag , it has a boot time option. I will have to ask her about this. This is a laptop so the only way to reinstall is the Recovery partition. As far as passwords go, no one uses this thing but my niece ( and me now). She is only 19 y o and does no financial stuff.

Bill

 

[Layback Bear]

Things like Facebook and other sites like that have passwords.
I still recommend changing all passwords using a clean computer.
Young people can get in a lot of trouble if someone else user their passwords.

 

[billmcct]

If you clone the drive you are just clone the problem over to the other drive.

That's what I want to do, so I can try to find the problem after giving her comp back so she can use it. Sorry but I have a an inquisitive mind and need to know what is causing this.

Bill

 

[billmcct]

I agree with the previous advice.

What i would also do is see what all programs your niece has installed.
CCleaner can save the installed programs list to a file, so you can review it and see what she has done.

You may need to teach her to not download/install everything offered, and ask you for advice before "clicking Yes".

Even with a clean install you/she could end up with the same problem.
That's where keeping periodic backups can really help to recover without having to start over with a clean install.

David, I fully intend to have this talk with her. I am looking at installed programs now. So far I can't see anything other than the 4 defrag programs that could cause a problem.

Bill

 

[Layback Bear]

Well you got our advice. It's your call.