[SOLVED] Vista SP2 Restore Point Question

[Humble]

System is set to automatically create restore points.
And it does, very occasionally. For example when installing new programs.

I would prefer to have more restore options.

Is there a way to automatically create restore points more frequently,
for example on a regular schedule and also automatically delete older ones to save HD space?

Via task manager, perhaps? How?

Any tips and guidance appreciated.

 

[xilolee]

Hi Humble. :smile9:

Copy the following text and paste it in notepad:

param
(
[parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
[string] $CheckPointName
)
echo "
"
enable-computerrestore -drive "C:"
echo "This pause should allow to enable system protection/restore on c:, if it's disabled; in THIS case, wait a minute and then press ENTER
"
pause
checkpoint-computer -description $CheckPointName

Save the file as NewCheckPoint.ps1 (or the name you prefer, but with .ps1 extension) and move it in your preferred location.
Then run the following command from an elevated command prompt:

schtasks /create /TN "NewCheckPoint on all Sundays" /TR "c:\users\%username%\desktop\NewCheckPoint.ps1" /RL HIGHEST /sc weekly /d sun

You should use the name of your file, if you changed how I called it, and you should change the path after the /TR option (using your preferred path).
I used the desktop because I've tried with that location.
That command creates a task named NewCheckPoint on all Sundays in task scheduler and it will be enabled all sundays (at the hour you created it).
You can always change the task later, if you prefer other settings/dates/hours, obviously...

Hope this helps. :wave:

 

[Humble]

Hi, Xilolee !
Thanks for your reply.
Seems pretty close to what I have in mind.

Before I give it a try, permit me a couple of questions:

1) How can I modify the command to as to create restore point at other time intervals ( vs. "every sunday" ), for example once a month or so.

2) How can I program windows to delete older restore points after a period of my choosing?

Thank you.

 

[xilolee]

You can change it later either through task scheduler (taskschd.msc) or through schtasks /change (some settings present on the create option are not available for the change option).
Or you can create it directly with your preferred settings.

Example for first Sunday of the month at 11:30 (am):

schtasks /create /TN "NewCheckPoint on all Sundays" /TR "c:\users\%username%\desktop\NewCheckPoint.ps1" /RL HIGHEST /SC MONTHLY /MO first /D SUN /ST 11:30

I don't think there's a simple method to delete older restore points from the command line... But with Piriform CrapCleaner (CCleaner) or WiseDiskCleaner/WiseCare365 you can delete restore points through a simple interface. And obviously through MS Windows GUI.
There are probably also other programs that can do it.

 

[Humble]

Very helpful. Thank you !

 

[xilolee]

:thumbsup2:

 

[Xer]

Hi Humble,

Rather than expiry times/dates, the deletion of old restore points is dictated by the available space in shadow storage. VSS (Virtual Shadow Copy Service) can be managed from an elevated command prompt using the vssadmin command, here's the TechNet article for Vista: Manage Volume Shadow Copy Service from the Vssadmin Command-Line. Effectively shadow storage is a hidden volume that stores restore points, file history, etc. The default size is likely fine, you can see the space currently in use with Vssadmin List ShadowStorage. I would recommended leaving it at its default value, unless it's clearly using too much/too little space.

 

[Humble]

thanks for your reply!

did you mean the command

Vssadmin Resize ShadowStorage

Right now List ShadowStorage
shows Maximum 4.156 GB
and 3.682 GB used

and 3.884 GB allocated

so, if I want restore points deleted earlier I would reduce the space, right?

By how much ?

 

[xilolee]

You can already limit the storage through GUI: control panel, system&security, system, system protection (on the left side), protection tab, configure button, move the slide "max usage" to the right or to the left.
IIRC, in windows xp a point was sized about 300MB (in win10 it seems around 100MB), hence 3GB could be from 9-10 to 30 points.

 

[Humble]

thank you.
now, control panel system clicking 'system protection' on left side brings up window " system properties ".
there clicking tab system protection shows no configure button and no slide.
what am I doing wrong?

 

[xilolee]

what am I doing wrong?

You, nothing. Microsoft did it: fwik (now), WinVista is the only OS (from WinXP to Win10) that doesn't have that slider. :thud:
Probably Xer already knew that and gave you directly the commands to check and modify your system restore storage.

How many points have you got? 11?
How many points would you conserve (keep/hold/maintain)?

 

[Humble]

How many points have you got? 11?
How many points would you conserve (keep/hold/maintain)?


I am not sure what that means?

 

[xilolee]

You said:

2) How can I program windows to delete older restore points after a period of my choosing?

Then we saw there isn't a simple method to do it, but we saw you can limit your disk amount for system restore points (through the GUI for all windows versions but vista, that instead needs a vssadmin command from the command prompt).
Then the questions are:
- how many system restore points are present actually on your machine?
(given that each one should be around 300MB, and vssadmin shows 3.884 GB allocated, I supposed they are from 11 to 13, actually)
- how many system restore points would you desire to keep on your machine? 2? 30? 100?

(Yes, I know my English is horrible... )

 

[Xer]

so, if I want restore points deleted earlier I would reduce the space, right?

By how much ?

That is correct. The amount really depends on how many copies you'd want to keep, Xilolee already suggested probable sizes. I would recommend against shrinking it from that size though, you don't really want fewer than 10 restore points available at any time. If you're strapped for disk space, it'd be better to look into additional storage, and/or external storage instead.

 

[Humble]

no worries, xilolee.
it wasn't your english but my slowness in catching on

and yes, you are right, 13 restore points presently...
all created in last couple of days when I did quite a bit of uninstalling.

normally it's only 2 - 3

average of 10 points at any given time would be OK,
preferably in intervals of a week to ten days.

considering that system creates points at certain events already,
how should I set the cmd thing for the extra ones?

 

[xilolee]

every ten days?

 

[Humble]

every ten days?

yes

 

[xilolee]

Every ten days, starting from 27th August 2016 at 12:00 (mid-day) (Italian date and time formats, you must use your formats):

schtasks /create /TN "NewCheckPoint every ten days" /TR "c:\users\%username%\desktop\NewCheckPoint.ps1" /RL HIGHEST /sc daily /mo 10 /sd 27/08/2016 /st 12:00 /f

If you are unsure about your formats (/SD and /ST options), try to read schtasks help (this command will create SCHTASKS CREATE HELP.txt on your desktop):

schtasks /create /? > "c:\users\%username%\desktop\SCHTASKS CREATE HELP.txt"

 

[Willy2]

- Or use a program called "Restore Point Creator". It's capable of "programming" Task Scheduler.
Restore Point Creator – Tom's World Tech Blog

- Windows always keeps an eye on the amount of free disk space. When that amount drops beyond a certain level (1%, 2% 5% ???) then Windows will automatically delete files (no, no user files) to increase free diskspace. That includes deleting one or more System Restore Points. So, I wouldn't worry too much about that.