After many hours of trial and error I finally found a way to automatically create system restore points in Windows 8 using the task scheduler. All of this information was gathered from web posts by others but this is the combination which works for me.
You must first create a .vbs script file.
To create the script just cut and paste the text below into notepad. Then save the file as SR.vbs in C:\Users\Mike (Of course you must substitute "your user name" for "Mike")
If WScript.Arguments.Count = 0 Then
Set oShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
oShell.ShellExecute "wscript.exe", """" & WScript.ScriptFullName & """ Run", , "runas", 1
Else
Set oWshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
oWshShell.Popup "Creating a SystemRestore point. Please wait.", 2, "System Restore", 0
swinmgmts = "winmgmts:\\.\root\default:Systemrestore"
GetObject(swinmgmts).CreateRestorePoint "Scheduled Restore Point", 0, 100
'MsgBox "System Restore Point created", 0, "System Restore"
End If
Then you have to create a registry DWORD (32 bit) VALUE entry (using regedit.exe by way of RUN) with the text
SystemRestorePointCreationFrequency
under the registry key
HKeyLocalMachine\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore
The DWORD (32 bit) VALUE needs to be typed into the "System Restore" folder itself (not in any of it's sub folders). I then set the value of SystemRestorePointCreationFrequency to 0 ( I think 0 is the default anyway). When you exit the registry by clicking "X" the changes you have made are automatically saved.
Now you need to program your task scheduler to run the SR.vbs script at the desired intervals. Create a "Basic Task" in the task scheduler to do this.
On the General tab type in a name and description of your choice for the task. Make sure you check only the "run whether user is logged on or not" and "Run with highest privileges" options.
On the Triggers tab select new and set the time you want to use and check only the "Enabled" option.
On the Actions tab select new and then select "Start a program" in the drop-down box. Under "Program/script" type in C:\Windows\System32\wscript.exe Then in the "Add arguments (optional): box type in C:\Users\Mike\SR.vbs
In the Conditions tab just make sure that none of the options are checked.
In the Settings tab you want only "Allow task to be run on demand" and "Run task as soon as possible after a scheduled start is missed" options to be checked. In the drop-down box at the bottom select "Run a new instance in parallel".
The History tab has no adjustments so you are done.
I know this sounds like a lot to do but is really not that complicated and, to me at least, was well worth the effort.
I now get two system restore points created automatically for me each and every day.
Hope this is of some use to someone out there.
Mike Blevins