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Question

system restore

Oct 8, 2012 5:52AM PDT

System restore does not complete its task and says" it cannot complete task" but does not give a reason. Is there some way to repair this part of Windows without reinstalling system?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Sometimes.
Oct 8, 2012 5:56AM PDT

For example we know that Norton and Kapersky and maybe other protection software blocks this.

The problem is that many folk don't know what they protected their system with or there's some other issue. Telling the full story can help avoid a re-install.

Can you share why you need System Restore to work today?
Bob

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Sometimes
Oct 11, 2012 6:38AM PDT

Robert, 10/11/2012

Below are the steps I ran to narrow down the problem\

1. Ran advanced System Care (deep care)
2. Opened System Protection (it took about 12 minutes to find Compaq (CHappy (system)
This is strange in itself.
3. I created a new restore point.
4. Removed AVG with Revo Uninstaller
5. computer restarted for changes to take effect.
6. goto System Restore
7. choose manual restore point created above
8. prepare to restore, logoff
9. please wait restore is initializing...
10. removing temp files...
11. system reboots to opening screen. Everything seems ok. There is NO mention of restore complete.

About 30 minutes go by and I continue to wait.

Box now shows up on screen with big red circle with x in it.

Messages in box are as folows:

SYSTEM RESTORE DID NOT COMPLETE SUCESSFULLY. YOUR COMPUTERS
SYSTEM FILES FILES AND SETTINGS WERE NOT CHANGED.

DETAILS: AN UNSPECIFIED ERROR OCCURRED DURING SYSTEM RESTORE.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO TRY... BLAH,BLAH,BLAH


Thats it Robert

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Isn't that Advanced System Care some cleaner.
Oct 11, 2012 9:18AM PDT

All bets are off now. In fact, I can't help computers that folk blast away with such things.

IOBIT screwed it up. Let them cure it?

If I'm unclear here, I can write it again with harsher words But moving on...

What are you in need to fixing? System restore is what we might use to undo a recent change but blasting the machine with a cleaner is an odd thing to do if we wanted SR to work.

--> AGAIN. What is the real issue here?
Bob

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Sometimes
Oct 11, 2012 10:30AM PDT

Bob, I had never heard IObit when this problem started. Dont be so quick to blame them. The problem goes way back and I never resolved it. The real issue is IT DON'T work . It hangs. I wrote the steps I used to restore AVG and they didn't work. What I need I need tools. Got any? Also I have used Restore since the Me days and am familiar with it. Rollback RX would have worked If it was on machine. Linux and Chromebook look better all the time.

Arnie

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Sorry
Oct 11, 2012 10:37AM PDT

But as I see the damaged systems, I can not help when folk hit machines with these cleaners. Once in a while some one will try to persuade me to try such again. Sorry no. Too many troubles from my view.

-> Again, I am left to guess what issue you are trying to fix. I don't see any issue other that System Restore is not working but it begs the question what is the issue you are trying to undo?

-> There are ways to work System Restore or repair it but that is not what you asked and I'm left to guess the issue and questions.

I did not supply ANY of the usual System Restore fixes because all of them wipe out prior restore points.
Bob

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System Restore
Oct 14, 2012 5:30AM PDT

Hi Bob,

First I want you to know the software editors at CNET rate Advanced System Care (IOBIT) at five stars(*****) and highly recommend the download. http://download.cnet.com/Advanced-SystemCare/3000-2086_4-10407614.html?tag=mncol;6 I don'y think It is a run of the mill cleaner.

Now to System Restore:

First, I removed all the restore points (except one) using the included program and afterward tried it. It still don't work.

Second, I used the program SFC /scannow at the command prompt. and this is what it told me: 'Widows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them'. But didn't tell me what they were.

Third, I ran System Restore in 'safe mode' after doing the above steps with the same results. It didn't work.

Now I'm out of tools so I still need your help.

You asked why I need System Restore. I really don't. but here's why I want it to work. Pretend the dome light in your Corvette is burned out. It doesn't really effect how the car runs but you know that one night on a dark road you will need the light to look at a map... but the light doesn't work . So you attempt to fix it but you realize you have the wrong kind of screwdriver. So you go looking for one. That is what I'm doing, looking for the right tool.

Arnie

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Again.
Oct 14, 2012 5:57AM PDT

Since you have used that registry cleaner you should let it's maker help you. The forum moderators here all seem to be of the same mind here. Not on cares if it's 5 stars. It's a cause of issues and not a cure so trying to undo all the bad things I've seen with a discussion here is fruitless.

We know that malware and rootkits along with what you used can break both SFC and SR.

And from my discussions so far we reload the OS when it gets that broke.
Bob

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sr
Oct 14, 2012 9:02AM PDT

Bob
That is what I asked in the beginning.
What registry cleaner do you think is good?
Arnie

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None so far.
Oct 14, 2012 9:10AM PDT

Why are you using a registry cleaner at all? The registry does not cause this OS to slow down if it's not clean and the cleaners cause issues (you can find them in posts here.)

Plus the makers of these things seem to not support you when it creates an issue.

Let's get to what the real issue is.
Bob

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Answer
Did you try the old SR fixes?
Oct 14, 2012 9:12AM PDT

I'll give the short versions.

1. Turn SR off and back on.
2. Try the old "sr.inf" trick.

Neither is a sure thing given the damage to this install or there may be reasons for it to be broken such as malware, rootkit, etc.
Bob

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SR
Oct 14, 2012 1:10PM PDT

Bob,

Please tell me what the sr.inf trick is..\

Arnie

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There are too many articles about it.
Oct 14, 2012 1:38PM PDT