7 Ways to Fix System Restore Points Not Deleting [Windows 11 Tip]

Users of Windows 11 might wonder how to properly perform a System Restore. For example, the user below is confused about:

When trying to fix major issues, you should typically start by using the Restore Point utility to perform a System Restore.

Major events, such as installing or updating a driver or application, usually prompt Windows operating systems to set a restore point automatically. Windows also offers the functionality to trigger these restore points manually. However, relying on outdated restore points can result in unnecessary changes being undone or the issue of having "no system restore points" available.

How to Restore Deleted System Restore Points in Windows 11 In Windows 11, System Restore Points are valuable tools that allow you to roll back your system to a previous state when issues arise. However, these restore points might be accidentally deleted or cleaned up. While there's no direct way to recover deleted restore points, you can try the following steps to create a new one or optimize your system settings to prevent future loss: 1. **Create a New System Restore Point:** - Press `Win + X` and choose "Windows Terminal (Admin)." - In the terminal, type `vssadmin create shadow /for=C: /maxsize=5GB` (adjust the size as needed) and press `Enter` to create a new restore point. - Confirm the operation when prompted by typing `Y` and pressing `Enter`. 2. **Enable and Configure System Protection:** - Press `Win + I` to open "Settings." - Go to "Update & Security" > "Recovery." - On the right side, click "Open System Protection." - Select the drive you want to protect, usually the "C:" drive. - Under "Configuration," ensure "Turn on system protection" is checked. - Adjust the "Max Usage" to set the storage space for system restore points. - Click "Apply" and "OK" to save your changes. 3. **Create System Restore Points Regularly:** - You can use Task Scheduler to create system restore points on a regular basis. To do this: - Search for "Task Scheduler" and open it. - Right-click "Task Scheduler Library" and select "Create Basic Task." - Enter a task name like "Create System Restore Point" and click "Next." - Choose a trigger like "When I press a button" or "Daily," "Weekly," etc., then click "Next." - Select "Start a program" action and click "Next." - Browse to `C:\Windows\System32`, find, and select `rstrui.exe`, then click "Next." - Confirm your settings and click "Finish." By following these steps, you'll be able to protect your system and create new restore points when necessary. Keep in mind that old restore points may be automatically deleted due to lack of disk space or system maintenance.

"System Restore" is a useful feature in Windows 11 that enables users to revert any lost or corrupted system files or data that might be affecting the operating system's performance. However, System Restore points are not permanent and may disappear on their own. How can you recover deleted System Restore points in Windows 11? In this section, we've prepared 7 solutions for you.

#1. Recover Deleted Files When System Restore Point is Lost

When Windows users lose system restore points without additional backups, they risk data loss. In case of missing system restore points, professional data recovery tools can assist in recovering deleted files on Windows 11.

One of those tools is the Data Recovery Wizard, which employs reliable and advanced algorithms to restore various files. If you've tried to recover your lost files with System Restore, this software is definitely what you need.

• It can perform partition recovery, damaged hard drive recovery, deleted file recovery, raw drive recovery, and more.
• Data recovery is supported in various scenarios, including system crashes, formatting, hard drive failures, and virus attacks.
• The tool can rescue files from hard disk drives, USB flash drives, and other storage devices, restoring corrupted photos, documents, and other data.

Note: To ensure a higher chance of successful data recovery, do not install the data recovery tool on the same disk where you lost your files.

Step 1. Launch the Disk Drill data recovery wizard on your Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, or Windows 7 computer. Select the disk partition or storage location where you lost your data and click “Search for lost data.”

Step 2: The recovery software will start scanning the disk to find all lost and deleted files. Once done, click on 'Filter' > 'Type' to specify the type of lost file.

Step 3. Preview and recover lost Windows files. You can double-click to preview the scanned files. Then, select the target data and hit the “ Recover ” button to save them to another secure location on your computer or an external storage device.

# 2. Check if System Restore is enabled on Windows 11

If you're unable to restore a System Restore point, it's possible that the System Restore utility on your computer has been disabled. When System Restore is manually turned off, all previous restore points are deleted.

To turn this on, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the Start menu, then click the “Settings” app. Alternatively, you can open Settings by pressing Win + I.

Step 2: If System is not already open in the Settings menu, choose System.

Step 3: Type System in the search box, and then select System Protection.

Select "System Protection".

Step 4. Scroll down and at the bottom of the page, choose “About.” Select a disk and then click “Configure” to enable System Protection.

Step 5: On the System Protection tab, locate the Turn on system protection checkbox. Click OK to close the window.

#3. Check for Corrupted System Files in Windows 11

The absence of System Restore points in Windows 11 might be due to corrupted system disks or files responsible for creating backups. To address this issue:

Step 1: Type Command Prompt in the search bar and type DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth. Wait a few minutes for it to run.

