I am running Windows 7 32-bit installation on a Seagate Momentus XT hybrid har drive. Lately, any attempts to install or uninstall have been horribly slow (hours). My disk was encrypted with PGP desktop, so I removed the encryption and software. I also removed Norton Ghost. I was going to run a system restore but discovered it was not running and there were no existing restore points. When I go into the control panel, system, and system protection, the "System Restore" button is greyed out. In the Protection Settings section below the available drives area states that it is "Searching" but no drives are ever identified. I researched similar experiences on the web and found many recommendations to run sfc /scannow. I have run it twice with no errors listed. Another recommendation was to boot into "safe" mode and see if the settings appeared. The "System Protection" tab does not even show up in "safe" mode. One final suggestion is to perform a repair install of Windows. I can do that but prefer to exhaust fix options first. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Can you try this regsvr32 spp.dll regsvr32 srcore.dll Also post the output of the following command: vssadmin listwriters Sumesh P - Microsoft Online Community Support

Sumesh, Thanks for joining. I re-registered the two files without error. I also ran the following: vssadmin list writers > listwriters.txt The contents are posted below: vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool (C) Copyright 2001-2005 Microsoft Corp. Writer name: 'Task Scheduler Writer' Writer Id: {d61d61c8-d73a-4eee-8cdd-f6f9786b7124} Writer Instance Id: {1bddd48e-5052-49db-9b07-b96f96727e6b} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'VSS Metadata Store Writer' Writer Id: {75dfb225-e2e4-4d39-9ac9-ffaff65ddf06} Writer Instance Id: {088e7a7d-09a8-4cc6-a609-ad90e75ddc93} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'Performance Counters Writer' Writer Id: {0bada1de-01a9-4625-8278-69e735f39dd2} Writer Instance Id: {f0086dda-9efc-47c5-8eb6-a944c3d09381} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'System Writer' Writer Id: {e8132975-6f93-4464-a53e-1050253ae220} Writer Instance Id: {e9158e76-ed8f-49d9-9ff8-2da263952861} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'ASR Writer' Writer Id: {be000cbe-11fe-4426-9c58-531aa6355fc4} Writer Instance Id: {d8b754ab-9faa-477c-a290-2f23d1631e59} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'MSSearch Service Writer' Writer Id: {cd3f2362-8bef-46c7-9181-d62844cdc0b2} Writer Instance Id: {2f467c85-8bef-462e-b12f-d3e047880fb1} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'WMI Writer' Writer Id: {a6ad56c2-b509-4e6c-bb19-49d8f43532f0} Writer Instance Id: {4b1eec48-128e-4675-8d2d-b51ac1719a64} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'BITS Writer' Writer Id: {4969d978-be47-48b0-b100-f328f07ac1e0} Writer Instance Id: {42cfd749-4c66-43ea-846e-b78b7f48b897} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'Shadow Copy Optimization Writer' Writer Id: {4dc3bdd4-ab48-4d07-adb0-3bee2926fd7f} Writer Instance Id: {f7fe4e59-0c9c-4f32-b5f5-9d465f985c62} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'COM+ REGDB Writer' Writer Id: {542da469-d3e1-473c-9f4f-7847f01fc64f} Writer Instance Id: {f355c93c-c332-47f9-96f8-b5fea0ffc83c} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'Registry Writer' Writer Id: {afbab4a2-367d-4d15-a586-71dbb18f8485} Writer Instance Id: {b93c04ea-f169-4ff8-966e-4f748d2d9a96} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error I restarted the machine and rechecked and there was no change and to repeat prior message the System Restore, Configure and Create buttons are all greyed out.

