System Restore frequency

[phaolo]

Hello,

I'd like to change the default SR schedule to be more frequent (e.g: daily)

No method suggested online seems to work and points are only created weekly.

Is there a definitive solution for this?

[NoelC]

Can you describe what you have tried already?

For what it's worth, scheduling a System Image backup to run nightly (e.g., to an external USB drive) also causes a restore point to be created nightly.

For example, I have such a backup scheduled for 2:00 am every day and I see this:

If you're going to leave your system on, and it sounds like you are, I recommend getting an inexpensive Western Digital MyBook USB drive if you don't already have one, and scheduling a nightly System Image backup.  It becomes incremental after the first one and will complete pretty quickly.

-Noel

[phaolo]

1 hour ago, NoelC said:

Can you describe what you have tried already?

For what it's worth, scheduling a System Image backup to run nightly (e.g., to an external USB drive) also causes a restore point to be created nightly.

Err.. I tried different things in various months, so I don't remember exactly. O_o'

Anyway, nothing ever worked.

I don't need daily System Image backups.. isn't there any other method for SR only?

Edited March 23, 2016 by phaolo

[NoelC]

Not having done it myself, I can only defer to others on this.  A number of websites imply that there's a registry entry that governs how long the system will wait before making another restore point.  For example:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/is-it-possible-to-create-my-own-restore-points/b8af02ce-c7d4-47ec-a66a-80ae65453021

There is notably a scheduled task that apparently is the stimulus for checking.

I suggest, since you have no specific memory of what you have done, that you start taking careful notes, then...

1.  Add the following DWORD value and set it to less than the number of seconds in a day, e.g., 21600 decimal:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore]
RPGlobalInterval REG_DWORD 21600

2.  Verify that the following scheduled task is set to run at least once a day:

Task Scheduler (Local)
    Task Scheduler Library
        Microsoft
            Windows
                SystemRestore

-Noel

[xpclient]

This VBScript I found somewhere works for me well for manual and automatic restore point creation. It shows prompt for UAC elevation too if run normally. You can set up a hidden scheduled task for regular restore point creation.

If WScript.Arguments.Count = 0 Then
Set oShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
oShell.ShellExecute "wscript.exe", """" & WScript.ScriptFullName & """ Run", , "runas", 1
Else
Set oWshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
oWshShell.Popup "Creating a SystemRestore point. Please wait.", 2, "System Restore", 0
swinmgmts = "winmgmts:\\.\root\default:Systemrestore"
GetObject(swinmgmts).CreateRestorePoint "Scheduled Restore Point", 0, 100
'MsgBox "System Restore Point created", 0, "System Restore"
End If

On Bob 8, there are some new Registry values affecting System Restore: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa378727%28v=vs.85%29.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

[phaolo]

6 hours ago, NoelC said:

Not having done it myself, I can only defer to others on this.  A number of websites imply that there's a registry entry that governs how long the system will wait before making another restore point.

Ah, now I remember that I already tried that.

I'll give it another shot, but it probably didn't work.

4 hours ago, xpclient said:

This VBScript I found somewhere works for me well for manual and automatic restore point creation. It shows prompt for UAC elevation too if run normally. You can set up a hidden scheduled task for regular restore point creation.

Ah cool, if the solution above is still KO, I'll try this.

Thanks for the suggestions!

[jaclaz]

Wouldn't also Powershell do?
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/heyscriptingguy/2012/05/08/use-powershell-to-back-up-system-state-prior-to-making-changes/

OT, but You might want to appreciate how in 8 the feature has been bettered by limiting it to a single checkpoint per day 
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh849822.aspx

so, if you need more than one (like when you are testing new, dangerous things) you need to override the default:
http://superuser.com/questions/994854/why-the-create-restore-point-script-work-differently-on-windows-7-and-on-windo

EDIT: Oops, I see only now how xpclient's reply also mentioned this new behaviour in 8.

jaclaz

[phaolo]

On 23/3/2016 at 6:11 AM, xpclient said:

This VBScript I found somewhere works for me well for manual and automatic restore point creation.

OK, the first suggestion didn't work (as I remembered), but the script seems good!
I've found an improved one created for various Win versions here:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/67114-system-restore-point-create-system-startup.html

---

1 hour ago, jaclaz said:

Wouldn't also Powershell do?
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/heyscriptingguy/2012/05/08/use-powershell-to-back-up-system-state-prior-to-making-changes/

jaclaz

Oh, hello jaclaz.
I saw that PS needs a single line (wow), but I opted for the more compatible solution.
Btw, I'm happily on Win7

---

Thanks to all!

Edited March 25, 2016 by phaolo