Url: http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/sharedtech.nsf/pfdocs/2005113009323013

Situation:

You have installed a 2006 or later versions of a Norton program, such as Norton AntiVirus 2006, Norton Internet Security 2006, Norton Personal Firewall 2006, or Norton SystemWorks 2006. You run the Windows System Restore to restore your computer to a previous point. When you do, you see:

Message: "Restoration Incomplete. Your computer cannot be restored . . . " when you run Windows System Restore

Solution:

For Norton 2008 product

STEP 1 Temporarily turn off product protection

1. Start your Norton product
2. In the lower left corner of the window, click Options > Norton Internet Security or Norton AntiVirus.
3. In the right pane, under How to protect your product from hackers, uncheck Turn on protection for Norton products [recommended].
4. Click Apply and then click OK.

STEP 2 Run Windows System Restore

Follow the operating system instructions to run Windows System Restore.
 

STEP 3 Turn on product protection

1. Start your Norton product
2. In the lower left corner of the window, click Options > Norton Internet Security or Norton AntiVirus.
3. In the right pane, under How to protect your product from hackers, check Turn on protection for Norton products [recommended].
4. Click Apply and then click OK.

For Norton 2007 product

STEP 1 Temporarily turn off product protection

1. Start your Norton product
2. On the Norton AntiVirus tab or the Norton Internet Security tab, click Settings.
3. Under Basic Security, click Auto-Protect.
4. Click Configure.
5. In the left pane, click Miscellaneous.
6. In the right pane, under How to protect my product, uncheck Turn on protection for my Symantec product.
7. Click OK.

STEP 2 Run Windows System Restore

Follow the operating system instructions to run Windows System Restore.
 

STEP 3 Turn on product protection

1. Start your Norton product
2. On the Norton AntiVirus tab or the Norton Internet Security tab, click Settings.
3. Under Basic Security, click Auto-Protect.
4. Click Configure.
5. In the left pane, click Miscellaneous.
6. In the right pane, under How to protect my product, check Turn on protection for my Symantec product.
7. Click OK.

For Norton 2006 or earlier product

STEP 1 Temporarily turn off product protection

1. Start your Norton product
2. Click the Options button > Norton AntiVirus.
3. In the left pane, click Miscellaneous.
4. At the bottom of the right pane, look for "How to protect my product."
5. Uncheck Turn protection on for my Symantec product.
6. Click OK.

STEP 2 Run Windows System Restore

Follow the operating system instructions to run Windows System Restore.

STEP 3 Temporarily turn on product protection

1. Start your Norton product
2. Click the Options button > Norton AntiVirus.
3. In the left pane, click Miscellaneous.
4. At the bottom of the right pane, look for "How to protect my product."
5. Check Turn protection on for my Symantec product.
6. Click OK.

What this article does not tell you and why this issue can be intermittent.

System Restore will fail to complete a restore in normal mode if the following conditions are true:

• Symantec Resource Protection is turned on within the Norton application.
• System Restore finds missing or changed monitored files, or registry changes related to the protected Norton application.

Symantec Resource Protection prevents modification or deletion of Symantec files, processes, and registry keys by unauthorized applications. System Restore is considered to be an unauthorized applications and Symantec will cause the system restore to fail.

If no changes were made to the Norton application after a given restore point is created, the restore should complete successfully in normal mode with Resource Protection turned on.

System Restore should complete successfully when Resource Protection is turned off in normal mode, or in Safe Mode. At present Resource Protection is automatically disabled in Safe Mode.

Note: Undo restore points are not created when restoring from Safe Mode.

Technical Information:

What is Symantec Resource Protection?

Symantec Resource Protection prevents modification or deletion of Symantec files, processes, and registry keys by unauthorized applications. Authorized applications have full access to Symantec files.

Symantec Document ID:2005113009323013

Last Modified: 12/12/2006

Date Created: 11/30/2005

Operating System(s): Windows 2000, Windows XP

Product(s): Norton AntiVirus 2006, Norton AntiVirus 2007, Norton Internet Security 2006, Norton Internet Security 2007, Norton SystemWorks 2006, SYMPROTECT

Copyright © 2005 - 2008 Bert Kinney