Good Morning. Registering the files on one of my problem computers succeeded. No change as well. Below is the output from vssadmin listwriters. I've also encountered two more computers in the past day that are having this issue. They are not on my IPoE floor. Thx -------------------------------------------------------- vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool (C) Copyright 2001-2005 Microsoft Corp. Writer name: 'Task Scheduler Writer' Writer Id: {d61d61c8-d73a-4eee-8cdd-f6f9786b7124} Writer Instance Id: {1bddd48e-5052-49db-9b07-b96f96727e6b} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'VSS Metadata Store Writer' Writer Id: {75dfb225-e2e4-4d39-9ac9-ffaff65ddf06} Writer Instance Id: {088e7a7d-09a8-4cc6-a609-ad90e75ddc93} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'Performance Counters Writer' Writer Id: {0bada1de-01a9-4625-8278-69e735f39dd2} Writer Instance Id: {f0086dda-9efc-47c5-8eb6-a944c3d09381} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'System Writer' Writer Id: {e8132975-6f93-4464-a53e-1050253ae220} Writer Instance Id: {d66c8d41-9b77-40f8-8cd4-4857063dc37d} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'ASR Writer' Writer Id: {be000cbe-11fe-4426-9c58-531aa6355fc4} Writer Instance Id: {bdb7c8a9-37c2-4dcf-9644-d26fcc41df23} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'Registry Writer' Writer Id: {afbab4a2-367d-4d15-a586-71dbb18f8485} Writer Instance Id: {877b2cae-b807-4402-be56-3b261f183de0} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'Shadow Copy Optimization Writer' Writer Id: {4dc3bdd4-ab48-4d07-adb0-3bee2926fd7f} Writer Instance Id: {4c75644b-fd91-435c-b383-342380574223} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'BITS Writer' Writer Id: {4969d978-be47-48b0-b100-f328f07ac1e0} Writer Instance Id: {f5172043-193a-4662-a833-c2fae4714b2a} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'WMI Writer' Writer Id: {a6ad56c2-b509-4e6c-bb19-49d8f43532f0} Writer Instance Id: {86373f8b-6e7e-4762-9578-c83fca77dc0b} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'COM+ REGDB Writer' Writer Id: {542da469-d3e1-473c-9f4f-7847f01fc64f} Writer Instance Id: {7c9e4aa9-5ea0-439c-9ce3-2d396eed2be6} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error Writer name: 'MSSearch Service Writer' Writer Id: {cd3f2362-8bef-46c7-9181-d62844cdc0b2} Writer Instance Id: {78cb0cf0-45d5-4724-b2ce-e8fcb58b1947} State: [1] Stable Last error: No error

I performed the same vssadmin list on another computer with a functioning System Restore and it contains the same 11 Writers. All of the Writer ID's are the same. There is some variation in the Writer Instance ID's, if that is relevant. All report No error under each Writer listing. Later in day: I attempted to repair the Windows 7 installation by booting from the Windows 7 installation DVD. It detected the present Windows installation and advised I perform an upgrade install from inside Windows. I restarted the machine and proceeded as suggested. The installation failed as the installed Windows included SP1, and my installation disk did not. I downloaded and created Window 7 SP1 32 bit via Technet and attempted another upgrade install and the compatibility checking ended with the following messages. (I attempted this twice) The following issues are preventing Windows from upgrading. Cancel the upgrade, complete each task, and then restart the upgrade to continue. An error prevented a required compliance check from completing. Cancel the installation and try upgrading again. Upgrading Windows will affect the following devices and/or programs: These devices might not work properly after the upgrade. Before upgrading, we recommend updating the drivers for these devices. Cancel the upgrade, open Control Panel and search for "update device drivers", or go to the device manufacturer's website to search for updated drivers. I am not concerned with the second section and did not furnish the details. However, since the compliance check failed, this is another indication that there is some corruption or missing registry of file information. I do not know what additional tool or utility to attempt to remedy this. If a upgrade / reinstall will not work, I must assume that it is time to wipe the drive and start over. Since fellow subscriber Lisa_67 has detected this same issue on several machines, this drastic solution is not appealing for me and I suspect less so for her. I am going to get Microsoft to use one of my support incidents and see if they can resolve. I will then try to post the technique and results whether successful or not. If I am lucky, maybe the use of the incident will be waived.

When booting through the DVD, there is an option to restore the computer using restore points created in 'system restore' What happens when you select that option? Does it identify the restore points? In normal windows mode, does the 'system Protection' page allow you to 'Create' a new restore point or does it throw an error/grayed out? what does vssadmin list shadows show? You can also check if VSS is working fine by creating a shadow copy using the following command: vssadmin create shadow /for=c: Sumesh P - Microsoft Online Community Support

Thanks again for your suggestions. When booting from the DVD, no system restore points exist. (Remember that I cloned from another drive and that drive exhibited the same problem. I did not know the system protection was not working until I re-inserted that drive in machine and noted it). In normal windows mode the 'Create' button is greyed out. vssadmin list shadows produces no results. In fact the windows seems to hang as if processing but nothing displays. I had to ctrl-C to end the command. I ran the command on another machine with functional System Protection and it listed results within a few seconds. I went back to my problem machine and listed all of the supported commands with vssadmin /?. The following options were listed. Delete Shadows, List Providers, List Shadows, List ShadowStorage, List Volumes, List Writers, Resize ShadowStorage. I did not try Delete Shadows or Resize ShadowStorage. However, only List Writers produced results of the other options. Note, that create does not exist in the list. So, when I tried your recommendation above, I received the response 'Error: Invalid command. Are there any other dll files that might need to be re-registered to enable this functionality? Thanks again.

