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General discussion

Help, my Windows 7 System restore has disappeared!

Jan 11, 2013 8:26AM PST
Question:

Help, my Windows 7 System restore has disappeared!


I hope someone can help me. I have Windows 7 HP 64bit and System Restore has suddenly disappeared from the Windows Start Menu. I usually go to the Windows Start Orb, Accessories, and it's listed under System Tools. Don't know when or why it disappeared. I heard that this was quite common, but no luck in finding a solution. Can you guide me on how to get it back? Also any explanation as to why this may have happened, so that in the future I can prevent it from happening again. Thank you.

--Submitted by: Gary

Discussion is locked

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You probably inadvertently did a drag and drop
Jan 11, 2013 8:46AM PST

It's easy to drag a start menu item inadvertently and when you release the mouse button, it goes no telling where.

The path to it is %systemroot%\system32\rstrui.exe so look there and see if it's not there. If so (which I expect to be the case), you can create another shortcut to it.

You could also click the Start button and type RSTRUI in the search box and get to it that way.

Good luck.

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Restore
Jan 18, 2013 8:33AM PST

Good one.

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if you had a chance to make a repair disk it will help .
Jan 21, 2013 11:42AM PST

it does work if you try the windows.

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System restore
Jan 11, 2013 8:58AM PST

Try control panel programmes and features backup and restore
Dafydd

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Restore, just use search.
Jan 11, 2013 10:31AM PST

Click the "orb" and in the search bar, type restore. Just click on the system restore in the pop up.. It should run you through how to activate it again. It may have become de-activated through Malware, an anti-virus program, or even a windows update.

You can also check Microsoft here :http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Turn-System-Restore-on-or-off to watch a video.

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System Restore
Jan 18, 2013 9:55AM PST

You method works only if you type "System Restore" (without the quotation marks). Typing only "Restore" brings up other files that you need to search through.

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What about my instructions did you not understand?
Jan 18, 2013 9:18PM PST

Where I next said "click on the system restore in the pop up"? I know it brings up several items, that is why I said what to click on.

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How to restore.
Jan 11, 2013 11:18AM PST

First simple way go to browser type in "how to restore windows system restore to your specific computer" Second Run a full system back up on an ext HDD and record a boot disk for your system. Then go to your system restore in your security. and hit start run all programs and restore to original places or folders.. Good luck the second worked for me and my son got his vanished system restore back and up and runnig by going into the BIOS but if your not a fairly pro ET get a friend to help. Can get complicated.

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Easiest way
Jan 11, 2013 11:28AM PST

clk START,
type "sys" into the search bar
look under CONTROL PANEL and clk "Restore system......"

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Sytem Restore
Jan 18, 2013 9:31AM PST

Sorry your method does not work for me. I did not get any reference to Control Panel typing "sys." I went to control panel directly and went to "System" whic brought up the "Basic Information" and then clicked on "System Protection" and then "System Restore."

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Sytem Restore
Jan 19, 2013 10:41PM PST

u should look at it again.. u'ld see Control Panel when u type "sys." Its on the drop-down menu that appears as u type "sys".. don't click on enter..just type and look on the page

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possible help
Jan 18, 2013 8:15PM PST

Depending on how the System restore Icon got deleted, a good thought might be to do a system file check with the command prompt, and then type into the window

sfc.exe /scannow

you may need your OS disk for any system files that may have been moved or deleted

then you can simply recreate your system restore icon and options by making shortcuts

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ruugb`s easiest way not quite there...
Jan 19, 2013 5:40PM PST

I agree in part, except I prefer to Search for "recovery", but that is only semantics... except that as soon as the R is input, a reduced list comes up with Recovery at the very top. I then right click on the Recovery HEADER and select "Create shortcut". After it appears on my desktop, I just drag it to my Start button and create a copy. That's it, all done.

Heads up: One caution however, if you delete the original shortcut created on the desktop, the Start menu copy points to it and it will not work once removed.

Using ruggb's suggestion will end up performing a system recovery, whereas I read that you merely want to reset your System Recovery icon in your Start menu.

Hope this helps...

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Windows 7 System restore
Jan 11, 2013 12:20PM PST

Click on Start . Click on computer and select system property and then system protection

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System Restore Recovery
Jan 11, 2013 1:30PM PST

The easiest way I know to access System Restore without the icon in the Start Menu is to use Windows Help.

Click on "help and Support" on the right-hand side of the Start Menu.
Type "System Restore" in the search box.
The fourth search item should be "System Restore." This is for Windows 7. For other versions, it may be somewhere else on the list. Click on it.
That should get you an option of "Run System Restore." That should get you into business.

If by chance you ever get the System Restore icon back on your Start Menu, you can create a shortcut to your desktop. Here are the steps.

1. Click the Start button and then All Programs.
2. Click on Accessories and then System Tools.
3. Go down to System Restore and right-click on it.
4. Go down to Send To, and then on the menu to the right, click on the selection "Desktop (make a shortcut)".
5. Click on that, and you should have a shortcut to System Restore on your desktop.

