Windows System restore won't work

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hodad · #1 Post by **hodad** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:15 am

Looking for feedback PLEASE. For some reason I cannot restore to a previous point with Windows System Restore. It goes through the entire process, even able to pick a specific restore point, but when it is done I get a message saying System Restore is unable to restore to that point. I have chosen both system created restore points and my own created restore points. What's up? Has the ThinkVantage System Restore taken over?

#2 Post by **rkawakami** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:25 am

Don't know if the ThinkVantage software will cause that problem, but if you have Symantec Antivirus you may want to read this:

Restoration Incomplete message

USSS · #3 Post by **USSS** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:57 am

@hodad:

Run System Restore in SAFE MODE. This has always worked on my T43 with Symantec AV installed.

@rkawakami:

Thanks for the heads up about Symantec AV conflicting with SR. I've always wondered why it never worked, but the answer really doesn't surprise me. Helloooo, Kaspersky...goodbye, Norton!

hodad · #4 Post by **hodad** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 10:35 pm

I uninstalled Norton a while ago but I know that it continues to lurk in my system due to it completely taking over everything. I'll just bet that's what's causing the problem. Norton is sooo screwed. Thanks for the feedback!

USSS · #5 Post by **USSS** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 10:55 pm

Norton will leave bits and pieces of itself all over your system if you use the normal uninstallation methods. A special tool is available that will clean up the remnants. I've used it and it works well:

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/ts ... 3108162039

hodad · #6 Post by **hodad** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 10:59 pm

Yeah, I used that tool but my registry still has Norton entries and occassionally the Norton Install Shield pops up. Norton is so presumptious to make software like this. It's like a bad relative come to visit, it gets into everything and just when you think it's gone it pops up again.

USSS · #7 Post by **USSS** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 12:35 am

Only other suggestion I can offer is to download and install jv16 PowerTools, which includes a very safe and comprehensive registry cleaner. I have used it for 3+ years with no issues.

I recall there is a method of manually removing Norton products, which is very time-consuming...about an hour or so. I last saw it on the Symantec site a couple of years back, so you might check and see if that lists any additional locations for the software's files and registry entries.

#8 Post by **rkawakami** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 1:42 am

My understanding of this problem is that for ANY restore point that is CREATED when Symantec AV 2006 was RUNNING, those restore points are USELESS. In other words, if the AV program was installed with all of the defaults, from THAT POINT ON, all of the system restore points cannot be used.

If somebody can point out anything to the contrary, please correct me. This bit me a couple of months ago when my daughter's system could not be restored no matter which restore point was selected. NAV had been on the system for almost 7 months so none of the restores would work. The feature "Turn protection on for my Symantec product." that is referenced in the link I posted earlier needs to be turned off (unchecked) BEFORE any restore point is created. The Symantec app note says you need to manually turn it off and on whenever you create a restore point. I've simply left it off.

#9 Post by **GomJabbar** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 6:58 am

This thread is interesting. I didn't realize that Norton could prevent System Restore from working, or that there was a workaround for this.

I was using Norton until April of this year (2006), at which time I switched to Kaspersky. Fortunately this was the case when I was bitten with the PC Doctor 5 upgrade gotcha at the end of October. System Restore saved my bacon. I did have to run System Restore in SAFE MODE for it to work though.

System Restore did not work for me in March of this year when I was still using Norton. I even started a thread on it. On rereading that thread, I see that Panda AV is also reported create problems with System Restore.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=21438

akhavan · #10 Post by **akhavan** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 12:15 pm

GomJabbar,
Are you happy with Kaspersky? How do you compare it with Norton?
Sepehr

#11 Post by **GomJabbar** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 6:39 pm

I like Kaspersky. I "feel" better protected with Kaspersky than with Norton, but then again I was never infected with a virus with Norton either. Kaspersky's default behavior is to check for updates every 3 hours (this can be changed if desired). Kaspersky's updates seems to run smoother than Norton's generally speaking.

I did want to add another comment regarding Norton and System Restore. What I actually had was Norton System Works which includes Antivirus, Speed Disk, Norton System Doctor, UnErase Wizard, Norton Disk Doctor, Norton WinDoctor, System Information, Wipe Info, System Optimizer, CheckIt Diagnostics, and Norton GoBack. I saw no reason to throw the baby out with the bathwater, so I just uninstalled the Antivirus component and left the rest. Note that I did not have the following installed: Norton System Doctor, UnErase Wizard, System Information, Wipe Info, and Norton GoBack. I felt these were either redundant, not needed, or not good utilities. I already had problems with UnErase Wizard, so I knew I didn't want that. Anyway, I still have part of System Works on my system, and System Restore works in SAFE MODE.

christopher_wolf · #12 Post by **christopher_wolf** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 8:30 pm

From what I have tried, AVG is one of the best anti-virus programs out there that is light on resources given that NAV tended to make everything very slow by virtue of the fact it had to inefficiently scan every, single thing I opened in any office application or downloaded in any way from my mailservers.

So far, it hasn't caused any problems that I can see.

Windows System restore won't work

Windows System restore won't work

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