System Restore doesn't work

System Restore will not restore my HP laptop to ANY point in the past.
I get a message which says it encountered an unspecified error (VISTA).
Also, I tried to access System Restore in safe mode and can't find it.
Can someone tell me what to try? My Device Manager doesn't indicate
any problems. Thanks.

wrote:

> System Restore will not restore my HP laptop to ANY point in the past.
> I get a message which says it encountered an unspecified error (VISTA).
> Also, I tried to access System Restore in safe mode and can't find it.
> Can someone tell me what to try? My Device Manager doesn't indicate
> any problems. Thanks.

The First Question Of Troubleshooting: If the problem is new, what changed
between the time things worked and the time they didn't?

The Second Question of Windows Troubleshooting: what is the malware/virus
status of the machine? If you think it is clean, what programs (and
versions) did you use to determine this?

Be sure the computer is clean:
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/...moving_Malware

Problems caused by Symantec - http://bertk.mvps.org/html/symantecdoc1.html

System Restore - Error Messages in Vista -
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/eerrormsgsv.html

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

<> wrote in message
news:...
> System Restore will not restore my HP laptop to ANY point in the past.
> I get a message which says it encountered an unspecified error (VISTA).
> Also, I tried to access System Restore in safe mode and can't find it.
> Can someone tell me what to try? My Device Manager doesn't indicate
> any problems. Thanks.


Malware often affects restore points, so if you have recently picked up
malware and have taken steps to remove it, you may also have to disable
restore points, then re-enable for the function to work again..

If you are trying to use restore points to overcome a malware problem, the
forget it for the reason above.

--

Mike Hall - MVP Windows Experience
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/

On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 11:42:10 -0400, "Mike Hall - MVP"
<> wrote:

> <> wrote in message
> news:...
> > System Restore will not restore my HP laptop to ANY point in the past.
> > I get a message which says it encountered an unspecified error (VISTA).
> > Also, I tried to access System Restore in safe mode and can't find it.
> > Can someone tell me what to try? My Device Manager doesn't indicate
> > any problems. Thanks.
>
>
> Malware often affects restore points, so if you have recently picked up
> malware and have taken steps to remove it, you may also have to disable
> restore points, then re-enable for the function to work again..


Any form of malware--whether spyware, virus, trojan, or anything
else--in a restore point is completely innocuous and can do nothing at
all *unless* you restore from that restore point.

As you say, the only way to remove the malware from the restore
points is to turn off System Restore, then turn it back on, but that
will delete *all* your restore points, not just the infected one(s).
If there are some restore points that have been created since the
malware was gotten rid of, you may want to keep those. So
alternatively you can just wait for the infected point(s) to fall of
the end of the chain--a maximum of 90 days. Note that that alternative
may keep some non-infected restore points, but also requires care and
good record-keeping to make sure you don't accidentally restore from
an infected restore point.

My personal preference is to keep the good restore points and be sure
your record-keeping of which are infected is accurate.


> If you are trying to use restore points to overcome a malware problem, the
> forget it for the reason above.



I second that motion-- very strongly.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

"Ken Blake, MVP" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 11:42:10 -0400, "Mike Hall - MVP"
> <> wrote:
>
>> <> wrote in message
>> news:...
>> > System Restore will not restore my HP laptop to ANY point in the past.
>> > I get a message which says it encountered an unspecified error (VISTA).
>> > Also, I tried to access System Restore in safe mode and can't find it.
>> > Can someone tell me what to try? My Device Manager doesn't indicate
>> > any problems. Thanks.
>>
>>
>> Malware often affects restore points, so if you have recently picked up
>> malware and have taken steps to remove it, you may also have to disable
>> restore points, then re-enable for the function to work again..
>
>
> Any form of malware--whether spyware, virus, trojan, or anything
> else--in a restore point is completely innocuous and can do nothing at
> all *unless* you restore from that restore point.
>
> As you say, the only way to remove the malware from the restore
> points is to turn off System Restore, then turn it back on, but that
> will delete *all* your restore points, not just the infected one(s).
> If there are some restore points that have been created since the
> malware was gotten rid of, you may want to keep those. So
> alternatively you can just wait for the infected point(s) to fall of
> the end of the chain--a maximum of 90 days. Note that that alternative
> may keep some non-infected restore points, but also requires care and
> good record-keeping to make sure you don't accidentally restore from
> an infected restore point.
>
> My personal preference is to keep the good restore points and be sure
> your record-keeping of which are infected is accurate.
>
>
>> If you are trying to use restore points to overcome a malware problem,
>> the
>> forget it for the reason above.
>
>
>
> I second that motion-- very strongly.
>
> --
> Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
> Please Reply to the Newsgroup


Ken

The OP states that NO restore point is working. Malware doesn't always
cobble the restore points themselves. In some cases, it is just the function
that is lost , maybe the command redirected away from the function. Removing
the ability and then re-instating it generally sets everything back to
normal.

