Resolved: System Protection Must Be Enabled on This Drive

When performing a system restore, you might encounter a message asking you to "enable system protection on this drive." This can be an alarming moment for some users who are unsure how to proceed upon seeing this warning.

Indeed, anyone would feel the same way upon seeing such a message while attempting a system restore due to a corrupted drive or application.

Fortunately, we don't experience such a jolt when encountering this error because we know how to rectify it, and we'll guide you on how to properly utilize "System Restore."

Error: System Protection Must be Enabled on This Drive

So here are a few solutions you should try when you encounter the error "You must enable system protection on this drive." Let's get started.

• Solution 1: Enable System Protection on the Drive
• Solution 2: Verify the Turn on System Protection Setting in Windows
• Solution 3: Enable System Protection from the Control Panel
• Solution 4: Rename Registry Files

Solution 1: Enable System Protection on the Drive To enable System Protection and create restore points for your drive, follow these steps: 1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. 2. Type "sysdm.cpl" in the dialog box and press Enter to open the System Properties. 3. In the System Properties window, click on the "System Protection" tab. 4. Under the "System Protection" tab, select the drive for which you want to enable System Protection (usually the C: drive). 5. If System Protection is disabled, click on the "Configure" button. 6. In the System Protection dialog box, choose "Turn on system protection" and slide the "Max Usage" slider to set the amount of disk space you want to allocate for system protection. 7. Click "Apply" and then "OK" to save the changes. 8. Now, under the "System Protection" tab, click on the "Create" button to create a new restore point. 9. Give the restore point a descriptive name and click "Create." The process will take a few moments to complete. 10. Once done, close the System Properties window. After completing these steps, System Protection will be enabled on the drive, allowing you to create and use restore points to fix issues with your system.

Enable System Protection if the error message prompts you to. Here's how to proceed:

Step 1. To proceed with this solution, you need to use the Command Prompt. If you're logged into your user account, click on the "Windows" icon, then type "command prompt" in the search bar. From the search results, right-click on "Command Prompt" and choose the "Run as administrator" option to open it.

Step 2. If your Windows system crashed and you were unable to boot it up, access the Command Prompt through the Windows Recovery Environment.

Step 3. In the Command Prompt window, type the command "net start vss" and press "Enter."

Step 4. Type "rstrui.exe /offline:C:\windows=active" and press "Enter."

Step 5. Restart your computer.

Fix 2: Check the "Turn on System Protection" Setting in Windows

Only follow this step if you are logged into your user account. Here's what you need to do:

Step 1. Press "Win+X" and then type "sysdm.cpl" in the "Run" dialog box and hit the "Enter" button.

Insert the text below: 

Step 2. Click on "System Protection" and then select "Configure."

Configuring the disk settings using the System Properties

Step 3. Under the "System Protection" option, click on "Turn on system protection" if it is not already selected.

Step 4. After making your selection, click on "Apply," then click on "OK."

Fix 3: Enable System Protection from the Control Panel

Here's how to activate System Protection using the Control Panel:

Step 1. Click "Start," then search for and open "Control Panel."

Step 2. Click on "System and Security," then select "System," and afterwards, click on "System Protection."

Click on "System" in the Control Panel menu.

Step 3. Choose your drive and then click on "Configure."

Step 4. Click the "Turn on system protection" option to activate "System Protection" through the Control Panel.

Step 5. Lastly, click on "Apply," and then click on "OK."

Fix 4: Rename Registry Files

If the aforementioned solutions didn't prove effective, attempt renaming the registry files for System Protection. This can be accomplished by utilizing the Command Prompt.

Step 1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.

Step 2. Type "cd %systemroot%\system32\config" and press the "Enter" button.

Step 3. Next, type "ren SYSTEM system.001" and press the "Enter" key.

Step 4. Finally, type the "ren SOFTWARE software.001" command and press the "Enter" button.

Step 5. Restart your computer.

Better Way to Protect and Restore the System

Now that you know how to enable system protection, if you encounter an error stating "You must enable system protection on this drive," we recommend creating a backup of your PC or a system image of your PC before attempting to resolve the issue.

We request that you back up your computer to ensure that you don't lose your files if, by mistake, you perform an action that causes your PC to malfunction. With a copy of your data or, preferably, a system image, you can swiftly restore your computer to its previous state.

Todo Backup is a backup and recovery software that has been trusted by millions of users for the past 13 years.

