Windows deleting my System Restore points :-(

martinlest · 02 Oct 2020

I have Googled this (for years now, on and off) but have never found anything that resolves the problem. If anyone has any ideas, or even a solution...

Three days ago, all my system restore points had vanished (yet again): I have a small programme run on startup which shows me onscreen how many restore points I have, so that I am alerted when there are suddenly none: I hardly ever use them but they have been a life-saver in the past of course and I don't like to be without at least one. I sighed, emptied the Recycle Bin, deleted my browsing history (I often do a mini 'cleanup' before creating a restore point) and manually created a new one.

Today, it's gone, and I have no restore points to fall back on yet again... and so it goes on, every few days. I have the system configured to use 10% of my disc space, which is enough for at least a dozen restore points. So why, when there is just one, does Windows remove it after some days? I have made no changes to the PC that might account for this (that I am aware of). The restore point was there last night, and now I boot up, and it isn't.

Nothing I have found online has ever fixed this annoyance, in Windows 7 and now the same in Windows 10, so I am not expecting much by posting this (no disrespect to anyone here!!), but well, you never know.

Win10 Pro (Build 18363.1082)

Many thanks!

dalchina · 02 Oct 2020

Hi, I can't offer a solution, merely advise you that there are many existing threads on this forum that have discussed this topic- I would suggest you search the forum looking for a solved thread.

Please search this forum using this search string:
system restore points deleted solved

Windows deleting my System Restore points :-(-1.png

Hopefully one or more of the solved threads will offer a solution, as there are various causes, including routine system maintenance in some cases.

Naturally upgrades for any reason delete them, and it seems certain updates may (having just read a comment on that related to 2004 updates). However you are on 1909.

FWIW I have one created daily on a schedule:

Samuria · 02 Oct 2020

A lot is down to updates as an key updates you can't restore as system files will be wrong it's worth checking when they go against updates to see if there is a connection

martinlest · 02 Oct 2020

Dalchina, thanks, but I did find and look through that same page of threads before I posted.. I didn't find anything that really fitted, but I'll take a second look.

Yes, maybe it's an update issue - I am not as familiar with Windows 10 as I am with Windows 7. It's quite some time since I was asked whether I wanted to restart my PC as updates needed to be processed. I don't get any notification at all in fact that updates are being downloaded and installed (this is a gaming PC, used pretty much solely for X-Plane 11,so I like to keep notifications to a minimum, though I don't recall setting anything specific for this).

I will see if I can match any update times to when system restore points are deleted. Meanwhile I have set up a vbs script which creates a new restore point silently whenever I run it - and with the system restore monitor programme loading at every boot, I shouldn't in theory end up wanting to restore the PC and finding to restore point to go back to. Even so....

(As far as I recall, system restore in Win7 would roll back updates too, and you'd have to do them again. Win10 instead just deletes the restore points you say?).

dalchina · 02 Oct 2020

all my system restore points had vanished

- there certainly are reports of that happening.

Some suggest this is related to other things e.g. disk imaging programs- using VSS.
Some suggest it's related to some sort of cleaning or maintenance.
Some links posted here- a widely discussed topic:
Why do my restore points keep vanishing?

(As far as I recall, system restore in Win7 would roll back updates too, and you'd have to do them again. Win10 instead just deletes the restore points you say?).

Hi, umm, I think that's conflating 2 aspects.

a. The effect of System Restore is as it ever was, including using a restore point
b. As you can see, a significant number of people report restore points being 'lost' - and various reasons are given for that.
c. One fundamental reason is an upgrade or upgrade repair- they are deleted as they should be.
d. Some people have reported restore points being deleted after updates, rather than upgrades- the ones I saw recently related to build 2004 updates.
e. Interesting note here:
Restore points being deleted
- restore points are kept a max of 90 days.

Note further:
a. Many have found- including me for a period- that sometimes restoring a restore point fails. Some have discarded System Restore as too unreliable to be bothered with in '10. There are huge threads on that.
(I found this persisted for some weeks or perhaps months- then the problem vanished).
b.System Restore is typically off by default in '10 and may be- but not always- disabled after and upgrade.
c. You can't - for whatever reason- expect Restore points to be created as regularly or as often as I think was the case in Win 7

Welcome to the world of consistency in Windows 10!

FYI: From the huge and invaluable Tutorial section
Windows 10 Tutorial Index

Automatically Create System Restore Point at Startup in Windows 10
Add Create Restore Point Context Menu in Windows 10
Automatically Create System Restore Point on Schedule in Windows 10
Change System Restore Point Creation Frequency in Windows 10

Finally- don't rely on restore points alone (see above).
Also use disk imaging regularly and routinely- and this is especially true in respect of MS's dodgy updates and upgrades.

Win 10's spec is moveable- not fixed like '7's when you pretty much didn't have to worry.

This suggests a couple of less obvious possible causes: (5,6)
How to Solve System Restore Points Gone in Windows 10

martinlest · 02 Oct 2020

Thank you very much for that, very kind of you to post so much detail. I will look through each point, but to be honest I am (as ever) kind of resigned to this. It'll be a miracle, IMHO, to find a cure. At least, as I say, I can see at every boot if the restore points have been removed and immediately create a new one. I don't think I have needed to go back to a restore point since sometime last year, but it's good to have at least one, just in case.

I do have an image backup too, but I have had enough of those fail in the past (including those made with Macrium) for this to be a very last resort, especially as it is a dual-boot PC (Win10/Win7).

dalchina · 02 Oct 2020

If you were to simply create one on a schedule every day, you (mostly) shouldn't need to worry about loss, nor need to spend time dealing with it.

Note that 'Regback' - an automatic multiple backup of the registry- was disabled by MS as I found at the end of build 1709. That can be enabled again if desired (tutorial) - although it's of rather limited value- e.g. non-bootable case due to registry corruption when System Restore can't be used.

martinlest · 02 Oct 2020

I do prefer to 'clean things up' a bit before I create a restore point - the recycle bin may sometimes have 100s of GBs of files in it, for instance (due to the use to which I put my PC). Although Windows removing my restore points is slightly irritating, after cleaning up, I can create a new one with, literally, one click of the mouse, either (as I think I mentioned) via a vbs script, or using a shortcut to do the same in PowerShell.

Thanks.

dalchina · 02 Oct 2020

..bearing in mind the state of the recycle bin is independent of System Restore

martinlest · 02 Oct 2020

..bearing in mind the state of the recycle bin is independent of System Restore

Oh, really? Well, nevertheless....