Vista Shadow Copy Problem (Very Weird!)

[biggy83]

Hi people of this fine community,

I love vista, in fact I bought this OS right when it was out at my city. until this moment I had no troubles at all of understanding this OS and using its resources and features to the limit, everything seems fine for me and vista is really helping me organize my life (at last, an OS that you can control and has it all).

My big and only one problem is: I have no shadow copy dialogs whatsoever!

Wait, hear this again: I said no dialog! what do I mean?.. When I right click on a photo that I just edited, then chose "restore to a previous version" I get an empty window! everything is available in the window except the box that actually contain the previous versions of the file!

I have no idea why I have such a problem, although I have enough space for shadow copying, and when I tested the beta versions of Vista it use to work on the same hardware.

Here is an image to explain what I get:

I don't know if this is something new or that I'm missing some point, but believe me: I tried every solution possible and searched the whole net, and I did what Microsoft help offered to say (such as having enough space and this stuff) and this is not a joke.

Any help? :)

[biggy83]

Any help out there?! :(

[+Tantawi Subscriber²]

Did you disable System Restore? it's needed to stay enabled for Shadow copy to work, also make sure that the "Volume Shadow Copy" service is running (WinKey+R, then services.msc)

Oh and welcome to Neowin (Y).

[Puggsley]

Is the shadow copy service running?

[biggy83]

Guys, I double checked on the "Volume Shadow Copy" service, and it was working (Started & Automatic). And the Restore Point services is ON, meaning that I can always restore my PC to some point of time, and it works fine, but the "Restore to Previous Versions" is still not working! I still get the same window in the image I included in my first post. :(

This is really getting weird!

[Puggsley]

Do you have permission to restore previous versions?

[biggy83]

Yes, I do have full permission and control on my PC, I'm the owner and Administrator. I'm still having the problem.

[Evolution]

Did you make sure that a system restore image was created after you edited the picture? I don't think Previous Versions automatically knows that a file has been changed until the next system restore image creation.

[CPressland]

Did you make sure that a system restore image was created after you edited the picture? I don't think Previous Versions automatically knows that a file has been changed until the next system restore image creation.

Not true, As soon as you edit the file it saves another copy so you can restore to an older version anytime.

A dont know what could be the problem dude. The only idea that comes to mind is to turn off the service and remove all of your restore points via system propertys. restart then put them all back to normal.

[Puggsley]

Is the file password protected or encrypted? Also does windows support shaddow copies of that file time in that location? Are you having problems with all file or just this one?

[biggy83]

@ Vegetunks: I agree with your first point, I tired it in the RC2 and I tried it on other peoples' PCs and Laptops; my company has vista installed on all of our PCs and no problems what so ever. I'll try your suggestion. I'll let you know what happens in a while.

@ Puggsley: I tired restoring to previous versions on all file types possible, everywhere and under all conditions (password, guest, administrator), nothing is working until now! I always get the same thing I showed in the picture on the first post.

The thing is that I don't feel the problem has anything to do with a service or a feature; it is something about the window it self! I can't explain more about it, because I personally at this point don't know what to do.

[Puggsley]

Try running "sfc /scannow" to check for corrupt windows files

[biggy83]

@ Vegetunks: I tried what you suggested, the results are: Not working! :(

@ Puggsley: I tried the "sfc /scannow", and the results are still the same, empty window just like in the picture in my first post.

I know that I might be annoying but I seriously am confused from this problem, I just want to know what's wrong, hehe. please try your best guys to help me. :)

[Puggsley]

Any chance of reinstalling windows? Looks like your only option

[mattrobs]

Any chance of reinstalling windows? Looks like your only option

That's really odd that only that dialog would have become corrupted. Try reinstalling (or try it on a different computer).

[biggy83]

Reinstalling windows is not an option at all. please try finding me better solutions.

[mattrobs]

Okay. How 'bout this. To all, is there a way to access Shadow Copies from command prompt? (This can not only be a temporary solution, but also to see if shadow copies is at all working.)

[Adi Oltean (MS)]

Hi Biggy83,

Can you please type the following command and cut & paste the reply?

Thanks,

Adi Oltean [MS]

[Dominik Dalek (MS)]

Hi Biggy83,

We're still interested in understanding this issue but we need your help. Could you please answer the following?

1. Did it work before and only recently start failing, or has it never worked?

2a. Used to work: did you recently install something else? Run a registry cleanup app? (i.e. what else changed?)

2b. Never worked: did Vista setup report any errors? (logs under %windir%\Panther)

Thanks & regards,

Dominik Dalek [MS]

[biggy83]

Hi guys.

@ Adi Olten (MS): What command are you talking about? :)

@ Dominik Dalek (MS):

1. Shadow Copy never worked "on the final version" which I bought when vista was out, but it use to work when Vista was beta.

2. Vista installation reported one problem about some software. no hardware problems at all.

At some point I'm going to give up on this shadow copy thing. I will still use Vista because everyday I'm getting woowed with many new things, I'm a designer and Vista for me is like a sexy and responsive MAC without all the boundaries and borders. :)

If only the shadow copy worksss... :(

[freak_power]

Volume Shadow Copy wont work unless you manually create restore point, and then starts working.

[tao muon]

Reinstalling windows is not an option at all. please try finding me better solutions.

Why is reinstalling not an option? Can you not do an upgrade install?

[Puggsley]

If it has never worked on this install then you don't have much choice but to reinstall!

[Dominik Dalek (MS)]

Volume Shadow Copy wont work unless you manually create restore point, and then starts working.

Kind of true - but this tips does not fit this case though. In case where no restore points were created, this part of GUI (i.e. snapshot browser, list view if you prefer) should be rendered with information label stating, that there are no snapshots on this volume. But we don't see this control rendered at all and would like to investigate this case.

If it has never worked on this install then you don't have much choice but to reinstall!

Not true. There are some possible reasons why this part of GUI is not rendered. We'd like to know what happened and find a) solution without reinstallation b) way to deal with this case in the future, so this kind of disappearance won't hit other users.

Thanks & regards,

Dominik Dalek [MS]

[ProclaimDragon]

Well, I'm another user with the exact same problem. Anyone as found anything that could help us on this issue?