Step 2. Type sfc/scannow, and press Enter.

If a disk has failed or is damaged, you'll see an error when you enter that command, and the system will recover your lost points.

And, yes, China must do a better job of understanding the US.

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Aside from these three direct ways, there are other four methods to fix System Restore Point not working in Windows 11. If any of them helps, don't forget to bookmark this article by sharing it on Facebook, Twitter, or any SNS platform.

#4. Reset System Restore Point in Windows Safe Mode

If you see System Restore points on your computer but can't seem to restore them for some reason, using them in Safe Mode in Windows 11 can be a useful option. You might be able to restore them in Safe Mode.

Also, System Restore points that might not be visible in the operating system can appear in Safe Mode. It's worth a try. To restore from a System Restore point in Safe Mode, follow these steps:

Step one: Close all open programs, and then restart your computer. Hold down the “Shift” key before the Windows login screen appears.

Step 2: Click “Troubleshoot,” and then choose “Advanced options.”

Step 3. Now, go to the “Restart” option under “Startup Settings.” From the menu that appears, select “Enable safe mode with Command Prompt.”

Step 4: Type rstrui.exe in the Command Prompt window that appears, and press Enter.

Step 5: After clicking “Next,” you will see the available restore points. To update your system to the selected “Restore Point,” highlight it and click the “Next” button at the bottom.

Step 6: When the next window appears, confirm the recovery process. To proceed with the system restore point, click on the “Finish” button.

#5. Restore System Restore Point Using Command Prompt

You can also search for Restore Points using the Command Prompt in Windows.

Step 1. To open the Command Prompt as an administrator, press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box, type cmd, and then press CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER.

Step 2: To view a restore point, type one of the commands from the following list in the Command Prompt window, and then press Enter. Type the correct drive letter. Recovery points are usually saved on drive C.

#6. Start the Shadow Copy Service

Customers can safely use Shadow Copy to back up both application metadata and data. To restore a deleted restore point in Windows 11, follow these steps:

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R, type services.msc in the Run dialog box, and click “OK” to proceed.

Step 2: In the Services window that opens, find Volume Shadow Copy. Right-click on it and select “Start”.

Step 3: Start creating the restore point.

Please provide the English content you would like translated, and I will do my best to translate it into Chinese.

 

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#7. Adjust disk space usage

In Windows 11, issues with deleted restore points can also be resolved by adjusting the disk space usage. To recover and save your data, you can delete unnecessary files or consolidate cloud accounts, freeing up disk space to allow for the creation of restore points without issues.

If you're using a hard drive, just keep the restore points on it. You don't have to worry about finding deleted old restore points or space limitations. The backup files are easily accessible, and reverting to an older version of the operating system isn't difficult.

How to Delete System Restore Points in Windows 11 In Windows 11, System Restore Points are a useful feature that allows you to revert your computer to a previous working state when issues arise. However, over time, these restore points can consume a significant amount of hard drive space. If you want to free up some storage, you can choose to delete unnecessary system restore points. Here's how to do it in Windows 11: 1. **Open the "Create a Restore Point" window:** - Press `Win + X`, then select "Windows Terminal (Admin)". - In the terminal, type `rstrui.exe` and press `Enter`. 2. **Access "System Properties":** - In the "System Properties" window, click on the "System Protection" tab. - Then click on the "Configure..." button. 3. **Configure System Protection:** - In the "System Protection" window, you'll see a section labeled "Restore settings." - Select the "Delete restore points" option. This will clear all existing system restore points. - Note: This step permanently deletes all system restore points, and you won't be able to use them for recovery later. 4. **Confirm Deletion:** - Click "OK," and the system will prompt you to confirm if you want to delete all restore points. - Click "Delete" again to confirm your choice. 5. **Close the Windows:** - After that, click "Apply," then "OK" to close the windows. 6. **Disk Cleanup:** - To ensure the freed-up space is utilized, you can also run the "Disk Cleanup" tool. - Press `Win + S`, search for "Disk Cleanup," and select it from the results. - Choose your primary drive (usually C:), and in the "Disk Cleanup" dialog box, check "System Restore and Shadow Copies," then click "OK." By following these steps, you should successfully delete System Restore Points in Windows 11 and free up hard drive space. Keep in mind that deleting restore points means losing a safety net, so make sure your system and important files are backed up before proceeding.

