Questions about System Restore in Windows 10

2: There may be a default of some type, but in my case I get a new point nearly every day--10 since Nov 29---which presumably is more often than the default. All 10 of mine are described as "Windows Module Installer" and were apparently made automatically immediately prior to Windows forced updates.

I think Win 7 had a default of a week? I have not altered my settings on Win 10, so I'm on the default, whatever it is.


3: My current 10 occupy 8.07 GB, so about 800 mb average. This is for a C partition with about 40 gb occupied and would presumably drift higher as C grew.

4: I suspect the optimal would depend on the size of the occupied space with some consideration given to how much space you are willing to devote to System Restore and how many restore points it takes to relieve your anxiety.

I have arbitrarily set my devoted space at 7%, which amounts to about 8.3 gb. I currently use 8.07 in restore points, so if another is made tomorrow, I'll likely lose the Nov 29 restore point. I don't see any point in having a restore point from, say, Sept 22, but someone else might.

Those who use imaging might have less reliance on or concern with System Restore. I'm among that group. I've seen SR fail to run to completion, so it's tough to count on it.

5: I'm not even sure it restores 100% of the registry.

ignatzatsonic said:

2: There may be a default of some type, but in my case I get a new point nearly every day--10 since Nov 29---which presumably is more often than the default. All 10 of mine are described as "Windows Module Installer" and were apparently made automatically immediately prior to Windows forced updates.

Those would have been for the virus definitions updates. They started to be regarded as an update that needed a restore point some time back.

I noticed that starting 1st Aug. every day a restore point is created (Windows Modules Installer). Looking to which updates I received, I noticed that, starting 15 July, Defender Definition Updates were successfully installed every day

Defender update frequency normal? - Windows 10 Forums

That 'bug' seems to have been rectified in the latest cumulative updates for 1803 and 1809. Definition updates don't seem to do that in 17134.471 or 17763.194. The normal default is once a week, but may be skipped if there is nothing new since the previous restore point. Installing software or a Cumulative update will create a restore point.


This is about System Restore in Windows 7, but 10 is not much different.

System Restore automatically creates a restore point before the following events:

• Application installation (provided the application utilizes an installer that is System Restore compliant). If the application install causes system problems, the user can restore the system to a state before the installation of the application.
• AutoUpdate installation. AutoUpdate provides an easy way for users to download critical Windows updates. After the update is downloaded, the user can install the update on the system. If the user chooses to install the update, System Restore creates a restore point before the installation of the update begins.
• System restore. For example, if a user accidentally chooses the wrong restore point, the user can undo the restore operation by choosing a restore point before the system restore took place. The user can then choose the correct restore point.

...System Restore in Windows 7 creates a scheduled restore point only if no other restore points have been created in the last 7 days.

Restore Points - Windows applications | Microsoft Docs


Also see: Change System Restore Point Creation Frequency in Windows 10 | Tutorials

Bree said:

Those would have been for the virus definitions updates. They started to be regarded as an update that needed a restore point some time back. That seems to have been rectified in the latest cumulative updates for 1803 and 1809. They don't do that in 17134.471 or 17763.194.

Hmmmmm.......................I'm on 17763.194. I think that is KB4471332. That was installed 12/11/18.

My most recent restore point is 12/10/18.

So maybe the frequency will decline and I may not get another for a while.

ignatzatsonic said:

Hmmmmm.......................I'm on 17763.194. I think that is KB4471332. That was installed 12/11/18.

My most recent restore point is 12/10/18.

That one would have been made before installing the cumulative update. I've had a few definitions update since then, so far without any new restore points.

Compumind said:

Thanks for some answers but what about number 1?

a) some report system restore is disabled after a clean install or an upgrade, others (like me) have found it stays enabled. It's nothing if not incosistent...

b)...it's also notoriously unreliable, failing to restore just when you need it the most