Solved: You Must Enable System Protection on This Drive

The issue: You must enable System Protection on this drive

Is there any way to enable system protection in Windows 7? Here is the thing, I cannot get into Windows currently and I cannot system restore back to my save points. It keeps saying ‘You must enable System Protection on this drive’. What should I do?

You might have encountered an error message while trying to perform a system restore, which is likely why you're here. This issue is quite common during the restoration process. For example, one user attempted a system restore after upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10 because the system was running slowly, but the process was interrupted by this error when accessing the System Restore option through troubleshooting.

Another user reported getting stuck in a Windows repair loop after installing updates. Although multiple restore points were available, the same error occurred when trying to restore the C: drive. So, what causes this issue, and how can it be resolved?

You need to enable System Protection for system restore

According to Microsoft, System Protection is a feature that regularly creates and saves details about your computer’s system files and settings. It also keeps previous versions of files that have been modified. These are stored in restore points, which are created before major changes, such as software installations or driver updates.

The drive with Windows installed typically has System Protection enabled by default. However, it can be turned off manually or by certain programs. Note that System Protection only works on drives formatted with the NTFS file system.

System Protection is useful in two main ways:

• If your computer slows down or experiences issues, you can use System Restore to enable System Restore and settings to an earlier state.

• If you accidentally alter or delete a file, you can retrieve an earlier version saved within a restore point.

To put it simply, the System Protection has to be turned on in order to utilize System Restore, or you’ll not be able to get into safe mode and restore Window. 

How to resolve “You must enable System Protection on this drive”

There are two methods you can use to enable System Protection: one is within Windows itself, and the other is from the boot menu.

A popular solution for fixing the error message "You must enable System Protection on this drive" is through the command line. This approach is especially favored by users who are attempting to perform a System Restore for disaster recovery. Using the command line can often resolve this issue quickly and efficiently, making it a go-to option for those needing to restore their system after encountering major problems.

Fix 1. Enable System Protection via CMD

1. Get into the Command Prompt from Advanced options when you cannot get into Windows.

2. Type this command: net start vss and press Enter.

3. Type this command: rstrui.exe /offline:C:\windows=active and press Enter.

4. Restart your computer after restoring to see if you could back to previous state.

Fix 2. Enable System Protection from Control Panel

Windows also provides a way to turn on system protection under Windows environment.

1. Click Start > Control Panel > System & Security > System > System Protection.

2. Select the drive you’d like to protect, usually C: drive, and click Configure.

3. Under the Restore Settings, select Restore system settings and previous versions of files in Windows 7 or Turn on system protection in Windows 10. Then, click Apply > OK.

Then, you should be able to restore system to previous state with the restore points you saved.

A better way to protect and restore the system in Windows 11/10/8/7

Turning on system protection in Windows is usually simple. However, sometimes this option may be grayed out or unavailable, and in certain cases, you might not even be able to access the command prompt when an issue arises.

Even if you can initiate System Restore, the process can be prone to errors and take a long time. For a more reliable and efficient way to safeguard your system, it's a good idea to use free backup software like AOMEI Backupper Standard.

This tool is specifically built for Windows and helps you automatically back up your operating system and important files in Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7.

To be specific, it offers “System Backup” to create a system image and allows you to back up on a regular basis like daily, weekly, or monthly. The incremental and differential backup option enables you to back up only changed files and therefore save disk space on the destination path.

With the created system image, you can revert the operating system to an earlier state within several clicks. If you upgrade to the Professional edition, you can even restore the system to different hardware with the "Univeral Restore" feature.

Also, it embeds with a utility named “Create Bootable Media” which helps you make a bootable USB drive or CD/DVD disc of a mini Windows operating environment. This bootable media is quite important when the system fails to boot in the future.

Other helpful features are easy to use as well, such as file backup, file sync, disk clone, selectively file restore, etc. Free download this software and discover more.

★ Easier way to protect the system on your computer

Apart from AOMEI Backupper, you can use onekey recovery software - AOMEI OneKey Recovery to protect your computer OS. It allows you to back up the system to a custom recovery partition which is accessible from Windows PE. Therefore, no bootable media are needed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q 1: What happens if I disable System Protection?

A 1: Disabling System Protection prevents the creation of restore points, limiting your ability to recover from system issues. It's not recommended unless you have other backup methods in place.

Q 2: Can I enable System Protection on all drives?

A 2: Yes, but it’s typically enabled only for the system drive (C:). You can enable it for other drives via the System Protection settings if you store important data on those drives.

Q 3: Is there an alternative to System Protection?

A 3: While System Protection is built into Windows, third-party backup tools like AOMEI Backupper offer more comprehensive solutions, including scheduled backups, disk cloning, and more reliable recovery options.

Tips for Keeping Your System Protected

1. Regularly Check System Protection SettingsEnsure that System Protection remains enabled, especially after major updates or installing new software.

2. Create Manual Restore PointsBefore making major changes to your system, manually create a restore point for a guaranteed fallback.

3. Utilize Third-Party Backup SolutionsUse tools like AOMEI Backupper for more comprehensive backup options, including scheduled backups, full system clones, and disk imaging.

Final words

When confronting the error message “You must enable system protection on this drive” in the event of system restore, you can enable system protection using the command line. Likewise, you can turn on system protection from the Control Panel if you are able to enter the Windows environment.

Nevertheless, another reliable way to protect Windows is using the AOMEI Backupper Standard. It gives a robust backup solution for your computer from operating systems to personal files. It is also powerful yet free disk cloning software as well. What's more, its technician edition allows you to create a portable version of this software and use it on different computers without installing it again. Don’t hesitate to get it.