DIGIT-ARC read-only archive · snapshot: July 23, 2026

Vista SystemRestore Points ...for 136 years !!!

10 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/vista-systemrestore-points-for-136-years.63665/

V
vickyadvani Original post #1
Jul 23, 2007 at 7:54 PM
In Vista, SystemRestore is set to delete restore points after roughly 136 years ... yeah, let that sink...

Normally Windows uses up to 15 percent of a drive?s available space to save restore points. In XP, the option to change this figure was configurable from the System Restore tab of the System Properties dialog box. But sadly this option is no longer offered in Vista.

But you can do so as follows :
Open regedit and go to
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\
SystemRestore\Cfg Double-click the DiskPercent.
The default is f (in hexadecimal) which is 15 in decimal. For making it say 10% type 'a'

Now again, how frequently you'd like to have your SystemRestore points auto-created can also b configured as follows :
Open regedit and go to
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore
You can change the value RPGlobalInterval from its default setting of 86,400 seconds (24 hours) to, say, 43200 (a8c0) if u want it created every 12 hrs.

As and how your new restore points get created, the older ones get deleted due to the available space constraint.

Otherwise by default, in Vista, SystemRestore is set to delete restore points after roughly 4,294,967,295 seconds or 136 years, which was a mere 90 days in XP ! The idea apparently, is to delete them only when absolutely necessary due to space constraint!!! But err...136 years !!!

But if you'd like to, you can also change this interval too. Change the value of RPLifeInterval in the same key; a setting of 7,776,000 seconds (or 76a700 in hexadecimal) is equivalent to 90 days.
Vishal Gupta
Jul 23, 2007 at 8:04 PM
*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54789
anandk
anandk #3
Jul 24, 2007 at 11:23 PM
^ thanx vg :D

wow, now this is really amusing ;-)
also c *www.winvistaclub.com/t2.html
Quiz_Master
Jul 24, 2007 at 11:40 PM
Awe 136 Years...
M$ really think anyone will use their OS for that long??? :lol:
Nice thinking by them though. :lol:
Vishal Gupta
Jul 25, 2007 at 12:02 AM
^^ lol. :D

@anandk
u r welcome. :)
kalpik
kalpik #6
Jul 25, 2007 at 12:23 AM
Quiz_Master said:
Awe 136 Years...
M$ really think anyone will use their OS for that long??? :lol:
Nice thinking by them though. :lol:
Now THAT'S what i call wishful thinking! :D
tarey_g
tarey_g #7
Jul 25, 2007 at 2:00 PM
System restore sucks (useful for others), the first thing i do after installing windows is to turn off system restore.
Vishal Gupta
Jul 25, 2007 at 2:05 PM
^^ And the first thing while creating the Windows Setup CD is to remove System restore completely. :D
Acronis True Image works gr8 for me. ;)
freshseasons
Jul 25, 2007 at 2:37 PM
Vishal Gupta said:
^^ And the first thing while creating the Windows Setup CD is to remove System restore completely. :D
Acronis True Image works gr8 for me. ;)

Touche'... My exact sentiments and feeling..!
:)
tarey_g
tarey_g #10
Jul 25, 2007 at 3:28 PM
ya thats what i do , btw i use ghost. Same thing