SYSTEM RESTORE Not Working

[Sharon]

Ok, out of no where my System Restore stopped working. I
woke up yesterday and wanted to create a restore point
and couldn't. I cannot create a restore point nor can I
restore my comp to an earlier date. None of the
highlighted dates and restore points work. I just keep
clicking NEXT and nothing happens. I tried to do the
right clicking on the sr.inf file and hitting install but
it asks me to insert my Windows XP disk so that it can
get a file it needs from the disk. Problem is, I have no
Windows XP disk because supposidly, my manufacturer HP,
told me that Windows XP already comes installed on my
comp and if I ever need to restore my comp to just hit
F10 on start up and it would restore my comp back to
factory. They said I don't need a Windows XP disk because
everything I need is already on the comp. So, how can I
restore System Restore without a disk? And I do not want
to have to restore my entire comp and lose everything I
have. I have:

Windows XP Home Ed.
80 Gig HD
512 RAM
2.4 Pentium 4 Processor
No viruses, worms, etc. Was already scanned and checked
for such things. No spyware or adware either.
Also did a defrag and a deep scan disk.

Thanks.

 

[Willit]

If you look in the registry at HKEY LOCAL
MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup

It should point to ServicePackSourcePath "%SystemDrive%
\Windows\ServicePackFiles should be in the I386 folder.

If it's pointing to the cd you have to change it, to the
above, there should be a copy there. If you do a search
for it you'll find a copy.

 

[dad2ten]

Hi Sharon,
I have a hp with windows xp oem. Did you check "System Properties" / System
Restore tab to see if you have used up all the allotted space for system
restore files. F10 is System Recovery which is totally different from system
restore. Resetting System Restore would be easier than doing a System
Recovery . You would loose your restore points but that's better than
loosing important files. You can do this by turning off system restore/
restarting/ turning system restore back on. A virus can be stored in the
system restore files hidden from your virus scan. In the two years that I've
had this computer, I've found the most detailed instructions in my help and
support from the start menu.
Best of luck, dad2ten

 

[Sharon]

Ok, when I click on sr.inf to install it asks for the
disk but it also points to that folder
(C:\windows\inf\i386) you mentioned. When I click OK it
says it's not found or doesn't do anything. When I go
into the C:\windows\servicepack\1386 folder manually to
look in it, all that's in it is a folder
called "language" and even that is empty. I am at a loss.

 

[Guest]

Ok, I've tried what you suggested as well and still, when
I go to create a restore point, it won't let me. I just
don't understand why it stopped working in the first
place. I haven't even added anything new for many months.
Haven't had any errors or abnormal shut downs or
anything. Like I said, I woke up yesterday morning and
decided to create a restore point like I do every now and
then and it was then that I noticed it no longer worked.
But yet it worked fine about a week ago. I also tried to
look at the help that's at the top of system restore when
you open it and it doesn't really say anything.