System Restore Error Messages

[fredg33]

Running XP SP-2.  I recently installed a new hard drive and made the old hard drive a slave.  I tuned up the new drive with Norton System Works.  Cleaned out the spyware and trojans. All seems to be operating well except When I attempt to use System Restore I recieve the following message:  "System Restore  Application has encountered a problem and needs to close."  When I attempt to check out  the application I recieve the following:

An exception occured while trying to run
"C:\WINDOWS\system32\shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL
"C:\WINDOWS\system32\sysdm.cpl",System"

Would appreciate any help or advice.

[pcdoc4christ]

fredg:

Please check the Application and System nodes in the Event Viewer for any error events.  Write down any error event ID numbers and desctiptions and post them here.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308427&sd=tech

Regards,
Doc

[fredg33]

Thanks Doc.  For applications and system there are many many errors.  I assume you want me to post all of them, which will take quite a while.  I am putting all in a notepad  doc to post.

[pcdoc4christ]

Many errors is *not* a good thing.    But it may not be an extremely bad thing, either.  So, don't worry too much, yet.  

Let us try narrowing it down.  Just post any that mention System Restore.  

Once we take care of that problem, you may want to start a different discussion thread concerning one of the other errors (especially one for any of the other programs or Windows components that is giving you trouble).

Regards,
Doc

[fredg33]

Doc, thanks for your interest.  I must be having a senior moment as I am not sure where you want me to post the informatioin.  The link you provided has no provisions that I can find for posting errors.  Do you mean to post them here in the Forum.  I won't post all, just as you said pertaining to System Restore.

[pcdoc4christ]

fredg:

Sorry, what i meant was to write the error numbers and descriptions down, then leave a post *here* at this Web site.

However, if you want to simply check out the knowledge base articles yourself, you may click on the link that appears when you scroll down to the bottom of the error description.  It's the link following the words: "For more information, see Help and Support Center at ..."

In fact, if you want to save yourself some typing, you may highlight just the links (the blue, underlined text) then press the CTRL and C keys on your keyboard at the same time to copy them to the Windows clip board.  Then, when you reply to this post of mine, just right-click in the Message text box and select Paste.

Then we will be able to click on the link and view the knowledge base article regarding your error ourselves.

Regards,
Doc

[fredg33]

Doc:

I think we are on the same page now.  Following are the two error messages that I found about System Restore in the Event Viewer:

Event ID: 104
The System Restore initialization process failed.
Event ID:  7023
The System Restore Service service terminated with the following error: The system cannot find the path specified.

Each of them gave  http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

I've clicked on that and it doesn't help much.

The "many errors" I mentioned before don't appear to have anything to do with System Restore.  I now believe most of them have to do with my BIOS not being up to handling Windows XP SP-2 and  SP3 files that were downloaded  and installed automatically, and the new Maxtor HD.  I have ordered a Flash BIOS upgrade and am going to wait until that is installed to see what problems I have then.

I thank you for all your advice and trouble, and will post back here when I have some more information or can solve the problem.

Fredg

[pcdoc4christ]

Fredg:

It looks like you installed Service Pack 1 (SP1) and then tried to restore your computer to a restore point prior to the installation of the SP1:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;329441

Is this correct?
[size=48]?[/size]

If so, then what you are trying to do is kind of like having your dog fixed and then putting him out to stud. It won't work!  

Regards,
Doc

[fredg33]

Hello Doc,

No, I didn't try to restsore to a point prior to SP-2.  Sp-2 was installed last year, and I had no apparent problems after installing it.  I don't think I did a system restore after it was installed.  In March, due to my hard drive getting the death rattles, I installed the new Maxtor, and there were some anamolies after that, such as lost shortcuts, and some of the applications not loading properly.  I used the tools in Nortons Utilities to check the registery, and everything seemed back to normal except the shortcuts to my Microsoft Office programs were not in the programs list, but I could open the programs by going to the exe file using explore.  I thought I would use system restore  to re-set it back to before I had installed the new HD.  But when I clicked on the System Restore I got the error message that it encountered a problem and would close, so I was unable to do a restore.  

After reviewing and researching the event errors, I find that many of them do have to do with system restore, more than I knew. So that is where I am now.  So the quest continues--

Thanks
Fredg33

[pcdoc4christ]

... I installed the new Maxtor, and there were some anamolies after that... everything seemed back to normal except the shortcuts to my Microsoft Office programs were not in the programs list, but I could open the programs... I was unable to do a restore... .