In this case, the restore points are probably ok if only the OP could get to
them. Malware which infiltrates restore points themselves will generally
allow access to them in the knowledge that the host machine will be
reinfected if any of them are run..
--

Mike Hall - MVP Windows Experience
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/

On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 14:23:27 -0400, "Mike Hall - MVP"
<> wrote:

> "Ken Blake, MVP" <> wrote in message
> news:...


> > Any form of malware--whether spyware, virus, trojan, or anything
> > else--in a restore point is completely innocuous and can do nothing at
> > all *unless* you restore from that restore point.
> >
> > As you say, the only way to remove the malware from the restore
> > points is to turn off System Restore, then turn it back on, but that
> > will delete *all* your restore points, not just the infected one(s).
> > If there are some restore points that have been created since the
> > malware was gotten rid of, you may want to keep those. So
> > alternatively you can just wait for the infected point(s) to fall of
> > the end of the chain--a maximum of 90 days. Note that that alternative
> > may keep some non-infected restore points, but also requires care and
> > good record-keeping to make sure you don't accidentally restore from
> > an infected restore point.
> >
> > My personal preference is to keep the good restore points and be sure
> > your record-keeping of which are infected is accurate.
> >
> >
> >> If you are trying to use restore points to overcome a malware problem,
> >> the
> >> forget it for the reason above.
> >
> >
> >
> > I second that motion-- very strongly.
> >
> > --
> > Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
> > Please Reply to the Newsgroup
>
>
> Ken
>
> The OP states that NO restore point is working.


Sorry, I missed that.


> Malware doesn't always
> cobble the restore points themselves. In some cases, it is just the function
> that is lost , maybe the command redirected away from the function. Removing
> the ability and then re-instating it generally sets everything back to
> normal.


OK. Thanks for the clarification.


> In this case, the restore points are probably ok if only the OP could get to
> them. Malware which infiltrates restore points themselves will generally
> allow access to them in the knowledge that the host machine will be
> reinfected if any of them are run..
> --
>
> Mike Hall - MVP Windows Experience
> http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

rmo555;1086984 Wrote:
> System Restore will not restore my HP laptop to ANY point in the past
> I get a message which says it encountered an unspecified error (VISTA)
> Also, I tried to access System Restore in safe mode and can't find it
> Can someone tell me what to try? My Device Manager doesn't indicat
> any problems. Thanks

My first check would be to see whether you have any restore points
Open Command Prompt as administrator (you find Command Prompt in Al
Programs > Accessories). Then type VSSADMIN LIST SHADOWS (shadows ar
restore points). That should list the restore points by volume and date

--
whs

On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 14:13:54 -0500, whs <>
wrote:

>
>rmo555;1086984 Wrote:
>> System Restore will not restore my HP laptop to ANY point in the past.
>> I get a message which says it encountered an unspecified error (VISTA).
>> Also, I tried to access System Restore in safe mode and can't find it.
>> Can someone tell me what to try? My Device Manager doesn't indicate
>> any problems. Thanks.
>
>
>My first check would be to see whether you have any restore points.
>Open Command Prompt as administrator (you find Command Prompt in All
>Programs > Accessories). Then type VSSADMIN LIST SHADOWS (shadows are
>restore points). That should list the restore points by volume and date.


I found that all my restore points work from Safe Mode. Does that clue
help anyone? They should work from Normal mode. I have no viruses or
malware of any sort. No Device problems either.

If they work in safe mode, there is some process (in normal mode) tha
interferes with it. Very hard to tell though which one it is. The usua
suspects are the startup programs which you could stop for a test. Bu
it could be another process too. Since system restore does not give yo
a lot of clues, we are pretty helpless
For the above reasons I do not rely on the windows restore any more.
am using Norton Ghost for my system backups. But there are a lot o
other good programs along the same line, especially Acronis. That may b
something you could consider for the future. In this thread I hav
summarized the options a little while ago: 'Ghosting approaches
summary because of popular demand « How-To Geek Forums
(http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic...and?replies=46

--
whs

On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 16:47:36 -0500, whs <>
wrote:

>
>If they work in safe mode, there is some process (in normal mode) that
>interferes with it. Very hard to tell though which one it is. The usual
>suspects are the startup programs which you could stop for a test. But
>it could be another process too. Since system restore does not give you
>a lot of clues, we are pretty helpless.
>For the above reasons I do not rely on the windows restore any more. I
>am using Norton Ghost for my system backups. But there are a lot of
>other good programs along the same line, especially Acronis. That may be
>something you could consider for the future. In this thread I have
>summarized the options a little while ago: 'Ghosting approaches -
>summary because of popular demand « How-To Geek Forums'
>(http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic...and?replies=46)

Thank you.