[ekim68]

Cleaned the machine of viruses and spyware and for some reason we can't
create a 'restore point'. It says 'a restore point' cannot be created until you
restart the computer. Well, after a number of restarts, it still doesn't work.
I'm thinking it's a corrupted windows\system file but I thought that ME did
a check during boot up and corrected those things. Similar to the 98se
file checker....Ideas?

[Elvandil]

Try disabling SR to clean out all current points, rebooting, re-enabling, rebooting.

[ekim68]

Yep, done that a few times...It's stubborn....Even deleted the restore manager from
the registry and put it back in, and the same thing....Still looking...

[Davey7549]

Ekin68

Here is an older reply but much of the information may help you solve your problem. If not I have a few other ideas that involve registry changes\fixes that have helped others fix there SR problem.
--------------------------------------

System restore problem. Cannot create until system is restarted.
Wininit.ini file present or being created or faulty _restore archive

Your problem sounds as if you either have a program that creates a new
wininit.ini file each time you boot your system or that you are yet another
victim of the "false Wininit.ini" problem. System Restore will not create a
checkpoint when it believes the file wininit.ini to be present on the system
since the presence of such a file is normally indicative of an incomplete
install where wininit.ini contains instructions to be executed to complete the
install (or uninstall) next time the system is booted.

First, check that you don't have a wininit.ini file. If you do, rename this to
wininit.old and retry System Restore. If this works then you possibly have a
program that creates a wininit.ini file each time you boot your system. One
known example is tgcmd.exe from @home another is a program called "ACCESS
DENIED". If you have tgcmd.exe I understand that disabling it in MSConfig |
Startup will have no adverse effect on your system but enable you to use System
Restore. Likewise ACCESS DENIED needs to be "switched off" while using SR to
either create or restore to a previous checkpoint.
See also MS KB Q274092 -
"Error Message: System Restore Cannot Run Until You Restart the Computer"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q274092/

If this isn't the reason for your problem then try running "SCANREG /FIX"
from a command prompt such as Start | Run. Note that the system will
re-boot so don't have any applications open when doing this. I suggest this
because it appears the same message you are seeing is given not only when there
is a wininit.ini file but also when the registry has been corrupted in some way.
What that corruption might be I have as yet no idea.

If scanreg/fix doesn't do it I would then suggest you try using SCANREG /RESTORE
and restore your registry to an earlier version (you should be offered 5
options) after which hopefully SR will be enabled and can be used to return your
system to the point you want. Note that at long last Microsoft have addressed
this problem and recently issued a KB covering this. See MS KB Q303354 - "Error
Message: System Restore Was Unable to Create a Restore Point"
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=303354&sd=RMVP

Failing any of the above working I would suggest cycling System Restore off and
then back on again although this will clear any checkpoints you might have.
To reset System Restore:
System | Performance | File System | Troubleshooting and check "Disable
System Restore", Apply and IMMEDIATELY reboot. This will flush you restore
folder and erase all checkpoints, then,
System | Performance | File System | Troubleshooting and uncheck "Disable
System Restore", Apply and again IMMEDIATELY reboot. This should now
automatically create a new checkpoint immediately following the restart.
Finally adjust the space allocated to the restore folder,
System | Performance | File System | Hard Disk and adjust the restore slider
to your preferred setting.

One final point. Have you installed the System Restore update, either via
AutoUpdate or from the WindowsUpdate site? You can easily check by checking the
version of the file smgr.dll which should be in your windows\system folder. If
the version is still v4.90.0.2533 you have no applied the patch, if v4.90.0.3003
you have. I ask because without the patch System Restore will not restore
checkpoints created after 8 September. Note that installing this patch will
reset System Restore and flush out any checkpoints you might have at present.

[ekim68]

Davey,
Thanks for the tips..I'll check on them and get back....

[Elvandil]

You could also try going to the Windows\Inf folder and finding sr.inf. Right-click the file and choose "Install" to see if that will reinstall SR. But you then need to go to Windows Update and be sure you get the update for SR. That one really is critical because the SR that came with ME had serious flaws that were fixed in that update.

[johnni]

I am interested in this discussion. My ME System Restore does work but I have to create my own restore points. (When my ME was first installed in April 2001 it used to automatically create regular restore points). I just checked that my smgr.dll is version v4.90.0.3003 (that i downloaded some time back), but on checking out Elvandil's reply I find I have no sr.inf (not even with all files unhidden). Further it does not seem to be in any CAB file on my hard disk or on my ME installation CD.
If this file is needed where can I download a copy of it?

johnni

[ekim68]

Originally Posted by Elvandil

You could also try going to the Windows\Inf folder and finding sr.inf. Right-click the file and choose "Install" to see if that will reinstall SR. But you then need to go to Windows Update and be sure you get the update for SR. That one really is critical because the SR that came with ME had serious flaws that were fixed in that update.

Thanks Elvandil, I'll check that, too...

[Davey7549]

Originally Posted by johnni

I am interested in this discussion. My ME System Restore does work but I have to create my own restore points. (When my ME was first installed in April 2001 it used to automatically create regular restore points). I just checked that my smgr.dll is version v4.90.0.3003 (that i downloaded some time back), but on checking out Elvandil's reply I find I have no sr.inf (not even with all files unhidden). Further it does not seem to be in any CAB file on my hard disk or on my ME installation CD.
If this file is needed where can I download a copy of it?

johnni

Johnni
I believe the SR.Inf is not available in WinME. I think it was an innovation created for WinXP from all the problems uncovered in the WinME restoration process.

Take Care

Dave

[Davey7549]

Another possibility to try is using the Registry hack listed in Post Number 5 within this thread.

Note: A mistake that many have made over the years is not removing the .txt and just adding the .reg. For instance they end up having SRfix.txt.reg instead of just SRFix.reg

Before following the instructions in the post please back up your current registry in case you need to restore to it. To do this go to Start\run and type in
scanregw
then hit enter.
Accept the prompt telling you that a current date registry restore point exists.

Hope that helps

Dave

[ekim68]

Okay Davey, big thanks......
I checked on the things you posted and the update from Microsoft was the ticket.
I now have v4.90.0.3003 and it works. Thanks again....

[Davey7549]

Ekim68

Glad all is well again! Take care and will mark this one solved.

Have a good one.

Dave

[johnni]

Davey - thanks for your link to SRfix.txt.which I renamed to SRfix.reg and installed it. I then disabled SR, restarted and enabled it again and restarted.
One restore point has been automatically made on the 9th November, but no more so far. I will keep an eye on it.

johnni

[Davey7549]

Johnni

Keep us posted to your progress.

Take Care
Dave

[johnni]

Just to update this thread (apologies to ekim68); as I said SR created a restore point on 9th November just after I re-enabled it. Since then all the restore points have been made by me. That is OK so long as I remember! At least it is storing the previous points whereas it had a tendency to only keep the latest one.

I think back to my early ME days when restore points were being created regularly and retained for several months. I continue to have maximum space allocated to it. Oh well! But I STILL like ME best.

johnni