Ways to avoid corrupt restore files?

[Jim]

More often that not, when I want to do a system restore, it keeps
telling me itr can't be restored to any points I select, including the
most recent. WHy does this keep happening. When it does I turn it
off, and then on again, to delete the corrupt points. However the
longer its been since Ive last done this, the less likely it is to
work when I need it.

 

[GTS]

Use of System Restore should be rare. The fact that you seem to be trying
it regularly makes me wonder what problems may exist on this machine. Are
you running up to date antivirus software? Have you run spyware scans?
Often viruses or parasites are sources of corruption for system restore. A
hard disk problem is another possibility - you might run chkdsk /r to check
that.

 

[Jim]

It's not really that regular, but perhaps on average of once a month I
do something I'd like to undo - that can't be undone in another
manner.

I run a firewall (zone alarm), norton anti virus plus a couple
different spyware programs which ran today and are all clearn.
There is no spyware, nor viruses, etc.

Will run chkdsk /r.

Does defragging the disk increase the likelihood of making the
restore files unusable?

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Jim

Start by turning OFF the System Restore function.. click on the Start
button.. right click on 'My Computer', then select Properties.. now select
the 'System Restore' tab..

Check the box "Turn off System Restore" or "Turn off System Restore on all
drives".. now click on 'Apply'.. you will be asked if it is ok to lose all
restore points.. answer YES to this.. now click on 'OK'



Reboot, and then go back and turn System Restore back on.. if you have
problems again, their is a good chance that a hidden virus is disabling
them..



In cases like this, run a one shot virus remover.. I have found that McAfee
Stinger works for people.. download and run it..



http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/



Another alternative is ..



http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp



Good luck


--
Mike Hall
MVP - Windows Shell/user

 

[GTS]

No, Defragging wouldn't create a problem for System Restore.
--

 

[Jim]

Thanks. Also...

Chdsk/ r, as recommended by another found one bad block of data (not
in sys restore) and instant check for viruses, with sys restore off,
found none.

 

[Edward W. Thompson]

More often that not, when I want to do a system restore, it keeps
telling me itr can't be restored to any points I select, including the
most recent. WHy does this keep happening. When it does I turn it
off, and then on again, to delete the corrupt points. However the
longer its been since Ive last done this, the less likely it is to
work when I need it.

As you have found System Restore is unreliable. A more reliable Registry
'backup' is by use of ERUNT which is 'freeware'. Search Google for the
download site.

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi Jim,

Keeping System Restore Healthy
http://home.earthlink.net/~mvp_bert/html/healthy.html