Vista Tutorial - System Restore Points - Stop XP Dual Boot Delete

**Brink** · **OPTION ONE:**

How to Stop System Restore Points from being Deleted in Vista when Dual Booting with XP

Information

When you are dual booting with Vista and XP, this will show you how to stop XP from deleting all of the System Restore Points and Shadow Copies in Vista everytime you start XP. For more information, see: Microsoft Help and Support: KB926185 and System Restore "restore points" are missing or deleted

NOTE

In Vista, shadow copies are used to maintain System Restore Points. Additionally, shadow copies are used to maintain Complete PC Backup files. Therefore, when you access the volume from an earlier operating system (XP), it will delete all restore points and all except the most recent versions of Complete PC Backup files in Vista.

Tip

This problem occurs because the volume snapshot driver that is included with Vista uses disk structures that are incompatible with earlier versions of Windows. Therefore, the earlier operating system deletes Vista shadow copies with the associated restore points. This behavior occurs because the earlier Windows operating systems do not recognize the new disk structures.

WARNING

This does not actually fix the problem. It is a workaround that will stop XP from deleting the restore points and shadow copies. After you restart XP, you will not be able to access the volume Vista is on from XP. However, you can still access the volume that XP is on from Windows Vista.

RELATED LINKS:

OPTION ONE:
Through a Download

WARNING

This needs to be done in XP, not Vista. This download assumes that Vista is installed on the D: drive as the second OS. If this is not true for you, or you need to add another drive to be hidden from XP, then do OPTION TWO below to do this manually with the drive letter that your Vista is installed on instead.

1. To Stop XP from Deleting Restore Points -
A) Click on the download button below to download the Stop_XP.reg file.

B) Go to step 3.

2. To Restore Default Settings in XP -
A) Click on the download button below to download the
Restore_Default_Settings.reg file.

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.

4. Right click on the .reg file (on Desktop) and click on Merge.

5. Click on the Run button for Security Warning pop-up.

6. Click on Continue (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted.

7. Restart XP to apply the changes.

8. When done, you can delete the .reg file (on Desktop).

OPTION TWO:
The Manual Way

WARNING

This needs to be done in XP, not Vista.

1. Open the Start Menu.

2. Click on Run, then type regedit and press Enter.

3. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices

4. To Stop XP from Deleting Restore Points -
NOTE: If you already have the Offline key under MountedDevices, then go to step 4C. (See screenshot below)
A) In the left pane, right click on MountedDevices and click on New and Key.

B) Type Offline and press Enter.

C) In the right pane of Offline, right click on a empty area and click on New and DWORD (32bit) Value.

D) Type \DosDevices\D: and press Enter. (See screenshot below step 4E)
NOTE: While in XP, if your Vista is not showing as being on the D: drive in Computer, then substitute D: with the drive letter that it is shown to be on instead. For example, if it is shown to be on the E: drive, then type \DosDevices\E: instead. Repeat this step if you wish to hide another drive letter from XP.

E) In the right pane, right click on \DosDevices\D: and click on Modify.

F) Type 1 and click on OK. (See screenshot below)

G) The registry should now look like this. (See screenshot below)

H) Go to step 6.

5. To Restore the Default XP Settings -
A) In the right pane, right click on \DosDevices\D: and click on Delete. (See screenshot above)

B) Click on Yes to confirm the deletion.

6. Restart XP to apply the changes.

That's it,
Shawn

Noel · 02-17-2008

Wonderful overview--THANK YOU!

Shawn, do you know if need to install Vista BEFORE adding this reg tweak, but before rebooting to XP?

Noel

**Brink** · 02-17-2008

Hi Noel,

Yes, Vista will need to be installed first. Afterwards, just boot into XP and apply the reg tweak to hide Vista from XP.

Shawn

Emile · 02-23-2008

Hello,
I run a Dual Boot XP and Vista . I had the described problem : the restore points of Vista deleted by XP . I applied the suggested fix in the registry and the restore point problem is solved.
BUT now from time to time (not always) when running XP and I request a restart I receive a black screen and the PC reboots... no "Saving your settings" , no "Shutting down" window anymore ...

When I request a shutdown I have the "saving your settings" and "shutting down" windows;

Any recommendation?
Thanks in advance.

**Brink** · 02-23-2008

Hi Emile,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

This is usually related to when you have something running in the background and how long it takes for XP to shut them down when you click Shutdown or Restart. When nothing is running, it can shutdown very quickly.

I believe XP has these same settings as Vista. Add a bit more to the WaitToKillServiceTimeout string value name to allow for more time for XP to shutdown things. The default in Vista is 20000, you might try bumping it up to 25000.

Shutdown

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Emile · 02-23-2008

Hello Brink,
Just to clarify when I request a "restart" in XP and the problem happens I receive immediatly the black screen and PC reboots

The PC does NOT wait.

**Brink** · 02-23-2008

Emile,

My apologies, it should still apply to Restart since it calls for XP to shutdown first, then restart.

Emile · 02-23-2008

Hi Brink,
I did apply the suggested modification to my XP registry and , up to now, all seams OK
Thanks

**Brink** · 02-23-2008

You're welcome Emile. Glad that it is working ok for you now.

Shawn

rseiler · 02-28-2008

Chicken and egg: How do you apply this fix to XP from Vista without booting into XP first? I'm thinking that doing a "Load Hive" in Vista's regedit would be the way, but I'm not sure and am not comfortable doing that (though I do use regedit frequently for more normal things).