My restore points disappear in Windows 8.1/8/7

rodion15

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When I wanted to fix my Windows 8.1 because it wouldn't start, I saw ALL my restore points had disappeared.
This has happened to me with all Windows operating systems I've had: Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and perhaps XP. When I need them most, they're gone, ALL OF THEM (not only those replaced for newer ones).
Last time this happened, Windows 8.1 eventually fixed my system by applying "attempting repairs" (however this fix is called, it's an option when 8.1 cannot boot).
But why do the restore points disappear in Windows 7, 8 and 8.1?
CAN I SAVE AT LEAST ONE TO A DISK OR SOMETHING? instead of creating a system image, which is heavy and slow?.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    WINDOWS 8
I learned recently that restore points are volume shadows created by the volume copy shadow service (VSS). If you do anything that deletes existing shadow copies this will delete your restore points.

I found this out while troubleshooting why I was getting VSS failures when I tried to create a drive image. I found a page that advised running the vssadmin command to delete existing shadow copies and reboot to reset the VSS service. This worked to get the backup program working, but I noticed later that my restore points were gone. I experimented and found the two were one in the same.

Most imaging and backup programs use VSS, so if you had any trouble with one recently then that might explain it.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 consumer 64 bit
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire M5 481PT-6644
    CPU
    Intel Core I5
    Memory
    6 GB
    Hard Drives
    Spinning/SSD hybrid 500GB/20GB
    Mouse
    ELAN Trackpad
    Internet Speed
    18mbs/5mbs
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
I haven't used any backup/imaging software lately. Thanks for the info anyway. This happened shortly after a windows update. Strangely this restore-point losses happened to me with Windows 7 as well.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    WINDOWS 8

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home made
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen7 2700x
    Motherboard
    Asus Prime x470 Pro
    Memory
    16GB Kingston 3600
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus strix 570 OC 4gb
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 960 evo 250GB
    Silicon Power V70 240GB SSD
    WD 1 TB Blue
    WD 2 TB Blue
    Bunch of backup HDDs.
    PSU
    Sharkoon, Silent Storm 660W
    Case
    Raidmax
    Cooling
    CCM Nepton 140xl
    Internet Speed
    40/2 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    WD
My Restore Points disappear in Windows 8.1

Specifically, when I restart my computer, and when I backup with my disk imaging software. Yes, my disk imaging software uses VSS. What has been happening lately, is when my disk imaging software run as scheduled, The selector in restore point creation and managing disk space that is used to set how much disk space is used for restore points, keeps being reset from where I had it to 1%. This causes restore points to be deleted. I have tried using an elevated command prompt to reset, and it works, I can reset the selector back to a higher level than 1%, but that does not stop it from being reset back to 1% at a later time or after restart. I also use Smart Defrag 3.3 to defrag and Fast or Fully Optimize my computer. This sometimes deletes restore points. I don't use their prioritize function because it did that. However, Smart Defrag ran it's scheduled defrag and optimize this weekend, and the selector was reset, not the programs usual modus operandi. SD 3.3 usually just deletes without resetting the disk allocation for restore points. It haapened again the next day, when my Disk image was backed up (incrementally). That reset the selector setting for diak managment to 1% and deleted restore points. I don't think restarting is causing the reset. I restarted my computer yesterday several times, while updating some drivers, and the disk manger did not reset my restore point quota. Please help. I care less about the cause, although that would be nice, and more about stopping this from happening. I set my reserve for restore points rather high, 20-30%. I know Windows will only let me keep 15 days of restore points, but lately, it's not even allowing me that. I have Restore Point Creator, and it is set to create a daily restore point, which the computer is still doing. They are simply being erase, most of them, when the disk quota is reset back to 1%. Please help me. . . .
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 64 bit
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion 17 Notebook PC E0J89UA#ABA
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-4000M CPU @ 2.40GHz
    Motherboard
    1977 96.33
    Memory
    4 GB 1333 MHz x 2 (8GB total)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox 35.0.1
    Antivirus
    Avast Free 2015
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