You may need to change the name of the icon if it doesn't say "System Restore." Just right-click on the icon and click on the icon and choose the Rename option.

Hope this solves your problems. Good luck.

Bill C.

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System Restore
Jan 18, 2013 9:24AM PST

Sorry but your method does not work on my Windows 7 Pro 64 bit computer. System Restore IS NOT listed under System Tools following your method. Some how my System Restore got turned off so I lost all my restore points. I had to do a search for it to turn it on again but it still doesn't show up in System Tools.

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Instructions wrong
Jan 28, 2013 7:19AM PST

Item 3, System restore, does NOT appear on the System tools menu!! Not helpful.

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System restore has disappeared
Jan 13, 2013 10:53AM PST

If none of the above suggestions worked, then:

1- Run your Antivirus app.

2- Check for updates
- Start menu > type Updates in the search bar
- or simply go to the following website: http://update.microsoft.com

3- If prompted, restart the pc
- Check in Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools if System Restore appears.

IF NOT

4- Check this forum for further advice (referred to XP, but still applicable on 7 as well):

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302796/en-us

5- If still unsolved, then I 'm afraid you might being experienced a serious virus threat.

GOODLUCK

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System Restore
Jan 18, 2013 9:52AM PST

Sorry but your method is the long way around and might not work anyway. Go to Control Panel, System, System Protection, System Restore. If you have Windows 7 Pro you can use the "God" mode to create a shortcut to System Restore to put on the desktop or an appropriate folder.

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I went to Start to Control Panel, right click System Icon
Jan 14, 2013 9:50PM PST
And you will see System Protection. At the bottom is the last link to create a System restore point, day/mo/year type in and add the the time (8:46 AM) add one minute make certain that your CHappy is active. When the time hits the extra minute, click on create and you will have a new restore point. Darrell
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Incorrect instruction! Why do people post these things?
Jan 28, 2013 7:28AM PST

If you right click the System Icon in win7 you do NOT get System Protection

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That link is correct
Jan 29, 2013 1:25AM PST

Start to Control Panel, right click System Icon, Open and there should be a System Protection listed in there.
There are four items listed on the left side: 1] Device Manager 2] Remote Settings 3] System Protection and 4] Advanced System Settings. the third one is for creating a System Restore Point. Listed on that is: 1] System Restore under the box with your drives is 2] Configure and 3] Create; this is where a system restore point can be created. day/mo/year type in and add the the time (8:46 AM). I have Windows 7 Home Premium on a HP Compaq Model CQ 5826 with Service Pack 1, AMD Athlon II X2 260 Processor 3.20 GHz, installed memory (RAM) 8GB (7.75 usable) 64 Bit OS. No Pen or Touch Input is available for this display. I would have to purchase a touch screen for that. Darrell PS left click on Open above to get to System Protection.

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Why create a manual restore point?
Jan 29, 2013 9:44AM PST

My Windows 7-64 was installed in Oct. 2009 as an upgrade to Vista. I never fiddled with the Vista OR the Win 7 security settings, and I currently have a bunch or restore points "available" - too many to be worth counting. I tried restoring to two different, relatively recent, points but both of the attempts failed. What good is this system?

HP Pavilion m9500t, Windows 7-64 bit, all updates current (automatic).

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If you have too many restore points
Feb 2, 2013 9:08AM PST

that could be a problem. Go to Accessories, System Tools, Disk Cleanup, there is a tab on the left More Options. You see System Restore and Shadow Copies, click on Clean up. Darrell

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Could Be A Virus!
Jan 18, 2013 8:38AM PST

It certainly can be an accidental thing but if not, my first thought would be a virus. For me, anyway, anytime this has happened to me, its been due to a virus. Sys restore would just suddenly disappear from everywhere; I wouldn't be able to get into control panel, couldn't even run my antivirus......nothing.

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Restore without a special Windows Start Menu entry
Jan 18, 2013 8:39AM PST

With an HP computer with Windows 7 64 bit...

1. Start
2. Control Panel
3. (in Category view) System and Security
4. Action Center
5. 'Restore your computer to an earlier time'
6. 'Open system Restore'
You may need to check the box 'Show more restore points' so see many entries. At this point you can either choose an known working Restore Point, or you can chose to restore from a System Image

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Easy fix
Jan 18, 2013 8:53AM PST

Goto start button
in search box type cmd

at command prompt type RSTRUI and hot enter

restore will load and you can do as you wish

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Easy fix - extended
Jan 19, 2013 1:15AM PST

If you want to store a new shortcut, then the search box should contain 'rstrui.exe' which will appear (if it is on your computer), a right-click on the file and select 'send to', select desktop.
You can then move the shortcut to wherever

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My System Restore is there but does not work
Jan 18, 2013 8:54AM PST

What good is System Restore if it always fails to restore? I think it worked once, in the first year, but not since about 2011. Good thing I haven't really needed it; Win 7 seems to pretty much cure itself without the restore function functioning.

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My System Restore is there but does not work
Jan 18, 2013 10:32AM PST

Go to control panel, Administrative tools, Services, Start Microsoft shadow copy. But first I would run the anti-virus software in safe mode before you go to control panel.