System Restore timing

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tosca
  • Start date Start date
T

Tosca

Hi everyone

I have XP Pro SP2 and was under the impression that System Restore ran daily
to create a restore point. I've been examining what restore points I have
and there are several days when a restore point was not created. I checked
the settings and have disc space set at 12%. My laptop is turned on
throughout most of the day between around 0900 and 2300 hours and there are
periods of around an hour when it is idle. I've checked the registry
entries (HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore)
DiskPercent, RPGlobalInterval, RPLifeInterval and RPSessionInterval and
they're all set at the default values or maximum (in the case of
DiskPercent).

Why isn't System Restore running automatically each day?

I've looked at a workaround and have set a scheduled task for it to run at
1800 each day but I'm concerned that I've had to do that when System Restore
should create a restore point each day.

Thanks for your time.
 
Tosca said:
Hi everyone

I have XP Pro SP2 and was under the impression that System Restore ran
daily to create a restore point. I've been examining what restore points
I have and there are several days when a restore point was not created. I
checked the settings and have disc space set at 12%. My laptop is turned
on throughout most of the day between around 0900 and 2300 hours and there
are periods of around an hour when it is idle. I've checked the registry
entries (HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore)
DiskPercent, RPGlobalInterval, RPLifeInterval and RPSessionInterval and
they're all set at the default values or maximum (in the case of
DiskPercent).

Why isn't System Restore running automatically each day?

I've looked at a workaround and have set a scheduled task for it to run at
1800 each day but I'm concerned that I've had to do that when System
Restore should create a restore point each day.

Thanks for your time.
Click to expand...

I didn't think that System Restore set up a point every day. I thought it
only did it if you added some software or specifically instructed it to do
it.

Rob Graham
 
Hi Rob

I haven't installed anything for ages, nor have I ever done a "manual"
System Restore but there are several restore points within the last month.
They are certainly not daily.

I'm intrigued to know why they're not daily as there are lots of prolonged
periods when the laptop is idle (and plugged into the mains, rather than
working from the battery). It's not as if I'm doing something at the
computer for 12+ hours each day!
 
Tosca said:
Hi everyone

I have XP Pro SP2 and was under the impression that System Restore ran daily
to create a restore point. I've been examining what restore points I have
and there are several days when a restore point was not created. I checked
the settings and have disc space set at 12%. My laptop is turned on
throughout most of the day between around 0900 and 2300 hours and there are
periods of around an hour when it is idle. I've checked the registry
entries (HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore)
DiskPercent, RPGlobalInterval, RPLifeInterval and RPSessionInterval and
they're all set at the default values or maximum (in the case of
DiskPercent).

Why isn't System Restore running automatically each day?

I've looked at a workaround and have set a scheduled task for it to run at
1800 each day but I'm concerned that I've had to do that when System Restore
should create a restore point each day.

Thanks for your time.
Click to expand...

It should create a "System Checkpoint" restore point approximately
every 24 hours of calendar time. That is if you create a restore point
one day the next day Windows should create another restore point at
around the same time of day as the previous one. It may however be
several minutes or an hour or more past the 24 hour mark because
Windows needs at least 15 minutes of idle time in order for a restore
point to be created. Now if you create a restore point and then shut
down your computer and don't turn it back on for at least a day then
Windows should create a "System Checkpoint" restore point within the
first 15 or 20 minutes of turning on your computer. However, if your
computer has things such as virus detection programs or spyware
detection programs loading up at start up then these may prevent
Windows from creating a restore point. I've noticed sometimes that
after I've used certain programs Windows won't create a restore point,
and that's even if I close the program in question.
 
So create a SR point daily. I doubt that you will ever find the cause or a solution. I have had the same "problem" since Feb. 2002. MS could not find a solution. SR is running on my system but I have purchased imaging software, www.acronis.com TrueImage, and rely on it rather than SR.

--
Just my 2¢ worth,
Jeff
__________in response to__________

| Hi Rob
|
| I haven't installed anything for ages, nor have I ever done a "manual"
| System Restore but there are several restore points within the last month.
| They are certainly not daily.
|
| I'm intrigued to know why they're not daily as there are lots of prolonged
| periods when the laptop is idle (and plugged into the mains, rather than
| working from the battery). It's not as if I'm doing something at the
| computer for 12+ hours each day!
 
Tosca said:
Hi everyone

I have XP Pro SP2 and was under the impression that System Restore ran daily
to create a restore point. I've been examining what restore points I have
and there are several days when a restore point was not created. I checked
the settings and have disc space set at 12%. My laptop is turned on
throughout most of the day between around 0900 and 2300 hours and there are
periods of around an hour when it is idle. I've checked the registry
entries (HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore)
DiskPercent, RPGlobalInterval, RPLifeInterval and RPSessionInterval and
they're all set at the default values or maximum (in the case of
DiskPercent).