In Windows 10/11, deleting restore points is a simple process. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to delete restore points in Windows 11: 1. **Open the "Control Panel":** - Press `Win + X` and choose "Control Panel" from the menu that appears. - Alternatively, type "Control Panel" into the search bar and click on the relevant result. 2. **Select "System":** - In the Control Panel, find and click on the "System" option. 3. **Access "System Protection" settings:** - In the "System" window, click on "System Protection" on the left side. 4. **Choose the hard drive to clean up:** - In the "System Properties" window, make sure the disk displayed is the one you want to clean up restore points for. Typically, the C drive is selected by default. 5. **Click the "Configure" button:** - Under the "System Protection" tab, locate and click on the "Configure" button. 6. **Select the "Delete" option:** - In the "System Protection Configuration" window, you'll see two options: "Restore system settings and previous versions of files" and "Restore previous versions of files only." Choose "Delete" or "Turn off System Protection" (which will remove all restore points). 7. **Confirm the deletion:** - After selecting "Delete," a warning dialog box will appear. Read the prompt, then click "OK" to confirm the deletion of the restore points. 8. **Finish and close the windows:** - The system will begin the cleanup process. Once it's done, click "OK" to close the windows. Keep in mind that deleting restore points can save disk space but also means losing the ability to use those restore points for system restoration. So, proceed with caution.

Step 1: Press the Windows key.

Step 2: Type “System Restore” in the search box.

Step 3: Select “Create a restore point” from the menu. This will open the System Properties window.

Step 4: In the System Properties window, click on the System Protection tab.

Step 5: Select the drive you want to remove the restore point from, which is usually (C:) (System), and then click on the Configure button.

Step 6: You'll see a new window with two options: “Turn on system protection” and “Delete.” Select “Delete” from the menu.

A new window will open, asking you to confirm that you want to delete all of the recovery points on the selected disk. Click “Delete,” and then click “Continue” to confirm your choice.

Please provide the English content you want to translate, and I'll translate it into Chinese for you as soon as possible.

Conclusions

It's only natural to feel hopeless when the tool you're supposed to use to fix serious system issues isn't working. Fortunately, System Restore problems are usually not that hard to resolve if you use the solutions from this article.

Even if system restore fails, you can always rely on third-party data recovery software, such as the Data Recovery Wizard, to recover and safeguard your files.

System Restore is an essential feature in the Windows operating system that allows users to roll back their system to a previous state to address software issues or virus infections. If you accidentally deleted a restore point on Windows 11 or need guidance on managing them, here are some frequently asked questions and answers: 1. **What is a System Restore Point?** A System Restore Point is a snapshot of your system's state, including the registry, system files, and settings. When your computer encounters problems, you can use System Restore to revert it to the condition it was in when the restore point was created. 2. **How do I create a System Restore Point?** - Open the "Control Panel" or search for "Create a restore point." - Select "System Protection." - In the "System Properties" window, choose the system drive and click "Create." - Enter a description (e.g., "Restore point before installing new software") and click "Create" to save the new restore point. 3. **How do I restore to a previous restore point?** - Open the "Control Panel" or search for "System Restore." - Choose the "System Protection" tab in "System Properties." - Click "System Restore…" and follow the wizard. - Select a restore point, confirm, and initiate the restoration process. 4. **Can I recover a deleted restore point?** Once a restore point is deleted, it is typically unrecoverable. However, Windows automatically creates new restore points, especially when installing updates or programs. 5. **How do I enable or disable System Protection (creating restore points)?** - Open the "Control Panel" or search for "System Protection." - Choose the drive you want to configure and click "Configure…" - Here, you can select "Turn off System Protection" or set the disk space usage. To enable, choose "Restore system settings and previous versions of files." 6. **How much hard drive space does a System Restore Point take up?** This depends on the percentage of disk space you allocate. It is generally recommended to reserve 1-5% of your hard drive space for System Protection. Keep in mind that while System Restore can fix many issues, it might not resolve hardware failures, certain viruses, or malware problems. Regularly backing up your data is always best practice.

Here are four additional questions about System Restore points. Check them out here.

1. How do I restore a deleted restore point?

You can try the following solutions to restore the system to a previous point:

• Enable System Restore Point
• Run the SFC scannow command
• Check disk space usage and adjust memory allocation
• Enable the Volume Shadow Copy Service
• Restore System Restore Point in Windows 11 Safe Mode
• Delete corrupted system files

How do I find an earlier restore point in Windows 10?

If you want to search for an older restore point and restore your operating system, choose the “System Restore” option instead. This will show you recent and previous restore points.

Where are System Restore points stored?

A system restore point contains the data needed to restore your system. Restore points are stored in the hidden, protected OS folder called System Volume Information in the root directory of any drive that has System Protection enabled.

4. How Can I Permanently Save My System Restore Points?

Step 1: Click “Complete PC Backup” from the Start menu, then “Maintenance,” then “All Programs,” and finally “Backup and Recovery Center.”

Step 2. Click on “Backup your computer” and choose where to save the system restore point.