Vista - 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.

rmo555@xxxxxx wrote:
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

<rmo555@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:62ah555earrm6pi6e7p82uabgs2t4gl6ef@xxxxxx
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"
<mikehall@xxxxxx> wrote:

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.



I second that motion-- very strongly.

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

"Ken Blake, MVP" <kblake@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:khkh555umpmk0a2iolitm6209vvn494qta@xxxxxx
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"
<mikehall@xxxxxx> wrote:

Sorry, I missed that.


OK. Thanks for the clarification.

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

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.

On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 14:13:54 -0500, whs <guest@xxxxxx-email.com>
wrote:

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) 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

On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 16:47:36 -0500, whs <guest@xxxxxx-email.com>
wrote:
Thank you.