What if system recovery doesnt work

Your first port of call should be safe mode. Safe mode is a lifesaver in many situations. Unlike the regular boot process, safe mode loads a limited range of drivers and files. Problems encountered while running System Restore are usually alleviated by trying again in safe mode.

First, we need to boot into Safe Mode on Windows There are three easy ways to do this:. The Windows 7 Safe Mode boot process is very similar to the latest version of the operating system. That is, with some slight differences. If System Restore works in Safe Mode, it is a clear indicator that something, likely a program or service, is impeding it during a regular boot.

At times, antivirus settings can cause System Restore to misbehave for instance, Norton's Product Tamper Protection is a well-known culprit. Alternatively, a virus or malware infection could be creating an issue. If you still cannot get System Restore to run properly, try adjusting the hard disk space allocation. It might have run out without informing you a classic Windows move. I would recommend allocating at least 4GB. Some will say that is overkill.

However, I would contend that each major Windows 10 update weighs in at around 4GB major updates are the now half-yearly huge packages rather than the regular cumulative updates. On the other hand, you might not want System Restore to take up too much space, especially if you're already limited.

Still, adjusting the recovery tool's disk space is another way you can attempt to fix System Restore when it stops working. Windows 7 takes us on a slightly longer route. Open your Start Menu, right-click Computer, and select Properties.

Select System Properties from the left-hand column. Under Protection Settings, select Configure. Check your current restore point storage allocation. Windows 7 doesn't need as much disk space as Windows 8, 8. Hence, by performing an SFC, system file issues are fixed and your system restore will function normally. Ideally, this should help you complete the restore successfully. To perform this tas k, first, m ake sure you have taken a backup of your entire system.

Then follow the steps to perform a System Reset. During such scenarios use Remo Recover. This data recovery tool is compatible with all the latest versions of the Windows and Mac operating systems. Here is a detailed guide on how to recover lost files after System Restore. If you have lost files during the system restore failed process, be sure to check out Remo Recover for the simple and hassle-free approach to recover them.

If you have any questions, please let us know in the comments section below. He loves to write, edit, and manage content for users trying to troubleshoot and fix problems on Windows, Outlook, storage drives and Cloud storage networks. He has published more than articles in Remo Software blog. He actively engages in research and problem-solving techniques to consistently generate great web content. Fixing various hardware problems on computer and storage devices along with a great knack for fixing Outlook errors, Tony is also the fun-time IT guy for all his work friends.

He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and enjoys cycling. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. All other trademarks acknowledged. How to fix System Restore failed or System Restore did not complete successfully error?

Solution 1: Choose a different restore point The first and easiest solution to fix a System Restore failed error is to try another restore point. After rolling back the system to the selected restore point, the system should restart automatically. Most of the time, Windows System Restore performs its limited functions efficiently and without issue.

Nevertheless, there are times when the utility may not work as expected. In some cases, Windows may not be able to create restore points. In others, it may not be able to roll back to a given restore point.

Therefore, we will discuss some of the reasons Windows System Restore might fail and how to address them. Most modern Windows applications work fine with Windows System Restore and will not interfere with the creation or recovery of restore points. However, there are some types of applications that do not function properly when the utility is active. And some programs may not uninstall correctly when using Windows System Restore to roll back to a previous restore point.

Programs that may not function or roll back properly with Windows System Restore include various anti-virus and anti-malware programs; applications used to monitor and clean the Windows registry; and other system files. In fact, when using many of these applications, you may be prompted to disable Windows System Restore completely before running scans or other tasks. Besides incompatibility issues between Windows System Restore and some security applications, there are a few other common reasons the utility might fail to function properly.

If System Restore is enabled, and still not working, some other things to check include the following:. If Windows is storing multiple restore points, the Max Usage setting in the System Protection window may be set to a value too small to contain a new restore point.

Therefore, try increasing the Max Usage setting to increase system restore storage space or remove unneeded restore points manually. If you created a restore point while running applications not compatible with Windows System Restore, the restore point may be corrupt even if no errors or warnings were displayed.

To determine if this is the case, try to roll back to another restore point in the System Restore window. In some cases, you might have to go back one or two restore points to roll back to one that works the way it should. If Windows is failing to work properly because of hardware driver errors or errant startup applications or scripts, Windows System Restore may not function properly while running the operating system in normal mode.

Hence, you may need to start the computer in Safe Mode, and then attempt to run Windows System Restore. You should be aware, though, that if you roll back to a restore point while in Safe Mode, you will not be able to reverse the roll back later.

While System Restore can be useful in restoring Windows functionality in some instances, the utility has as many limitations as it does benefits. Some of the things that prevent System Restore from being a real backup option for Windows include the following:. As mentioned above, Windows System Restore does not allow you to back up or restore files you create in Windows.

This means that if you create documents or other important files and they are subsequently lost or deleted, rolling back a restore point will not help you recover them. This differs greatly from a true backup application, which is intended to do just that — back up the files most valuable to you.

While restore points can help you restore program and system settings in Windows, they can only be used on the system on which they were created. Hence, if you purchase a new system or perform major hardware upgrades to an existing system, you cannot use restore points created on the old system or old hardware to restore programs and settings.

With better backup applications, such as Acronis True Image, you can restore files and settings on new systems or dissimilar hardware. As mentioned and demonstrated above, Windows System Restore is not intuitive or easy to use.

There are no ready-to-use shortcuts for System Restore in the program menu or in Control Panel, which means even accessing the utility is a bit difficult. A good Windows backup and recovery application should not only be powerful but easy to use as well. In this regard, System Restore leaves a lot to be desired.

As a result, restore points are a favorite hiding place of malware and viruses. Acronis True Image is such a solution. It lets you create a complete Windows backup image of your system quickly and efficiently.

In addition, it:. As you can see, Acronis True Image offers much more in the way of protecting your Windows installation than System Restore. So, if you want to avoid the frustration associated with System Restore and lesser backup tools, try the number one personal backup software, Acronis True Image.