Enabling copying restore points from System Volume Information

Hi,

After some manipulations, I gained entry to the "hidden" folder <System Volume Information> and granted access to all functions to both User and Administrator (both me). No major problem there.

Purpose is to backup some restore points to a separate disk, so that I can still return to a much earlier point when Windows has deleted the restore points, usually not because the allocated space is full (I've given it ample space) but after a major update, like going from one build to the other (as from 1809 to 1903). As everyone has experienced by now, even when the update fails, all one's restore points are gone. Bravo Microsoft for yet another annoyance!

However, even with full access to said folder, it's simply impossible to copy any restore points, let alone paste them somewhere. When trying this, error popups say you need administrator rights to do so, while the administrator has duly been granted access to the folder.

How does one get rid of that umpteenth and grievous Microsoft annoyance?

Thanks for answering this.

haku

Thanks for the swift reply. And I thank you for the suggestions for disk imaging.
Being a long time computer user, I realise of course that restoration afte a major "build" update would be a a silly thing to do in a normal situation. However, if you read my message, I am speaking of a failed Windows update attempt, which is supposed to return the machine to its previous state. I am also as fully aware that Restore points are not exactly on the rocket science level. I suppose I am not learning you anything new there.
As for the reason why I want to go back to an earlier stage, and have the total freedom to do so, is because in a particular case the failed update thrashed my external hard disk and made it totally unreadable. Fortunately, I had a real backup of the System Volume Information folder stored away on the cloud, and could retrieve the restoration files of a situation prior to the failed update.
And, dear Dachina, lo and behold! Once the restoration had taken place, believe it or not (I amply documented this with screenshots): the hard drive was again readable, albeit in a precarious fashion. To make this a truly scientific proof, I went back and forth a few times between the situation before and the situation after - with exactly the same result.

Were the files retrievable in the before situation? Up to a point. But any other than a simple copying manœuvre on the drive resulted in a CRC situation, that's how precarious the drive had become. And this is not a situation where the drive had by chance gone astray just as the update was taking place - otherwise, why would it more or less function in the before situation and not in the after situation?

Anyway, that little mystery will be thoroughly examined in a separate enquiry. My only question remains, and just consider it a matter of curiosity: how to copy those restoration points and paste them somewhere else, which seems impossible now, even with all administrator and user rights installed.

Thank you.

haku

dalchina said:

@Bree- just for clarification, what is your view of of the utility of copying SR points as haku is dicussing?

Fraught with danger, especially after a major update to a new version of Windows. But haku said "... just consider it a matter of curiosity" so I did, and satisfied that curiosity. Actually applying those restore points could break the system.


Like you, a Macrium image is my first line of defence should I wish to return a machine to a previous state. In fact, I can't remember the last time I used a restore point.