Introduction

Microsoft Windows has a feature called System Restore, which saves Windows system state automatically or on demand. System Restore saves parts of Windows operating system that are critical for booting, such as the system registry and drivers, among others. It is not a complete system imaging, which differs it from another Microsoft backup technology, "Backup and Restore". Learn more about Windows' built-in recovery options here.

Symptom

While using Acronis software you may notice that Windows System Restore points disappear unexpectedly: before, during or after backup, recovery, disk cloning or other operations.

Cause

Windows System Restore Points are managed exclusively by Microsoft Windows operating system. Acronis True Image has no direct control over them. Even though sometimes the deletion of Windows System Restore points coincides with operations with Acronis True Image, the control over them remains totally the internal mechanic of the Windows operating system.

Situations when Windows may wipe out existing System Restore points include, but are not limited to:

1. Automatic deletion of old restore points.
2. Clean-up operation of the storage where System Restore points are physically stored, to free up disk space for successful operation of Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service.
3. Windows page file fragmentation.
4. Corrupted files in the system restore points.
5. Windows Updates installation, automatic or manual.
6. Normal, routine operations of Microsoft VSS Shadow Copy Optimization Writer.

Acronis True Image cannot and should not interfere with Microsoft Windows internal mechanics of managing Windows System Restore Points, which includes their monitoring and preserving them at any stage of using Acronis True Image, saving them into the backup and ensuring their persistence after recovery.