System Restore is a Windows utility that works to restore the system files and settings. Most of the users adhere to it’s use to troubleshoot the system issues as well as for creating registry backups. Thereby, as long as you possess appropriate restore points, it is possible to go ahead with the installation of third-party applications or make other sorts of alterations to your System without any glitches.
In case of system restore is not going forward even after it is past 4 hours, then the process is said to be stuck. This usually happens upon initialization or during restoring some registries. Luckily, you can fix this error with the startup repair or by simply running the System Restore in safe mode.
Reasons for System Restore Stuck
Here are some of the reasons for System Restore ending up stuck on your PC:
Temporary issues prevailing with your disk
Inadequate disk sectors
Corrupt system and boot files
Conflicts with either the software or services
Troublesome restore point
How Can You Fix The System Restore Stuck
If your PC gets stuck on the System Restore for a long time, you must first go ahead and refresh the process. The refresh can fix minor issues with this process, and you can do this by simply power cycling using your PC.
In any case, if you are starting the System restore from your account or advanced startup, you will have to force the shutdown of the PC to exit the System Restore.
This should be followed by power cycling the PC adhering to the use of these below-mentioned steps:
Disconnect the power cord followed by the laptop battery and all other peripherals.
Now for about 20 seconds, press and hold the power button. This will help to drain the capacitor charge.
Go ahead and reconnect the laptop battery, the power cord, and any other important peripherals such as the mouse and the keyboard.
Next, you have to power up the PC and make attempts to carry out the System restore once again. If it gets stuck once again, apply all possible solutions mentioned below.
Try Another Restore Point
It is also likely that the restore point you are adhering to for reverting your System has turned corrupt. In such a situation, you must try other available restore points.
To do so, once you have started the System restore utility,
Select Next, followed by enabling Show more restore points
Select the restore point from some other date, then hit the Next option and continue following the instructions you can see on the screen
Repairing The Corrupt Windows Files And Boot Sector
This issue can also pop up if the disk sector where the System restore plotting your snapshot image turned bad. You can go ahead running the Check Disk utility to check this scenario. It is best to run this tool from the Advanced startup options available.
You can enjoy accessing the Windows Recovery Environment or the Advanced Startup in numerous ways, like:
Click on the Restart option from the Power menu options as your press Shift on the keyboard
Make attempts to force shutdown followed by rebooting your PC three times in a row. This third boot will take you to a recovery screen, and you need to click on See Advanced repair options or Advanced options.
Now boot the PC with the Recovery drive or Windows installation and keep following the instructions on the screen until you can reach the Install screen. Now you need to select the Repair your computer option.
Next, run the Check Disk.
Go ahead to Troubleshoot>Advanced Options>select the Command prompt
Enter command CHKDSK C: /R /X /F
Corrupt system files are another reason for this issue to pop up. It is important to remember that the System restore the executable file named rstrui.exe is a system file in the %WinDir%\System32 directory. In addition, it even depends on many other protected files. To scan and repair the damaged system files, you need to run the System File Checker (SFC) along with the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM).
Here are some of the commands that you can continue running on the Command Prompt for using these tools:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:E:\Sources\install.wim /LimitAccess (Replace E: using your Recovery drive. Remember that the source file can also end up to be install.esd instead of install.wim)
SFC /ScanNow
If you wish to learn more about all these diagnostic tools or encounter some issues, go ahead and check the blog on How to fix corrupted Windows files.
Run System Restore From Advanced Startup/ On Safe Mode
In case you are running the System Restore from inside your account, then it is likely for the process to end up getting stuck as a result of interference from other incompatible services and software. You can use this technique if you fail to log in to your account after a hard reboot.
This should be followed by attempting to restore your System directly from Advanced options. In doing this,
Try accessing the Windows Recovery Environment from the Windows Recovery or any external Installation drive.
Visit Troubleshoot and select the Advanced options
Now, select the System Restore
Applying this technique with the Installation Drive or Windows Recovery will give you greater success. As you wish to restore the System, the boot files or the System are likely having some issues. Hence, go ahead using a recovery drive that comes with it’s own system files and boot files to have an effective solution.
You can even try to run this process in safe mode. Here is how you can carry on with this:
Go to Troubleshoot and then Advanced options on the advanced startup options.
Select the startup settings followed by a restart
Once you are done restarting, hit the F6 or 6 to enable the safe mode with the command prompt
Once you are done booting, enter rstrui on the command prompt to initiate a system restore
Keep following the instructions you get to see on the screen.
Carry out the startup repair
In case the advanced startup system restore stuck on initialization, it clearly indicated some errors on the boot manager. You need to run the startup repair to resolve this error. Take a look at how you can carry on with it:
Access the WinRE or Advanced startup from the Windows recovery or the Installation drive
Visit Troubleshoot>Advanced Options>Startup Repair
If you still find that startup repair has failed to resolve this error, then you can go ahead rebuilding the BCD and rerun to the startup repair
Reset Reinstall Windows or PC
What if you find the prior solutions ineffective? Then the last restoration in this situation is reinstalling or resetting Windows. Try to reset your PC first while you keep the files safe. Adhere to these steps for the purpose:
Go to Troubleshoot>Reset this PC on the advanced startup
Select the option Keep my files and keep following the instructions you see on the screen
If you cannot get rid of this issue even after resetting, go ahead and reinstall Windows using any installation media.
FAQs
How Long does it take to Complete a System Restore?
Usually, it takes around 30 to 45 minutes to get done with a system restore, and if your PC is sluggish, it may take about 1.5 hours to 2 hours. But this process can get temporarily stuck in case of issues persisting with your disk. To be on the safe side, it is always recommended to wait for about 4 hours before you try to troubleshoot this condition.
Will personal files get deleted from the System restore?
System restore can revert your PC to a point where you need to restore it. For doing so, roll back all the changes you made and delete all the apps and drivers you installed recently. However, all the personal files you have other than the user application remain safe. You also get the option to check the affected apps on the System restore GUI before finalizing this process.
Experiencing difficulties with your Device, check out our “How To” page on how to resolve some of these issues.
