Windows 10: Windows 11 keeps deleting system restore points on its own, rendering System Restore...

Windows 11 keeps deleting my System Restore points on its own, usually within a few days. The whole point is to keep them as config backups for at least a month or two so this eliminates much of the usefulness of the entire feature.No, the restore points are not deleted because of disk space: I allow 240GB for restore points and consume only 130MB, so my quota is 2,000x bigger than what's actually consumed. No, I'm not running any antivirus or antimalware either, except for the default Windows Security stuff. I have never had a virus on this computer, at least nothing that I've noticed or Wind

:)

 

How to delete inactive System Image Restore Points in System Restore

Windows 10 64-bit.
When I click "show more restore points" in System Restore I see a bunch of old "system image restore points" that were deleted in past and do not correspond to any currently active restore points. Clicking any of these old restore points, I simply get an error message saying they could not be found, and to select another restore point instead.I would like to delete these restore points listings but have been unable to do so.
So far, I have tried steps mentioned below without any luck :

Disk Cleanup through (C Properties
Disable System Protection (OFF and ON) in System Protection for OS (C
Disk Space Usage to minimum (slider button all the way to the left then 'Delete all restore points for this drive'),
Delete all shown Restore points in CCleaner (the problem ones do not show here),
Reset Windows Backup to Default in Windows 10 with 'Reset_Windows_Backup.bat' utility.

Any suggestions highly welcome.

 

How to delete inactive System Image Restore Points in System Restore

I know of no easier way to delete them, so here are the instructions.

Delete System Image Restore Point from System Restore in Windows 10

A System Image restore point is describe as type 'Backup'.





First, go to Settings > Backup & Restore > Recovery and select the 'Restart now' button in Advanced Start-up.





When you get Advanced Start-up, select Troubleshoot, then Advanced Options, then Command Prompt.





You will be asked to choose an administrator account and supply it's password, then the Command Prompt will open.

Type the commands DISKPART then LIST VOL and EXIT to see a list of all drives, in this example the Windows system is on the C: drive, yours may have a different letter. Whatever the letter is, type it followed by a colon to switch to that drive, in this example I typed C:





Then use the CD (change directory) command CD System Volume Information\WindowsImageBackup

Use the DIR command to check you are in the right folder, then use DEL to delete the contents of each of the Catalog and SPPMetadataCache folders.





Youn can now close the command prompt window (or type EXIT) to restart the PC and go back to Windows.

All System Image Restore points of type 'Backup' will now have gone.

 

Delete System Restore Points in Windows 10


Hi Brink,

I thought perhaps it might have something to do with Windows Backup but have always had the Manage Windows Backup disk space option set to: Keep only the recent system image.

I deleted all the restore points for D: (backup drive) thru System Protection. Don't believe System Restore has ever been on for D: drive. Even tho doing this indicates the Restore points have been successfully deleted the 3.52 GB value always remains.






Then I reran the vssadmin list shadows & vssadmin delete shadows /all





All is good?? - there is only one backup in System Restore now. *Huh





I had to go thru a few gyrations this morning to clear the normal Restore Points I found another poster suggesting almost identical problem = System restore - weird behavior. Thought may be symptom of a larger issue.

Thank you for your assistance once again.