System restore problems. System: Dell XPS630, Intel Core2 Q6600, 2.40 GHz; 4 GB ram. Win 7 32 bit.I am a home user and have transitioned from XP to Win 7. I am by no means a Windows expert but am comfortable enough to be able to install/re-install the operating system. I used to use OS/2 before switching to XP and I have dabbled in Unbuntu. Since transitioning to Win 7 I have installed my most critical applications but still have several to go. At one point I attempted a System Restore (twice). It appeared to proceed OK until the end when I got the message that the restore had failed; nothing was changed. BTW I am using Norton Internet Security 2009. I had disabled the virus scan during the 2nd attempt at System Restore. I then Created a new restore point. Verified that it was now in the list of restore points - aprroximately 8 or so had already been created during system backup: System Image Restore Point. (None had been created prior to the installation of applications, something I thought should have happened.) Restarted in safe mode. Went to system restore. Received message that NO restore points had been created. Went to System Protection to create a restore point.That took me to system properties - no obvious way to create a restore point from there (no system protection tab). All options seem to take me to System Properties. Could not find a way to create a restore point while in Safe Mode. Restarted normally. Went to System Restore. The only restore points showing were the System Image Restore Points created earlier. I then did a clean boot. Created a restore point. Attempted to restore using that point. Restore failed. Restarted in safe mode. Same results as before. Ran System File Checker. "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violaltions." Clearly something is amiss with my System Restore. Before I tyr to re-install the Operating System I thought I would check here. Any thoughts?

Hi James099, You can not do a System Restore from System Image Restore points inside Safemode, that is why they are not visible. Additionally, you can not create a restore point from Safemode. If you have no other restore points, can you please try System Restore from Windows Recovery Environment. To boot into recovery environment, you need to createsystem repairdisc: Launch Backup & Restore Control Panel, on the left pane, click 'Createa system repairDisc'. Now boot using this disc into Windows Recovery Environment,select System Restore. Let me know if this works. In any case, please send me *.etl files under %systemdrive%\Windows\Logs at 'pravtiw-nospam[at]microsoft[dot]com'. Replace -nospam to get actual email id. Thanks, Praveen

Hi, Praveen. I restored from the Windows Recovery Environment - that worked. A note of interest: I use Norton Internet Security 2009 (v. 16.7.2.11) and apparently the restore caused it to lose the current set of virus definitions. I have a feeling that NIS may be the root of the problem. If this turns out to be the case I'll work that with Symantec. Thanks for the information re Safe mode & restore. OK, I'll send you the *.etl files. However - at the risk of sounding like the village idiot - - I am not clear on your instructions. When you say, "Replace -nospam to get actual email id", I assume you want my email Id in place of -nospam. Is that correct? Regards,James

I suggest you temporarily uninstall the Norton Internet Security 2009, then go to Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\System->System Protection->Configure. Please turn off system protection, delete all restore points and click Apply. Then restart, launch the session again and enable system restore by choosing Restore system settings and previous versions of files. Please try to create a restore point. How does it work now? If it works this time, the issue should be caused by the Norton anti-virus.Arthur Xie - MSFT

However - at the risk of sounding like the village idiot - - I am not clear on your instructions. When you say, "Replace -nospam to get actual email id", I assume you want my email Id in place of -nospam. Is that correct? The way I read it you just remove the -nospam part of the address.Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup!

Hi James99, Thanks for quick response. We have observed that sometimes system restore will fail in case of anti-virus or similar security software. Sometimes, disabling the software temporarily or trying from Safemode works. Otherwise, performing System Restore from recovery environment should solve the problem. For the email id, remove the -nospam part from the address, and send the logs to me, so that I can confirm that this is due to NIS. Thanks, Praveen

Hi, Praveen.Sorry for the delay in response. I was unable to send the *.etl files to you. They are rather large and the transmission was cut off by someone (my ISP?) about half way through.In any event I uninstalled Norton Internet Security 2009 per Aurthur Xie's suggestion and the restore worked. I have since installed NIS 2010, but have not really tested the System Restore capability since. A couple of things disturbme. Oneis that I have yet to see the option to undo the restore and return the system to its previous state. Another is that my manual restore points seem to disappear, but that may be from some fault in my testing procedure. I'll pursue this more carefully in a few days. For now I am assuming that I probably do not have a functioning system restore. I will post here if I learn something significant.Thanks to all for your responses.PS, once DemmyDemon explained the e-mail address I then understood what was meant. Thanks again.