Fredg:

You are correct that the SP is not the cause.  The situation is similar, though, because your system cannot revert back to a time prior to the new hard drive. This dog still cannot breed!  

You may test System Restore by restoring your computer to a time *after* the new hard drive (like yesterday).  It should work.  

To get the icons back, you may have to reinstall Microsoft Office, or you may manually create them yourself.  

Regards,
Doc

[fredg33]

Hello Again

Cannot do as suggested.  That is the problem.  System Restore will not launch.  When I go to Accessories, system, system restore click on it I get the message that it has encountered a problem, and must shut down.  If I go to My Computer and try to launch it or do anything with it, I get the message previously posted.

Just before making this post, I tried to launch it in the normal way, and when it closed down I immediately went to the Event Viewer  and here is the error:

"Faulting application rstrui.exe, version 5.1.2600.2180, faulting module srrstr.dll, version 5.1.2600.2180, fault address 0x00009826."  

The Help and Support page perhaps info can be obtained if I sent the report to microsoft, but doesn't indicate how to do that.

My whole system is unstable.  Booted up this morning and
after logging onto the ISP, my browser(s) wouldn't load.  Finally went back to the Last Known Good Configuration and that is where I am at this point.

The Saga  continues

Fredg

[gussery]

Wouldn't hurt to try and run the System File Checker.

Click Start, Run and enter

sfc /scannow

then click OK.

More detailed information on the System File Checker can be found here.....
http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html

[pcdoc4christ]

Fredg:

The srrstr.dll is part of the System Restore core (which is also made up of Sr.sys, Srsvc.dll and Srclient.dll).  The rstrui.exe *is* the System Restore program.  In short: either System Restore or one of the drivers it uses (most likely srrstr.dll) is corrupted.

I agree with Gussery.  The system file checker may be able to replace one or both of these files.  I'd suggest booting to Safe Mode to run SFC.EXE.

If that doesn't work, you may be able to use the Expand command from the command prompt to replace the srrstr.dll or the rstrui.exe files.  

Let us know how it goes.

[fredg33]

Hello Gussery & Doc

Booted into Safe Mode.

Attempted to Run SFC.exe, and was told that there was no such file.

Did a search while in Safe Mode for sfc.exe and sfc.scannow and was told there was no such file.
Rebooted to Windows.

Sfc.scannow or sfc.exe would not launch from Run.

Went to the Command Prompt and launched sfc.exe and halfway though scan received the insert Disk window.  Copied the I386 folder from XP disk to the HD and changed the registry entries to show the path to the I386 folder, rebooted, and then did a complete scannow from the C prompt. Attempted to launch System restore and it gave the same old message, about needing to close, and would not start, and the event viewer showed the same message as always.

Searched the HD and all the files that show up in the error messages are there and were modified last year when SP-2 was installed.

I am now at impasse.  I haven’t figured out how to use the Expand command as Doc suggested.

Thanks for all your advice and help.

Fredg

[pcdoc4christ]

Fredg:

This is an easier way (if it works).  You should have a good copy of the srrstr.dll file and rstrui.exe executable in the i386 folder that SP2 created on your hard drive.  Replacing the current files with these good copies  *might* do the trick.  Try this:

1. Disable System Restore, then reboot to Safe Mode:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;%5BLN%5D;310405

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/boot_failsafe.mspx

2. Use Windows Explorer to navigate to the C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386 folder.

3. Use Windows Explorer to open a second window and navigate to the C:\WINDOWS\system32 folder.

4. Right-click the taskbar at the bottom of the desktop and select "Tile Windows Horizontally."

5. In the i386 window, right-click the srrstr.dll file and drag it to the system32 folder and select copy.  When asked if you want to replace the srrstr.dll file, choose yes.

6. In the C:\WINDOWS\system32 window, double-click the Restore folder.

7. In the C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386 folder, right-click on rstrui.exe and drag it to the C:\WINDOWS\system32\Restore window.  When asked if you want to replace the srrstr.dll file, choose yes.

8. Restart your computer to normal mode and enable System Restore once more.

9. Restart your computer to normal mode, again, and try to open System Restore.  If you do not receive an error message, try to create a restore point in System Restore.

Let us know how it goes.