System Restore Point- Enabling System Protection.

Question

Hi, when I went to make a system restore point, with protection enabled, it showed a warning message (exclamation mark inside a yellow triangle). The message said 'Using system protection on a drive that contains system image backups will cause other shadow copies to be deleted faster than normal'. What does that mean and how do I get rid of that message?

Answer 1

Hi JS4. I'm Greg, an Independent Advisor.

System images rely on Shadow Copies which may be removed if you also have System Restore enabled on that data drive.

This is a reason why I would only enable System Restore on C, so it's always available to go back before a problems. It is your first line of defense.

For your data drives, use ordinary backup methods including File History if you want so that it creates Previous Versions on the Properties tab of each file and folder: https://winaero.com/blog/restore-previous-versi...

I would also not use WIndows Imaging which is no longer supported or developed, is not flexible and often won't work for functions all other apps have. Instead I would use free Macrium Reflect, which is the choice of all experts because it is flexible and just works. More here:

https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/7363/macrium-re...

http://www.ghacks.net/2015/08/29/the-best-way-t...

http://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/KNOW/C...

Feel free to ask any questions. Based on the results you post back I may have other suggestions if necessary.

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Answer 2

Hi , I read your reply, thanks for the information.

That message however came when I was exporting data from my USB to Laptop (I did a reset), so I'm not sure what file made that message come because after I reset, when I went to see the system restore with protection on it wasn't there, so I'm not really sure what file or application made that come, and I want to use the restore point to create a restore point if anything happens.

I've also seen the 'Recovery' option in settings where you can 'Open System Restore', I know it makes auto recoveries since there was one made a few days ago, should I use that as an alternative?

Answer 3

Follow this tutorial https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-system-r... which shows how to enable System Restore on C drive. Highlight C drive, click Configure then enable System Restore, set set Disk Space usage for as much space as you can afford (usually 5-15%) so it makes more Restore points and they last longer.

You can enable System Restore on the data drives, too, but if you have a System Image backup stored on the drive per the error you got, it will require extra disk space to keep restore points because some of System Restore space is used to maintain the image.

On Data partitions you do not need to use System Restore but instead I would use File History which I explained in my first post will create Previous Versions of all files on their Properties tabs. More here about how to do this:

https://pureinfotech.com/enable-previous-versio...

https://winaero.com/blog/restore-previous-versi...

After looking over all of the above, please ask any other questions you may have.

Answer 4

When you say to enable system restore on C drive, should I also enable protection, because that message comes on the C drive, I also didn't quite understand how file history works, if your computer was to have something bad happen like some applications won't work or your computer is just overall under performing, how would file history work , because I know that restore just reverts back to a previous state.

Answer 5

System Protection is the same as System Restore. You'd enable System Restore in System Protection box shown in the tutorial I gave you to follow:

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-system-r...

System Restore is your first line of defense if Windows ever malfunctions as it can run even from recovery media to get you back before a problem started. It should always be turned on C drive with plenty of disk space (5-15%) configured.

You can enable it on data drives too but if you have a System Image stored on a partition it may eat up the space used for Restore Points to service the System Image, so you could set more space or use File History, or both. Read the links above for File History to understand how it makes Previous versions of each file available.