You can create a backup of or clone system or backup hard drive, back up your disk or partition, and more. You also have the option to create a WinPE bootable disk and upload your backups to the cloud if desired.

Todo Backup is a comprehensive and sophisticated backup and recovery software that enables you to create backups of your computer's data.

Conclusion

Windows can occasionally be unpredictable, and there's no telling when it might automatically update your computer or experience a crash.

It can be even more daunting when you see an error stating, "You must enable system protection on this drive," right in the middle of performing a system restore.

Implementing the solutions we provided above should resolve the issue without any issues.

Frequently Asked Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions and their answers regarding the message "You Must Enable System Protection on This Drive." 1. **What does "You Must Enable System Protection on This Drive" mean?** It means that the System Protection feature, which allows for creating and restoring system restore points, is currently disabled on the specified drive. Enabling it will allow you to roll back your system settings in case of software issues or malware infections. 2. **Why should I enable System Protection?** System Protection helps safeguard your computer by allowing you to revert to a previous state if your system becomes unstable or if you accidentally make changes that affect its performance. It's especially useful for recovering from software installations gone wrong or virus attacks. 3. **How do I enable System Protection?** - Go to Control Panel, then select "System." - In the System Properties window, click on the "System Protection" tab. - Choose the drive you want to enable System Protection for, and click "Configure." - In the Configure System Protection dialog box, select "Turn on system protection" and choose how much disk space you want to allocate for restore points. - Click "Apply" and "OK" to save your changes. 4. **Does enabling System Protection affect my data files?** No, System Protection only creates restore points of system files and settings. Your personal files and documents will not be affected. 5. **Can I disable System Protection if needed?** Yes, you can disable System Protection if you prefer not to use it or if you need to free up disk space. However, keep in mind that doing so will remove the safety net provided by restore points. 6. **Are restore points created automatically?** Yes, by default, System Protection creates restore points periodically, typically when significant changes occur, such as installing new software or drivers. 7. **Can I create a restore point manually?** Yes, you can create a restore point manually whenever you want to document a specific point in time. In the System Protection settings, click "Create" under the "System Restore" tab. 8. **Will System Protection protect me against all types of threats?** While System Protection can help recover from software issues, it doesn't provide comprehensive protection against all types of malware. You should still have an antivirus program installed and kept up to date for comprehensive security.

1. Why do we need system protection? We need system protection to ensure the stability, security, and integrity of computer systems and networks. It safeguards against various threats such as viruses, malware, hackers, unauthorized access, and system crashes. System protection prevents malicious attacks from compromising sensitive data, disrupting services, or causing damage to the hardware and software components. It also enables the restoration of the system to a previous working state in case of any issues or errors, ensuring continuous operation and user productivity. Overall, system protection is crucial for maintaining the reliability and functionality of computing systems in both personal and professional environments.

System protection helps users safeguard their files from unauthorized access and shields their computers from external threats.

< b > 2. Why would you turn off system protection? < /b >

If the system protection is not functioning properly or is experiencing issues, it is advisable to temporarily disable it. This enables the system's protection to reset. After a minute, re-enable it to ensure your computer remains safeguarded from threats and unauthorized access.

3. What happens if I stop System Restore? If you stop System Restore on your computer, several things will occur: 1. **No New Restore Points**: The process of creating automatic restore points will cease. This means that if you encounter a problem in the future, you won't have any recent restore points to use for reverting your system's configuration. 2. **Existing Restore Points Are Not Affected**: Any existing restore points created before you stopped the service will still be available. However, they will become outdated over time as new updates and changes are made to your system. 3. **Manual Restore Points**: You will still be able to create manual restore points when needed, but you'll need to remember to do this yourself since the automatic creation will be disabled. 4. **Increased Disk Space**: Stopping System Restore can free up disk space, as it no longer creates regular restore points. However, this also means you lose the safety net that these restore points provide. 5. **Potential Risks**: Without System Restore, you may have fewer options for troubleshooting and recovering from system issues, malware infections, or software conflicts. You'll rely more on other backup methods or a clean installation in case of problems. 6. **Re-enabling System Restore**: If you decide to turn System Restore back on, it will start creating new restore points again. However, any changes made to your system while it was disabled won't be included in the new restore points. It's important to weigh the benefits of having System Restore active against the potential drawbacks before deciding to disable it.

If you stop System Restore, all the restore points you've created for the drive will be deleted.