Windows XP Pro SP2 System Restore problems???

[robert213]

I have T30 with Hitachi 7200 HD with Windows XP Pro from recovery CD(s) and updated with SP2 CD that I installed two-years ago.

I have another Hitachi 7200 HD with an identical fresh software from last week.

Using my two-year old HD, I experimented with some various pieces of new software (Sun Micro Open Office, MySQL, generic photo editors, etc). I no longer wish to use MySQL and photo editors, so I decided to use Windows System Restore to recover to the point where I installed Open Office.

I receive the following error message...

System Restore
X Restoration Incomplete
Your computer cannot be restored to:
Monday June 08 2009
Installed OpenOffice.org 3.1.
No changes have been made to your computer.

I had used Windows Defragmentation program on the HD, so I thought that I would try Windows System Restore on my fresh HD. Again, it failed to restore to either a system generated restore point or one that I created from myself.

Any ideas???

The only thing that I can think of is that I created a logical D: drive for data only files using Norton's Partition Magic. Perhaps this logical drive is confusing System Restore???

Another thought is that I sometimes use -- in the Ultra Bay -- a CD RW/DVD drive and other times I use a third HD. Sometimes, it is assigned the D: drive and the logical partition becomes the E: drive.

[GomJabbar]

First try using System Restore from SAFE MODE (press F8 at boot to get the SAFE MODE boot menu).

If you have a dual boot setup with another version of Windows, that can cause this problem.

Finally, look at the following thread for solutions.
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=45104

[robert213]

First try using System Restore from SAFE MODE (press F8 at boot to get the SAFE MODE boot menu).

Thanks -- System Restore worked fine.

First, I saved all of my install/set up programs (MySQL and generic photo editting programs) that I downloaded after the restore/recovery point on a third HDD. I saved all of my data files, as well.

Second, I started Windows XP in safe mode (tapping [F8] before Windows start-up).

Third, I requested System Restore at a system generated restore/recovery point.

Fourth, Systerm Restore initiated a Windows Restart, where I waited in front of my machine for proper time to tap [F8] key.

Tomorrow, I wlll copy all files that I saved on third HDD.

Not sure as to why I needed to go into Windows Safe Mode. Perhaps it was Zone Alarm v8.0 firewall??? I tried System Restore after shutting down Zone Alarm (before I tried running Windows in safe mode) without success.