Hi msjean...I just right click on my computer icon on my desktop......then properties.... at the top open Restore tab and uncheck it.....Hope this helps...

Reboot the computer and go through the steps again,

1 Click Start.

2 Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.

3 On the System Restore tab, uncheck Turn off System Restore or Turn off System Restore on all drives.
If you do not see the System Restore tab, you are not logged on to Windows as an Administrator.

4 Click Apply.

5 When you see the confirmation message, click Yes.

6 Click OK.

This is like starting over lets see if it works, maybe you already tried it...Let us know

I tried what has been suggested and everything else I know to do...and I keep getting the same message....

"System Restore encountered an error trying to enable/disable one or more drives.
Please reboot your machine and try again ".

Has anyone encountered this problem before ?
Any help will be much appreciated.
~Jean~

how much available space do you have left available on the hard drive? sometimes if you do not have enough space for it to be able to do the system restore and file it you can not activate it.

I have ..
Total Physical Memory...1,024.00 MB
Available memory 479.39 MB

Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96

The computer is a Compaq Presario
windows XP

So many things I don't understand about computers, but I do know that it is important to be able to restore ones computer to an earlier daye....have done so in the past.

I must have changed it somehow...... :(

Jean what Raven wants is the hard drive contents and free space. Click Start, click My computer and you will see your hard drive listed, to the right will be the amount of content and the amount of free space in megabytes. It is desirable to have a minimum of 20% free space for the swap file to work efficiently. The swap file is volatile is created on startup and disappears when you shut down each time.

You just gave the total amounts of memory that you have not the free remaining space on your HDD.
Right click on my computer, then click on "c" drive if that is your main hard drive then click on properties.
It should show you a pie graph of how much is used and how much is free

Sorry about the wrong info.....I really appreciate the help you nice people are trying to give me....

My used space on the pie chart is 37.3 GB
My free space on the pire chart is 107 GB.

~Jean~

Lets make sure that the System Restore service is running
To do this, use the following method:

* Look in Control Panel. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click Run, and then type compmgmt.msc in the Open box, and then press Enter.
2. Expand Services, and then click System Restore Services..

If the Status of System Restore Service is not Started, click Start on the toolbar to start it.
* Open a Command Prompt window. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click Run, type CMD in the Open box, and then press Enter.
2. Type Net Start at the command prompt to make sure that the System Restore Service is up and is running.

If the System Restore Service is not listed, type net start "System Restore Service", and then press Enter.

I followed the directions exactly as stated above and I though I had it..
It said System restore is starting...
then the next next line
System Restore could not be started.

I may have to get a tech in.....I guess I'm really good at disabling stuff.........
Wish I were as good at enabling it back..... haha

Boot in safe mode and run the System Restore tool
To boot in safe mode follow these steps:

1. Restart the computer. Immediately after the screen goes blank for the first time, or after the BIOS post ends, start taping the F8 key repeatedly. The Windows Advanced Options menu appears.

If the menu does not appear, restart the computer and try again.

2. Select Safe Mode, and then press ENTER. As files load they will scroll down the screen.

Note Safe mode uses a minimal set of device drivers and services to start Windows. The default Microsoft VGA driver is used for display at 640 X480 resolution and in 16 colors.

3. Log on to the Administrator account. If a password was never set, leave the password blank and press ENTER or click the green arrow.
4. Click No in the safe mode information screen to start System Restore.
5. Select Restore my computer to an earlier time, and then click Next to proceed to select a date with restore points available.
6. Click Next to begin restoring the system to a previous state.

The above instructions are from Microsoft for running system restore tool in save made see if it helps.

The next thing to try would be to look in the event viewer for sr errors and that may give a clue.

Zep...I did as you said to try with rebooting in safe mode....and it said ...safe mode is turned off...and computer cannot be restored using safe mode....
Have no idea how to view event viewer.....It was scary enough for me in safe mode.....the only thing I'm really good at operating is the radio and the can opener.....
Thanks anyway... :)

Opening the Event viewer is much like opening a can of peas LOL

Click Start
click Control panel
click Administrative tools
click Event viewer

Now you are looking for red error messages or yellow warnings. Double click on any of these to bring up another window with a slightly better description of the error or warning. There will likely be a link there too if you care to look further.

safe mode is turned off?????? huh????

to see the event viewer Start> control panel> administrative tools> event viewer, there you will see three categories to view, just click each to open it in a window to view then look for any yellow or RED flags, the red ones especially, hilight that line and double click on it to get the information box, there will be an event id number and a description of what is happening and hopefully info on what application is causing the problem, you can look up event ID's on google to get more info also.

ok lets find out something else what security programs are you running on your pc? what antivirus program and is it fully up to date? are you running regular scans? What antispyware programs?

I would like you to try to go do an online scan
FREE Online Virus Scan

then do this go get this and install, update and run it.
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
Please download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware to your desktop.

* Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
* At the end, be sure a checkmark is placed next to Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, then click Finish.
* If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
* Once the program has loaded, select Perform full scan, then click Scan.
* When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
* Be sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
* When completed, a log will open in Notepad. Please save it to a convenient location. The log can also be found here: C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\Logs\log-date.txt
* Please post contents of that file in your next reply.

there is the possibility that a new infection has disabled it lets make sure that is not the case here.

I'm going to guess that one of the Norton Security suites is installed and is causing problems.

Answer raven question (what anti virus is installed), if it is norton disable it and try a system restore, if it is not Norton I have no clue what is going on here.

We are in discussions on one of the other security forums, there is another person that showed up with system restore turned off and not able to turn on, the team is working on it and I have told them about your problem, we may want you to come over there and let us help you. Please do what I had asked in my last post and that will tell me more. This may be a new infection type we are seeing... hope not but possible.

also please tell me what version of windows is this .

