System Restore creates restore points BUT will not restore them

**cthiggin** · 2011-12-30 17:21

Hello folks,
Well, hopefully someone here will have the solution? Sure hope so.

My System Restore just started acting up a week ago.
1. System Restore creates named restore points fine, however, when I go to a restore point to roll system back, it goes through the motions
of initializing, restoring, rebooting, then at desktop I get a message that System Restore was unable to restore with Error code 0x8000ffff.

I have researched this code as well as reading hundreds of threads to no avail.

I have made sure Volume Shadow Copy is running, Wow is running. I have made registry corrections pursuant to some MS threads, I had done
a Chkdsk /R and it came back fine. I have tried in safe-mode to no avail, I have disconnected all of my attached USB hardware, excluding my wireless
mouse, to no avail. Today, just for the sake of it, I removed my Windows Updates back to Nov. 1, 11 and that didn't help.

I've also done a system startup repair with the Win 7 disk to no avail.

ANY tricks left to help me out.

Hardware wise, nothing has changed.

Thanks in advance,

Tom

**Medico** · 2011-12-31 06:37

Tom, welcome to the Lounge as a poster.

Sorry, I can't help with System Restore as I have it turned off on my system. I use system Imaging as I feel it offers much more complete restoration that System Restore. System Restore might work for system files, but will not help with many of your customizations and installed apps. Imaging backs up and restores everything on your PC. When I Image I include both OS partitions in the Image (C Drive win 7, W Drive Win 8 DP) I do not include the D Drive (data) as this is backed up differently.

There are many discussions in the Security and Backup forums on Imaging if you would like to take a look.

Sorry for getting slightly off topic although similar. Have a very Happy New Year!

**cthiggin** · 2011-12-31 08:28

Good morning Ted,
Thanks so much for your response. I also have used a product called Casper by Future Systems to clone my C: to D: - it works fine. I have been using it to clone my
C: drive every Friday. I'll just let it do it nightly. I'm one of these fellows that wants everything to work properly. This issue has been a bear. Again, thanks so much
for your reply and have a blessed New Year. Tom

***ruirib*** · 2011-12-31 09:12

Hi Tom,

I think you have done an incredible research to try and solve your problem. The only thing that I didn't see mentioned there was the attempt to use the System File Checker: sfc /scannow.

Other than that, if the issue is of such relevance for you, a Windows Repair install would be the only recommendation I can make.

**jwitalka** · 2011-12-31 09:52

If you try ruirib's suggestion, there is no space between the / and scannow and it must be done from an elevated cmd prompt. (type: CMD ctrl shift enter)
Did you use a registry cleaner? If you did and it has a restore function, try that.

You could also try System Restore in Safe Mode but note that if you can not revert back if System Restore is done in Safe Mode.

Jerry

***ruirib*** · 2011-12-31 10:26

Originally Posted by jwitalka

If you try ruirib's suggestion, there is no space between the / and scannow

Sorry, that has been fixed.

**cthiggin** · 2011-12-31 11:42

Hello folks,
Yes, I did a scannow and it found no errors. I did try in Safe Mode and got same error.
I WILL try to revert to a previous registry save and report back.
HAVE a blessed day and thanks. Tom

**cthiggin** · 2012-01-01 08:39

UPDATE
Hello folks,
I applied a backup from my registry cleaner, and, BEHOLD, Sys Restore now works.
Out of all the research and trying everything I knew, I just blanked on the registry cleaner and applying a back-up.
Thanks so much for reminding me.
Appreciate all of your help. Have a blessed one. Tom

***ruirib*** · 2012-01-01 09:16

Originally Posted by cthiggin

UPDATE
Hello folks,
I applied a backup from my registry cleaner, and, BEHOLD, Sys Restore now works.
Out of all the research and trying everything I knew, I just blanked on the registry cleaner and applying a back-up.
Thanks so much for reminding me.
Appreciate all of your help. Have a blessed one. Tom

I'm glad you got your system working properly.
I apologize, but I will also take the opportunity to highlight the risks of using registry cleaners. They all seem inoffensive and then these weird situations occur.

**cthiggin** · 2012-01-01 11:40

Ditto!

**Zig** · 2012-01-01 12:58

CT,

Right!!

So NOW is the time to make a full image backup of your OS, in case something like this ever happens again (Macrium, EaseUS Todo, etc.).

Zig

**cthiggin** · 2012-01-01 13:44

HI Zig,
Already "Get er' Done" and finished. Thanks so much. Tom

**bsw26** · 2012-01-05 05:32

It would be interesting to know which registry cleaner caused the problem.

bsw26

**cthiggin** · 2012-01-05 08:40

Power Tools Lite 2011

**Zig** · 2012-01-05 13:26

Tom,

??jv16 Power Tools??? ??Was it set to the default settings?? I've NEVER had a problem but, of course, YMMV.

??Was "List MRU and other history data" checked?? ??How about "MRU/history data scan" under Advanced Engine Settings??

Zig

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