What are the providers listed under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\VSS\Providers ? By default there is only one - Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider 1.0 Also make sure that you are able to start the "Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider" service on the system. I think you already confirmed the status of the VSS service as working. Sumesh P - Microsoft Online Community Support

I was able to reproduce the issue (searching...) at my end by disabling the "Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider" service on the system. Not sure if your issue is the same, so check the service status and let me know if it is able to start. It also throws the error 0x81000203 that Lisa reported. Sumesh P - Microsoft Online Community Support

Sumesh, here are the answers to your previous two posts; Under the registry key, I have only one, the Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider 1.0. I can turn Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider service off and on without incident. My System Protection status shows searching irregardless of whether the Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider service is running or not. What is the correct syntax of the vssadmin create shadow command you inquired about previously. What happens if I chose the vssadmin delete shadows or vssadmin resize shadowstorage commands? I just researched vssadmin create shadow, and it is not available for Windows 7.

I ran all of the suggestions that Sumesh had with the same results as Gary: -No restore points -One VSS Provider in the registry, the Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider 1. -VSSadmin list shadows produces no results -No option for vssadmin create shadow We started the thread with checking the Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider service, among others. I have tried setting it to Automatic and even Delayed Start with no change. This doesn't affect the error message I am receiving on my computer either. I did repair one of my problem computers last week using the OEM CD "upgrade" repair option since the user was out of the office. But again, a good half day+ to do this and I'm finding other machines with the issue as I continue to work. Thanks for looking into this for us, Lisa

Please get me a Process Monitor log file when you open the system protection tab. Open the my computer properties, then start process monitor, go back and now open "system protection". Let it run for few seconds and stop the log. Save it as a .pml file Sumesh P - Microsoft Online Community Support

Sumesh, I have the file you requested, but do not see an upload link option. I will send as soon as I have a direct address or the option via this site.

Hi, Please send email to blrforum-at-microsoft-com (replace '-') I'll send an Secured FTP location. Ketan Thakkar | Microsoft Online Community Support

Hi, I looked at the logs and did not find any issues; however i dont belive that the logs were collected correctly as i cannot find the system restore function being called or related registry keys enumerated. Please get the log once again. Start process monitor first, then launch systempropertiesprotection.exe, let it search for drives for 5 seconds and stop the log. Sumesh P - Microsoft Online Community Support

Sumesh, I am uploading another file. I am not sure if you will see any system restore function. As I noted previously, all of the buttons, including System Restore are greyed out. I followed your instructions exactly, but the only thing I can do is click the "System Protection" tab and under drives it says "searching" and nothing else can be selected to yield different results.

This time it did capture the required information, however i couldnt find what is causing the issue. I would suggest that you try Check if you are getting any errors in the eventlog regarding to system restore, WMI, DCOM etc Check if the issue continues in clean boot environment. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135 Use Depends.exe to open systempropertiesprotection.exe, then profile it to look for any obvious failures: http://blogs.technet.com/b/askperf/archive/2010/06/25/analyze-application-failures-the-easier-way-with-dependency-walker.aspx If the issue persists, i'd suggest that you open a paid support incident to get more detailed logs and troubleshooting. Sumesh P - Microsoft Online Community Support

I do not see any event viewer entries pointing to WMI, but there are numerous VSS entries. All of this appears to have started on or around September 2nd or 3rd. I can send you the event logs for review if you wish. With respect to the clean boot, I have been running the machine in that mode for several weeks as this discourse continued. I tried the depends.exe program. While very informative, the results did not appear to be different from those obtained on a machine with a functional system restore. After spending several more hours researching this issue, I suspect I am left with few options. I will see if a support incident yields any better results.

I have not been able to run the logs or other processes since my last entry. I have to interrupt a user every time to do so. At this time I have run into at least 10 Windows 7 computers with this problem. I've repaired a couple with running the Windows repair since the timing was good, but I need to resolve the others. Gary, please let me know if your support incident results in anything useful. Thanks.

