I get an error message that Windows System Restore failed?

[Richard P.44]

Hi

When I run Windows System Restore it fails with this error message

System Restore failed to replace the file (D:\Users\*******\Dropbox\.dropbox.cache\qebcobkqbgbzfynfuwbof\placeholder.bat) with its original copy from the restore point. An unspecified error occurred during restore. (0x80070780)

I have completed system recovery from an image without problem but on several occasions I have come up against this error when trying to correct a problem using system restore which would be easier to use if I could. I still have the problem if I run the system restore in safe mode with the same failour message

Any suggestions on allowing the restore to work

Richard

[greg0422]

@haendy-freak I hate to say this, but I was unable to find a way to edit the restore point and remove the incompatible file.

That means that you can't use the restore point. If you don't have an earlier restore point before Dropbox was installed, and you can't boot the computer, I'm afraid your computer will require a clean install of the OS.  This is what happened to me and I worked with devs at Microsoft (where I also work).

[greg0422]

I ran some further tests and the problem isn't showing on the latest build of Windows 10 either - which is 22H2.

Can someone who is having the problem please respond and mention the version of Windows you are running?

To see the version, just run "Winver" or type winver at a command prompt.  You can also type just "ver" at a command prompt.

If you can't get a command prompt because your computer is bricked, reply and say whether or not you've been installing all the Windows updates.  If you haven't done this, then that's likely why you still have the problem.  Windows seems to have fixed it in Windows 11 and then back-ported it to the most current version of Windows 10.  But you need to be running the current version to get the fix...

[Richard P.44]

Hi Greg
I'll come back with my Win version, but I did find that restore would work immediately after saving a restore point, but wouldn't after using the computer for a couple of days

I haven't tested it by using system restore for a long time though as relying on system images if I get into trouble. I'll try testing again
Richard

[Richard P.44]

Hi

Running Winver  22H2 OS Build  19045.2965

Windows restore did seem to work ok apart from an eset file restore error

 Went back ok to a restore point made a few days ago and test programme that I had installed wasnt there after restore

So maybe ok but I will continue to make system images out of safety

Richard

[radical_exponent · Accepted solution]

Hi everyone,

We're testing out some changes in v182 (currently in beta) that should hopefully help with this. Let us know if you continue to run into problems.

Thanks

[JacobRusso]

We look forward to hearing more details about how this fix may resolve the problem.

[JacobRusso]

I received an email stating that; "A reply to a topic you are following has been accepted as a solution!"  However, I did not see any comments from anyone validating that System Restores work properly now.  Has anyone actually tested this?

[greg0422]

If you look just above at the last few messages, system restore works on updated builds of Windows.  It tested it and didn't have any issues and another person confirmed it.

[radical_exponent]

To clarify, we weren't able to reproduce this internally, so it's a little uncertain what's going wrong - and that also means we weren't able to fully verify the fix. In my testing, system restores all worked fine (both before and after the fix).

To answer your earlier question, we went thru the posts in this thread, collected a list of the likely offending files, and made sure we proactively clean those up from the .dropbox.cache folder - such that they can't possibly interfere with the system restore (they don't exist!). Supposing our theory on what's causing this is correct, that should fix it, at least when restoring to a point _after_ the updated Dropbox client has run this cleanup proceedure.

If anyone is still able to reproduce this, that would be helpful to know.

[greg0422]

To clarify: The fix was something that either Microsoft or Dropbox could have implemented. It was more on Microsoft though because System Restore shouldn't crash because of one App.  I filed a bug on this using Microsoft's Feedback Hub and they appear to have fixed it.