SOLVED System Restore

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More problems. Howcome I get blessed with all these? Ran a search on that error number and the answer from Microsoft was open the file or rename it to delete it. Open which file? How do I identify which file is causing a problem and where is it located?
 

Regedit32

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I've got no idea what website gave you such a vague response, but Microsoft have been aware of this issue for a while now, and are working on a permanent solution. In the meanwhile they offer a work-around which can be done in two ways.

Option 1
  • Right-click on Start and select Run
  • In the run dialog type msconfig then click OK
  • Select the Boot tab
  • Check the box next to Safe boot then click Apply then OK
  • After computer restarts and you are signed-in to your Safe Mode (Desktop) do the following:
    • Right-click on Start and select Search (or press Windows Key + S to give focus to Search field)
    • In the Search field type command
    • In the results from search, right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator
    • Click Yes if prompted by the User Account Control
    • In the Administrator: Command Prompt console type the following:

Code:
cd %ProgramFiles%

Press Enter key

Now type the following:

Code:
takeown /f WindowsApps /r /d Y

Press Enter key

Now type the following:

Code:
icacls WindowsApps /grant "%USERDOMAIN%\%USERNAME%":(F) /t

Press Enter key

Now type the following:

Code:
attrib WindowsApps -h

Press Enter key

Now type the following:

Code:
rename WindowsApps WindowsApps.old

Press Enter key
  • Close the Administrator: Command Prompt console
  • Right-click on Start and select Run
  • In the run dialog type msconfig then click OK
  • Select the Boot tab
  • Remove the check from the box next to Safe boot then click Apply then OK
  • Restart computer.
System Restore ought to now run without throwing that error.​


Option 2
  • Click on Start > Settings cog > Update & security
  • On left side select Recovery
  • Now on right side click the Restart now button situated below Advanced Startup
  • On the Recovery Screen select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt
  • Type your Administrator password when prompted, then type the following:
Code:
cd %ProgramFiles%

Press Enter key

Now type the following:

Code:
attrib WindowsApps -h

Press Enter key

Now type the following:

Code:
rename WindowsApps WindowsApps.old

Press Enter key
  • Reboot computer
System Restore ought to now run without throwing that error.​
 
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jmccleary I get the same error message under certain Restore scenarios.
I have two local accounts, User and PC Administrator.
I operate Windows daily with the "User" account. I've noticed that if I "Restore" using the "User" account (with administrators permission) that Restore works as designed.
However, when I sign into my PC Administrators account I'm always greeted with the same error message that you posted. If I was to restore from the admin account, you don't get the "Fail to Restore" error message. So the error message is only initiated if I perform a Restore from the "User" account only. I just ignore the message when I log into the Admin account. I expect you have two local accounts and your restoring from your "User Account.
The error message started showing up a few months back.
 
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Regedit32 I tried both options paying particular attention to spacebar gaps and upper or lower case. Both ended with message "system cannot find file specified".

Norton I went to accounts in control panel and only one account is shown-my full name as administrator. I have seen user accounts in advanced settings but trying to add one required setting up a Microsoft account which I don't want.
 
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Tried option 1 again. New result. After takeown /f WindowsApps /r d/ Y then enter a long string scrolls by ending with Success file or folder owned by user desktop H959C30 James McCleary.
Typing icacils and the rest leads to "invalid parameter grant".

I am noted for numerous bad keystrokes, This could be part of the problem.
But at least I now own the folder. That's progress.
 
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Regedit32

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That is good news.

Now all you need to do is Grant yourself full control which you do with this command in an elevated command prompt:

Code:
icacls WindowsApps /grant "%USERDOMAIN%\%USERNAME%":(F) /t

Press Enter key

When you have full control you'll be able to set the Attributes to not hidden (-h) with this command:

Code:
attrib -h

Press Enter key

Then finally, rename the folder:

Code:
rename WindowsApps WindowsApps.old

Then reboot computer and sign-in to your usual account and run your System Restore.
 
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Typing this
icacls WindowsApps /grant "%USERDOMAIN%\%USERNAME%":(F) /t
Results in this
icac1s is not recognized as an internal or external command operable program or batch file.
Are the first characters correct? Letter i letter c letter a letter c numeral 1 letter s
Edit: That smiley in front of the F was typed in as a leading parenthese.. I didn't know this PC could do smilies. If I find out how i'm going to kill them.
 
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Regedit32

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Are the first characters correct? Letter i letter c letter a letter c numeral 1 letter s

No! There is no numeral 1 in that command.

Its letter i, letter c, letter a, letter c, letter l (as in L), letter s,

then a single space, then WindowsApps,

then another single space, then /grant,

then another single space, then "%USERDOMAIN%\%USERNAME%": (F) no space between colon and (F) --- I had to put one here to prevent the sad emoticon

then one more single space followed by /t
 
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Aha! Remember what I said about bad keystrokes.
Now admin command says invalid command "desktop-H959C30\james"
but that desktop james was the last line of a whole bunch that scrolled by before success of ownership was declared.
 
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I suppose you discovered the error means the "Directory not Empty". Possibly that means the system could not move the folder/file out of the directory so it could not replace your data.

I cannot get access to the referenced folder at all but I did have a couple of Windows.old folders for which I had to use extraordinary permission changes to be able to delete some of the folders in those...

I have noticed the User Designations on the Security tab have changed. Mine used to show an Admin with my user but now they only show Authenticated Users and Administrators along with general users and System.

Someone in another forum stated one of his data partitions was showing the same security restrictions as the WindowsApps folder.

Luckily, I don't normally do system Restores and I hope I never have to.
 
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MS does seem to be tinkering with security, updates, metered downloads, group policies, restore and who knows what . It appears they don't want Windows 10 to be bacwards comapatible. Trouble posted a link of what will be deprecated in the Fall update, Backup-Restore, Flash Player, 3D builid...ect.

In another post Data said "Each time someone goes back to Windows 7, Someone at Microsoft turns into a pumpkin.
 
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I've been farming pumpkins for quite a while. The very first thing I do with any version of windows 10 is put Classic Shell on it so it looks and acts like 7.
What ever happened to drag and drop to taskbar? I used that to put locations on desktop but with 10 I have to do the dance of new shortcut. If it wasn't broke why fix it?
 
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Would you happen to be using Edge?
It works well with IE and Fire Fox, most likely Chrome too.
 
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Finally! I have a small 16GB thumb drive that had a windows 10 .iso file on it. After trying 3 rescue discs which were made after system images but now won't boot I put the thumb drive in a USB slot and it reinstalled windows 10.
This time it didn't take everything off but Classic Shell and all my other desktop stuff is still here.
System restore even seems to work since a message that it completed successfully showed up.
 

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