Hi James, Regarding the *.etl files, you need not send all the files, if you remember when system restore last failed, just send the files created at that time, located under %systemdrive%\Windows\Logs\SystemRestore. Undo restore point is not created if you try system restore from Windows recovery environment. If you do it otherwise, you should see an undo restore point created. If you send me the etl files, I can check why undo restore points are not getting created. By default, only 3% of system volume(OS volume) space is reserved for restore points. If this space exceeds, you would lose your restore points. Recommendation is to increase this space. Launch SystemPropertiesProtection.exe, select the System volume, click Configure, and see how much MaxSpace Usage is there. Ifyou wish to have more restore points, please change the MaxSpace toa highervalue for all the drives that have System Protection ON. Hope this helps. Thanks, Praveen

The size of the storage of restore points is limited. If the restore points that were created long time ago, they may be removed and replaced by new created restore points. How does it work if you create a restore point now? You may check the space settings by the following steps: 1. Click Start, enter sysdm.cpl in the Start Search box. 2. Click the tab System Protection. 3. Click the button Configure.4. Drag the slide to configure the space usage. Regarding the Undo System Restore, the option should be present if you have done a System Restore.Arthur Xie - MSFT

Same problem, System back up will not work but I can create a Emergency Start up Disc, Tried System Restore at several points and, did not work, various error codes, I have Norton Internet Security 2009 installed, did not know that virus difinitions were missing, I had Sysmantic tech person, come onto my computer and install the softwear, WOW, was he fast, (ha, ha) and very polite, he checked several things on my computer configuration, changed some, (he was going so fast, I could not keep up) gave me suggestions at the end of the LIVE CHAT, when I purchased the softwear online, I felt better, but I have been having lots of trouble with Windows 7, I just purchased an entire system, costing over 1,000.00. At best buy, having a "computer specialists" help me pick out "compatible softwear and hardwear for my entire system, next I went to Dell support and downloaded Diagonistic softwear for system and Operating system, to a cd, re-booted and chose the extended diagnostic check, everything passed except for Hard disk error codes, saved the file for Dell, I am not in the mood today to deal with them, I purchased the system from Best Buy who wants to send out a COMPUTER GEEK at a very high price for one hour to install my entire computer to work with my cable-gateway router-and test for any errors, whatever, one hour for all these tasks, is just over 100.00. I call Dell Tech and talked to them, the Windows 7 installation cd was not in the box so he sent me one in an email, but hard disk read-write errors, and hard disk, replace disk errors, when I turned on the computer, more and more errors, connecting to the internet was something else, this computer has ethernet and wireless and so does my router, (their answer, move the computer further away from the router, I have never heard this before) further away from the router??? I don't get it, I turned off the computer and gave it a stare like it is wasting my time and money, then my autistic son turned it on and connected to the internet, autistic people do not answer questions, for example "how did you do that" NO ANSWER, he just does things very fast maybe, he thought it was a STUPID QUESTION, I call him Iney for Einstein", The autistic brain goes much faster then ours, and he is way, way, way ahead of us...............He sees somethings ONE TIME and remembers it to the exact detail for LIFE, HE does not know how to keep a secret, DOES NOT LIE, cheat, or steal, and thrives on his unconditional love source, which he checks on regularly, HI< I AM STILL HERE AND I LOVE YOU. He is a funny, funny artist and does cartoon strips telling storeis of things that happened, are happening, or something he likes, like he likes R and R from the 70's, just so happen, I went to high school in the 70's, You should see his collection of cd's, of course, he backs-them-up"

Dear Moderator, I was merely telling others about my autistic son(s) in case he can, well he can, solve computer problems. He can, he does, he is amazing, and handy.Soaring above the rest of us......................./jma

Norton Internet Security 2009 is not supported for win 7 remove it and install 2010 or MSE.best buy never is.The "Geek Squad" is folks who should NEVER be working on computers from what we have seen.Their number job is to sell your junk from Best Buy that you do not need.As for moving away from the router , well that is just someone reading a script, you must understand that tech support from companies like dell / hp for home computers is not the same level as if you purchased buisness class PC'sThose folks can not spell networking much less trouble it.If the dell is under warranty send it back for replace / repair.

Bubbapcguy's suggestion to move from NIS 2009 to NIS 2010 may not solve the problem. I spent more than 3 weeks and 22 hours on the phone with Symantec. I upgraded from Windows XP SP3 to Windows 7 Pro. After installing NIS 2009 it told me to upgrade to NIS 2010 which I promptly did. After that I could not and still cannot baclup under Windows 7. I can restore but get a failure code at the end saying it did not complete. However, it did complete and the choice to undo the restore was given to me. But I still cannot backup. Symantec engineers told me that the new code in NIS 2010 now protects the system at the "kernel" level. Disabling NIS will NOT prevent it from protecting the system as in previous versions. You have to uninstall it. I told him that was pretty stupid. I was then connected to one of their software developers who was extremely pleasant. Guess having a computer tech background helped. In any event I suggested that they create an option for the end-user to turn that feature off with limitations such as untill the next reboot, 30 minutes, etc. I was assured that this would be highly considered for the 2011 release. In the meantime, uninstall it and make it the last thing you put into your system after rebuilding. It worked for me. Of course my system in now broken again after reinstalling NIS 2010.