Thread: No restore points are avaNo restore points

No restore points are available when you use Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008-based operating systems in a dual-boot configuration together with an earlier Windows operating system

SYMPTOMS

When System Restore characteristic used in Windows Vista, you get the following message:

No Restore Points have been created on your PC's system disk.
As well, only the current backup files from Windows Vista Complete PC Backup are presented. Earlier versions of the backup files are unavailable. This problem happens if you are running Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server 2008 R2 on a PC that is organized to run an earlier operating system.

CAUSE

This happens when you start PC by using the earlier operating system, like Windows XP or Windows Server 2003. In this condition, the earlier operating system deletes all restore points that were formed in Windows Vista. It also deletes all PC Backup files except the most current version of these backup files.

WORK AROUND

You can any one method to solve this problem.
Method 1

To be Windows XP from deleting restore points in Windows Vista, add the following registry entry under the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices\Offline registry subkey in Windows XP:

Value name: \DosDevices\D:
Type: REG_DWORD
Value data: 1
Effects of this workaround
After you restart Windows XP, you cannot access the volume that is formed in Windows Vista from Windows XP. though, you can access the volume that is formed in Windows XP from Windows Vista. You should use Windows XP drive or an extra like USB thumb drive for data exchange.

It only keeps the volume in Windows Vista from being accessed or modified by Windows XP. If you have more volumes or if you want to add a volume from Windows XP to the system restore settings in Windows Vista, the system restore on those volumes will be still overwritten. To avoid this problem, you should add those volumes to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices\Offline subkey. If you add the Windows XP volume to that subkey or if you delete this volume drive letter, you cannot then start Windows XP.

This can be used only when the restore points for Windows XP and for Windows Vista are equally exclusive. The restore points are mutual exclusive when no restore points are general across the volume in Windows XP or the volume in Windows Vista. For example, consider the following situation:

• The C driver is a volume in Windows XP.
• The D driver is a volume in Windows Vista.

In this case, Windows Vista restore points are added on the E driver. Then, you should modify the registry entry of the E driver under the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices\Offline" registry subkey to 1.Common volume used for data exchange between Windows XP and Vista. Though, restore points must not be defined on this common volume.
Support Status of this workaround
Adding this key can have unnecessary side-effects to your installation. Just like, applications that place data on this drive before presented may fail. If there is a reporting problem reported to Microsoft, you will be asked to delete this value.
Method 2
To solve this problem, use the Bitlocker characteristic from Windows Vista.

Bitlocker is a built-in security feature in Windows Vista. When Windows Vista runs, the Bitlocker feature should be enabled on the Windows Vista volume on which Windows Vista restore points are enabled. When Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 starts, the Windows Vista volume on which the Bitlocker feature is enabled is inaccessible. So, the Windows Vista restore points are intact.This works for dual-boot configurations like Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 together with Windows Vista. This needs no modifications to Windows XP. So, the volume in Windows Vista is inaccessible when the system is started in Windows XP or in Windows Server 2003.