Why isn't System Restore running automatically each day?

I've looked at a workaround and have set a scheduled task for it to run at
1800 each day but I'm concerned that I've had to do that when System Restore
should create a restore point each day.

Thanks for your time.
Click to expand...

MVP Bert Kinney has an excellent set of web pages for System Restore.
For your specific issue see http://bertk.mvps.org/html/srauto.html

Hope this is of some assistance.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm
 
» mrtee « said:
So create a SR point daily. I doubt that you will ever find the cause or a solution. I have had the same "problem" since Feb. 2002. MS could not find a solution. SR is running on my system but I have purchased imaging software, www.acronis.com TrueImage, and rely on it rather than SR.
Click to expand...

I agree - TrueImage is the way to go. An absolute bargain - it really is
the dog's bollox.

Lu
 
Hi Ron

I looked at the site in detail and have not been able to find any problems
on my system which may be causing failure of the routine daily creation of a
restore point.

I resorted to creating a daily schedule to run System Restore, in the hope
that this would work in the background, as the automatic System Restore
does. I was a little surprised to see that the dialogue was triggered,
asking me to name the restore point etc., as if I had started the wizard
manually. That rather defeats the object as I really want it to be
triggered *definitely* each day in the background.

Do you have any other suggestions?

Many thanks again for your input.
 
Hi Ron (again!)

It just struck me that I might be able to have the Task Manager run a script
which, in turn, runs System Restore, enters "Task Manager Activated" (or
similar title) in the appropriate naming area of the System Restore wizard,
minimises it, lets it get on with the work and then closes the wizard. I'll
see if some kind soul on the scrripting NG can help with this.
 
Hi Tosca.
It's pretty obvious to me that if you need to rely on Microscum's own
system restore (as you have discovered, very unreliable - even if you
have a restore point it's not always guaranteed to restore), you'd be
much better offer investing a few dollars in "proper" backup software.
The best that I have used is far and away Acronis True Image. You can
backup to a partition (not recommended, but safer than what you are
doing now) or better, an external USB hard disk.

Lu
 
Thanks for your input. I've seen Acronis True Image mentioned on several
occasions in the context of doing a backup so it seems that I may be
investing!

As you use it, can you tell me something about it: does it simply copy files
from one area to another (HDD to USB, DVD etc.) so the files are immediately
retrievable from the target with, for instance, Windows Explorer, or does it
somehow "amalgamate" the files to one single large file that requires
Acronis True Image to "dissect" back to the original files? In other words,
if I want to restore some files (that I have backed up) to a second
computer, would I have to have Acronis True Image installed on both
computers? Would I have to buy two copies or does the licence allow
installation on several computers at the same time?
 
It should create a "System Checkpoint" restore point approximately
every 24 hours of calendar time. That is if you create a restore point
one day the next day Windows should create another restore point at
around the same time of day as the previous one. It may however be
several minutes or an hour or more past the 24 hour mark because
Windows needs at least 15 minutes of idle time in order for a restore
point to be created. Now if you create a restore point and then shut
down your computer and don't turn it back on for at least a day then
Windows should create a "System Checkpoint" restore point within the
first 15 or 20 minutes of turning on your computer. However, if your
computer has things such as virus detection programs or spyware
detection programs loading up at start up then these may prevent
Windows from creating a restore point. I've noticed sometimes that
after I've used certain programs Windows won't create a restore point,
and that's even if I close the program in question.
Click to expand...

Thanks!
 
Tosca said:
Thanks for your input. I've seen Acronis True Image mentioned on several
occasions in the context of doing a backup so it seems that I may be
investing!

As you use it, can you tell me something about it: does it simply copy files
from one area to another (HDD to USB, DVD etc.) so the files are immediately
retrievable from the target with, for instance, Windows Explorer, or does it
somehow "amalgamate" the files to one single large file that requires
Acronis True Image to "dissect" back to the original files? In other words,
if I want to restore some files (that I have backed up) to a second
computer, would I have to have Acronis True Image installed on both
computers? Would I have to buy two copies or does the licence allow
installation on several computers at the same time?
Click to expand...



Version 9 also has a "normal" backup feature. I haven't looked at this
because I don't use it, but it might back up in a proprietary format.
Best bet is to visit the Acronis website.
Restoring from a TrueImage file is easy - you can mount the backup (TI
assigns it a drive letter) on your main C drive and it then looks and
behaves like any normal drive. You can drag the files to where you want
(ie. back onto your C drive). So, to answer your question about Windows
Explorer - answer is yes.
One thing I really like is that you can boot from a partition on the
hard drive (bypassing Windows) and restore that way.
As for licensing on a second PC - If it is for personal use, I wouldn't
even bother reading the small print. You paid for it, you use it!
Lu
 
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