Hi again..
I have Avg Virus detector..updated daily..have had if for years...Zone Alarm for firewall....Spybot...Super Antispyware...XoftspySE..
This is what the malware program you recommended gave me....

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.30
Database version: 1414
Windows 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3

21/11/2008 6:59:27 PM
mbam-log-2008-11-21 (18-59-27).txt

Scan type: Full Scan (C:\:D:\:)
Objects scanned: 143065
Time elapsed: 1 hour(s), 16 minute(s), 48 second(s)

Memory Processes Infected: 0
Memory Modules Infected: 0
Registry Keys Infected: 5
Registry Values Infected: 0
Registry Data Items Infected: 0
Folders Infected: 0
Files Infected: 1

Memory Processes Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Memory Modules Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Infected:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats\(07b18ea9-a523-4961-b6bb-170de4475cca) (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats\(07b18eab-a523-4961-b6bb-170de4475cca) (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats\(25560540-9571-4d7b-9389-0f166788785a) (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats\(3dc201fb-e9c9-499c-a11f-23c360d7c3f8) (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats\(9ff05104-b030-46fc-94b8-81276e4e27df) (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Registry Values Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Data Items Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Folders Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Files Infected:
C:\Program Files\Error Expert\ErrorExpert_setup.exe (Rogue.ErrorExpertSetup) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

So it is not norton, and malwarebytes only found adware (Registry Keys Infected: 5) and removed, I do see service pack 3 installed so that would be something to consider.

Let keep 2 heads going and see what raven thinks...

We are looking over your log and may want to have you come over there and get some other logs, it would help us out a lot to see if yours are looking the same as this other persons logs so we know if this is something new.
Either way we will probably give you directions on how to reinstall system restore.
Hang loose I will be back to you asap.

Hi, everyone (ravencajun and Zep too. :) )

I meant to reply last evening but ran out of time. The other situation ravencajun is referring to was an extremely nasty rootkit. That does not appear to be the situation here.

msjean,

I suggest you reinstall System Restore. I checked the instructions presented at a number of sites but found the best information is at the site referenced below. Bert Kinney is a Microsoft MVP and a respected expert. His instructions are clear and the most complete. (Note, in particular that there are multiple locations provided for the needed i386 folder.)

It appears that the easiest method is to type or paste the command shown in the instructions at Bert's site
(rundll32.exe advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection C:\Windows\Inf\sr.inf)
into the Start/Run box and pressing enter.

Since you have Service Pack 3 installed, you should have either the i386 folder or the C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles\i386 folder mentioned in the list Bert provided.

See "How to Reinstall System Restore in Windows XP" by Bert Kinney at http://bertk.mvps.org/html/reinstall.html and let us know the results.

Notes:

A. You should log on to the Administrator account to perform this.

B. You may need to show hidden folders:

1. Click Start > My Computer.
2. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
3. Click the View tab.
4. Locate and uncheck Hide file extensions for known file types.
5. Locate and uncheck Hide protected operating system files.
6. Under the Hidden files folder, locate and check Show hidden files and folders.
7. If you see a warning message, click Yes.
8. Click Apply > OK.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Here is a link that might be useful: How to Reinstall System Restore in Windows XP

Thanks Corrine for coming over and assisting here. I am glad she did not have that rootkit, nasty stuff indeed.
Appreciate greatly your help, I know how swamped the team has been lately with so many infections!
See ya back at "home" LOL!

Well Hallelujah and Amen :)
Thank you everyone......Raven and Corrine , Zep and Owbist...I now have my System Restore....restored... :)
I feel like I performed a hysterectomy on my computer today....been places I never been before..and hope I never go to again.......wow...talk about no man's land....or in this case...no woman's land....haha.
I tried the copy and paste way first...and it did not do the trick....so I fearlessly went back in ...and like magic...good as new...... I, on the other hand...may never recover....haha
Seriously, thank you so much for your patience and your knowledge...and for you help. I truly appreciate you guys and this great forum.
You people are the GREATEST :)

That is what we like to hear msjean!! success!! and you did it all by yourself. Very proud of you.
Well now that we have coaxed Corrine over maybe we will see her visit us on occasion, if she has time.
Thanks everyone!

Good job, msjean! I agree, it is scary mucking around in the dark corners of the operating system but you persevered and look what you accomplished!

Now I would suggest that you reverse the process of showing hidden folders. I annotated the original instructions below:

1. Click Start > My Computer.
2. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
3. Click the View tab.
4. Locate and uncheck Hide file extensions for known file types. (Note: You may want to keep this unchecked. I personally find it easier to see that an .exe is an .exe rather than having the file extension hidden.)
5. Locate and uncheck Hide protected operating system files.
6. Under the Hidden files folder, locate and check Show hidden files and folders. (I do recommend that you uncheck Show hidden files and folders now. That way you will not inadvertently delete a system file.)
7. If you see a warning message, click Yes.
8. Click Apply > OK.

(ravencajun, as time allows, I have been lurking here for months. Unfortunately, time is sometimes limited.)

Keep up the good work, everyone. Remember, the only stupid question is the one we don't ask.

Regards,

Corrine

Corrine...Mission accomplished.....thank you so much... :)

Corrine you know I welcome your input at all times so I welcome you here, and feel free to jump right on in anytime. I already mention your blog often here as you know!

MsJean, You are ****so-o-o-o-o-o**** brave!

I would have headed for the nearest repair shop. Here's to you, gal.

And to all the wonderful folk who helped. A number of you have helped me in the past and we just can't thank you enough.

Jann