I have experienced the same problem on a new PC running Windows 7 SP1 x64. When I first set the PC up system restore was working normally. Subsequently over the following weeks I had loaded all the software used the original XP Pro PC. When I had a Windows update error and tried to run the system restore, the system reported the restore error 0x810000203 and the system protection tab was greyed out. I scoured the internet for solutions, checked shadow copy was running, run the sfc scan etc etc etc without success. I just happenend to read an article that related to Tune up Utilities 2010/2011 that mentioned if you ran the "Turbo Mode" it disabled the sytem restore in Windows 7. I had Tune-Up 2010 on the previous XP Pro PC and had no problems. I removed Tune-Up 2010 that was on the PC without effect, then I re-ran all the system checks, registry checks again without success. As a last resort, I updated my Tune-Up 2010 to the 2012 version, voila!, sytem restore is working again! This not an advert for Tune-Up but a cautionary tale of being careful when installing this type of settings/registry editing software that may not be compatable with your operating system.

Unfortunately I don't use Tune-up or any other utility like that, so that is not my problem in this case. Thanks for the suggestion.

Gary, Please share your event logs with the VSS errors. What Roxio softwares are you using?, I came across some issues with System Restore and some Roxio backup s/w conflict in their forums. Can you try uninstalling them? Sumesh P - Microsoft Online Community Support

Thanks for participating. As part of the troubleshooting efforts, I had installed a program called Registry Booster on this machine after the problems began. Even though it found numerous registry errors and "fixed" them, its presence or subsequent removal had no effect on my non-working System Restore function. But thanks for the suggestion.

Sumesh, I have an two application event logs, one unfiltered, and one filtered for errors that I can send you. Please advise how you would like them forwarded to you. Via FTP as before? I have Roxio Easy Media Creator 9 installed on this machine. I will remove later today and report the effects of its removal.

We are also using Roxio Creator that comes with the Dell computers. No specific Roxio backup software though. To uninstall any program will take all day, which is part of the original issue.

I dont have much confidence for Roxio creator as its just a DVD burning app, its backup solution was the one with reported conflict with SR. But if you get the chance, do give it a try! I suggest one or all of you to open a support incident to resolve this issue as I have run out of options to troubleshoot through Forums. Do paste the VSS error events. Sumesh P - Microsoft Online Community Support

yes, use SFT as before.Sumesh P - Microsoft Online Community Support

I have uploaded two evtx log files. One is very small and is filtered for VSS type events. The other one is large contains all the events for a day or so.

I removed all of the Roxio items and this did not help. It looks like I finally have to go the support incident route. I will post the results of that endeavor.

One last submission. Today is the 16th. My support incident has been open for 12 days and my support engineer has diligently maintained contact, passed along suggestions, and worked along with me on a regular basis to help resolve the issue. None of her suggestions resolved my problem. However, all was not lost. The following is my report to her after I lucked into the solution: Bharati, Success! It was none of your suggestions or any that were in the various posts. I have felt all along that this issue was due to either Symantec’s PGP disk encryption or Norton Ghost product. Symantec did not ever offer any acknowledgement that these products could be the origin of my failed System Protection. Before I started this final corrective effort, I made sure that all Symantec products had been uninstalled to whatever extent necessary. I then manually deleted every directory and subdirectory from my C: drive that was named either Symantec or Norton. This included any files in those directories. Finally, I opened regedit and search the registry for “Symantec” or “Norton” and manually deleted every top-level key found. (Note, I had backed up the registry before this activity). There were a few legacy keys that I could not delete because of permission issues. However, they were few in number and I was able to delete numerous other entries. Once complete, I restarted the computer, opened the System Protection tab under System Properties and the “System Restore”, “Configure” and “Create” buttons were no longer greyed out. The “Available” drives box resolved and displays my C: drive now. I created a manual restore point to test and the restore point was created in a matter of seconds. I believe this issue is now resolved. Please add these notes to your records. I will post this information on the same thread that I started long ago for others to use. I will also submit this information to Symantec to contradict their “blamelessness”. Thank you for your persistent and diligent help. Even though you did not find the solution, you did not give up and I appreciate that. However, I feel Symantec should reimburse for the use of my Tech support incident as this was not a Microsoft issue, but a Symantec issue. The key to this issue was comparing registry entries between a functioning system and my problematic system. The comparisons were made using a "systemrestore" search on both systems. I noted that there were a number of entries of Symantec VSS related entries in my problematic machine. Once those were deleted, that functionality returned. Was that the only cause? I have spent so much time and made so many changes, I cannot say for sure. I also knew the risks associated with registry manipulation but felt the answer was in the registry. The machine ran too well in all other respects. So this analysis may work for some, and will not work for others. Symantec will now receive my attention.