System restore is the ultimate way to fix issues on a PC. It allows restoring the system to a point when it worked smoothly, i.e., without errors. However, have you ever considered what would happen if an error occurred in the system restore utility? Things get tricky when the fix itself turns into a problem.
System restore failed to extract the file is an error that poses a similar problem. Whenever you try to run a system restore, the error System Restore fails to extract the file (\OneDrive) from the restore point. An unspecified error occurred during the System Restore. (0x8007018b) appears and stops you from doing so.
But why? What is the reason behind this issue? More importantly, how to fix System Restore failed to extract the file error on Windows? All these questions will be answered by the end of this post, so make sure you stick around!
Why System Restore Fail?
First, you must understand that system restore is a utility tool by Microsoft, just like any other tool. This means it can fail and have issues. However, knowing what caused the collapse of the service can help you rectify the situation better.
If we talk about System Restore failure or System Restore unable to extract files error, three major issues cause the problem. These issues are –
1. Corrupt System Files:
If any of your system files go corrupt for any reason, they may affect core system utility tools, including the System Restore. Sometimes these corrupted files infect the system restore points on your PC, causing the restore to fail amid the process.
2. Removed Restore Points Due to Improper Disk Cleanup:
Not to mention, if there are disk drive issues with the device memory, the restore points are one of the first entities to face the impact. That is because to fix the errors, you are required to run disk cleanup. Which often ends up removing all the restore points from the system. Now, even if you try to restore to the latest created point, you may find hardly any differences.
3. Disabled System Restore Due to Lack of Storage:
Another problem that causes hindrances in the functioning of the utility is the lack of storage. Only 12% of the storage is allotted to create restore points. That means if the device’s storage capacity is running out, the system will start removing the older restore points automatically, failing the entire purpose of creating them in the first place.
When any of these issues appear on your PC, System Restore fails to extract the file error is bound to appear. Thankfully, there are ways you can use to fix the issue and use the utility tool the way it was intended. Check out the fixes below.
How to Fix System Restore Failed To Extract the File?
There are multiple fixes that you can try to resolve the issue. However, keep in mind that you may not require all of them. Hence, we recommend that you start implementing the fixes one after the other and stop when the issues are resolved!
Fix 1 – Try System Restore in Safe Mode
If the restore point you want to use keeps giving you the error, you should try fixing the problem using safe mode. To enable safe mode and run the system restore utility for the same, you may follow the given steps –
Step 1 – Press Windows + I to open system settings.
Step 2 – In system settings, you can find Recovery. Click on it.
Step 3 – After opening recovery options, you may find a Restart Now button parallel to advanced startup. Click on the same to boot into the advanced startup options.
Step 4 – In the Advanced Startup options, Click on Troubleshoot, as it has multiple tools to help you.
Step 5 – Select the Startup settings from the Troubleshoot menu.
Step 6 – From a bunch of startup options, choose Safe mode to boot your PC. Usually, it is the 4th option in the list.
Step 7 – Once you have chosen the option, the system will restart and boot into Safe Mode with limited external involvement. To ensure proper functioning, disable the network manually. 
Step 8 – Now open the CMD window as administrator through the Start menu.
Step 9 – In the command prompt, use the command rstrui.exe to launch the System Restore utility.
Step 10 – From the opened window, choose the restore point you wanted to choose but was showing an error. This time you may not see an error message.
Fix 2 – Check Your Disk for Issues
Another important thing you can do is check your storage disk for errors. Since there’s a direct connection between disk performance and system restoration, you should pay attention to the process.
Now you have two options to check the disk –
- Use the basic Disk Check utility via the command prompt
- Initiate Disk Check Using Advanced System Optimizer
Let’s take a look at the steps for both processes –
Steps for Basic Disk Check –
Step 1 – Search for CMD in the start menu and click on Run as administrator to open the Command Prompt window.
Step 2 – In the Command Prompt, use the command – chkdsk/r c:
Step 3 – This will initialize the disk check utility on the system drive of your PC. To run the scan on other driver partitions replace C with the drive letter you the driver you want to scan.
Steps for Disk Check Using Advanced System Optimizer
Step 1 – Download and install the application using the link below.
Step 2 – Open the application and navigate to Disk Cleaners & Optimizers.
Step 3 – From there, you may find Disk Tools. Click on it to find more options for the same.
Step 4 – Use the Disk Doctor utility to run a quick scan and identify the issues with the Disk.
Step 5 – The tool also gives you access to the overall health of the tool, making it easy for you to analyze the disk health.
Not only that, but the tool also offers a wide range of disk maintenance tools in the form of optimizers that may help you keep the driver in use healthy.
On the other hand, the disk check utility on Windows is quite a gamble as it only scans the drive for issues that may appear on the surface level.
Download the Advanced System Optimizer if you plan to get a permanent fix. Also, the tool has a comprehensive scan mode that you can use to rectify all the other issues on your PC.
Fix 3 – Run the SFC Scan to Identify and Rectify Corrupt System Files
You can easily fix any issues with the system files using the SFC scan. These also include files that may be causing the issues with the System Restore Utility. Here’s how you can initiate the scan –
Step 1 – Step 1 – Search for CMD in the start menu and click Run as administrator to open the Command Prompt window.
Step 2 – In the Command Prompt, use the command – sfc/scannow and hit enter.
Step 3 – Let the process finish.
Step 4 – Restart the PC once the scan is complete.
Step 5 – Try using the restore after the restart is completed.
These 3 fixes are enough to help you with the System Restore failed to extract the file issue. If none of these fixes the error, you might have to re-install the version of Windows you are currently using.
Hope this post helps you resolve the problem you have been experiencing with the restore utility. Do share your feedback about the fixes shared in the comments below! Good luck.
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