The restore point could not be created for the following reason

Sometimes Windows fails to create a restore point. In this case, you may see the message The restore point could not be created due to the following reason, The shadow copy provider had an error (0x80042306). In this article, we will see the solutions to fix this error.

System Restore is a tool developed by Microsoft for Windows computers. It helps users restore their computers to the previous writing state when a problem occurs. The System Restore is enabled by default and a restore point is created automatically whenever a change is made like new software is installed, drivers are updated, etc. Windows also allows users to create a System Restore Point manually.

The restore point could not be created for the following reason (0x80042306)

The error message The restore point could not be created due to the following reason, The shadow copy provider had an error (0x80042306) can occur while creating a system restore point. The reason provided in the error message can be different for different users. For example:

The restore point could not be created for the following reason, The shadow copy provider had an error (0x80042306)

You may also see:

The restore point could not be created for the following reason:
Access is denied. (0x800700005)
Please try again.

In addition to this, you may also see other similar error messages, saying that the system restore point creation failed or did not complete successfully, like this:

System Restore did not complete successfully. Your computer’s system files and settings were not changed.
Details:
The specified object was not found, (0x80042308)

Follow the suggestions provided below to fix the “The restore point could not be created for the following reason” error while creating a system restore point on Windows 11/10.

Check the status of the Volume Shadow Copy Service
Temporarily disable your antivirus
Check your hard disk for errors
Repair your system files
Check the permissions of the System Volume Information folder
Create a system restore point in a Clean Boot state
Increase the maximum disk space for System Restore
Check the SATA cable
Reset the Repository
Perform a Repair Upgrade

Let’s see all these fixes in detail.

1] Check the status of the Volume Shadow Copy Service

Volume Shadow Copy Service manages the Volume Shadow Copies that are used for backup and other related purposes. If this service is stopped or not working properly, the shadow copies will become unavailable for backup purposes due to which the backup may fail. If it is disabled, any other service that depends on it will also fail to start.

The Volume Shadow Copies are also used to create system restore points. Hence, we suggest you check the status of this service. To check the impact of Volume Shadow Copy Service on System restore, I disabled it and then tried to create a System Restore Point. I received the following error message:

The Volume Shadow Copy services used by System Restore is not working. For more information, view the event log.
(0x81000202)

Check the status of the Volume Shadow Copy service. The following steps will help you do so.

Open the Services Manager.
Look for the Volume Shadow Copy service.
Once you find it, right-click on it and select Start. If it is already running, select Restart.

If you see its Startup type Disabled, you cannot start or restart it until you enable it again. In this case, double-click on it to open its Properties. Under the General tab, select Manual in the Startup type drop-down. Click Apply and then click OK. Now, you can start it.

2] Temporarily disable your antivirus

Sometimes, antivirus blocks genuine apps or services. It is possible that your antivirus is preventing you from creating a system restore point. To check this, temporarily disable your antivirus and create the restore point. If this works, you need to contact your antivirus vendor for support.

3] Check your hard disk for errors

Hard disk errors can also cause issues like this. You should also check your hard disk for errors. Chkdsk is a built-in utility in Windows computers that allows users to check their hard disks for errors. Run a chkdsk scan to scan your hard disks for errors and fix them.

Read: how to delete selected, individual or specific System Restore Points in Windows using the command-line.

4] Repair your system files

Another possible cause of failing of System Restore Point creation is the corrupted system image files. Your next step is to run the System File Checker and DISM utilities to repair your system files (if corrupted).

5] Check the permissions of the System Volume Information folder

The System Volume Information folder stores data related to system recovery, indexing, etc. System Restore uses this folder to save the restore points. It is a protected folder. That’s why it remains hidden by default, even if you enable the hidden files and folders option.

If Windows displays the Access Denied error while creating the system restore point, check the permissions of the System Volume Information folder. To view the System Volume Information folder, you must change the File Explorer Options.

Click on Windows Search and type File Explorer Options.
Click on the View tab and uncheck the Hide protected operating system files (recommended) option.
Click Apply and then click OK.

Now, you can check its permissions. It should show Full control permission for SYSTEM. If not, change its permissions to Full control for SYSTEM. Now, you should be able to create the restore point. When you are done, do not forget to hide the protected folders again.

6] Create a system restore point in a Clean Boot state

If the problem persists, it is possible that a background application or service is causing a conflict with System Restore due to which Windows is failing to create a restore point. To check this, enter the Clean Boot state and then create a System Restore Point.

If Windows creates the restore point successfully in the Clean Boot state, there is a background application or third-party service causing this issue. You have to identify it and disable or uninstall it.

Similar: Could not configure the disk space used for System Protection for the following reason, The shadow copy provider had an error, (0x80042306)

7] Increase the maximum disk space for System Restore

Windows allows you to set maximum disk usage by System Restore. When the set limit is exceeded, Windows automatically deletes the old restore points to create space for the new restore points.

You can give this fix a try. Increase the disk space for System Restore and create the restore point. See if it helps.

8] Check the SATA cable

If you see the following error message while creating a system restore point, there may be a problem with your hard disk or the SATA cable (if applicable).

The restore point could not be created for the following reason:
The request could not be performed because of an I/O device error (0x8007045D)
Please try again.

Check for hard disk errors, and run SFC and DISM scans. If these do not work, the problem may be with your SATA port or SATA cable. You have to take professional help to troubleshoot and fix this hardware issue.

9] Reset the Repository

Reset the Repository by going through the following instructions:

Boot your computer in Safe Mode without networking and launch the Command Prompt as an administrator. Type the following command and hit Enter.

net stop winmgmt

The above command will stop the Windows Management Instrumentation Service. Now, go to the following location and rename the Repository folder to Repositoryold.

C:\Windows\System32\wbem

Restart your computer and launch the Command Prompt as an administrator. Type the following command one by one and hit Enter after typing each of the following commands:

net stop winmgmt

winmgmt /resetRepository

Restart your computer and see if you can create the restore point this time or not.

10] Perform a Repair Upgrade

If the problem still persists, repair your computer by performing the Repair Upgrade or an In-pace Upgrade. This method reinstalls the operating system without deleting data.

Read: The creation of a shadow copy has timed out, Error 0x81000101.

How do I force create a restore point?

You can force create a restore point manually. Open the System Restore tool in Windows 11/10 and then click on the Create button. Name the restore point, and click Create.

Why Windows 11 is not creating restore points?

There can be many reasons why Windows 11 is not creating the restore points, like an issue with the Volume Shadow Copy service, corrupted system image files, hard disk errors, I/O errors, etc.

That’s it. I hope this helps.