cannot create a restore point

When I try to create a restore point, I get a message "Access denied" (0x80070005).

The reason I was trying to create a restore point is because there hasn't been a restore point created by windows 7 since the 4th of this month. So I have restore points from about the 1st to the 4th and then nothing.

I recently increased the disk memory allowed, in the "configure" option, to about 15%. I don't think there has been a restore point made since I did that. It seems these two things are linked, but I am a complete novice and really can't understand how that could be.

Any information to help fix this would be appreciated.

15% of what? Depending on how small your HD is that may not be much. Make sure it is about 30GB or so. Also make sure System Protection isn't turned off.

Are you logged in as an Administrator?

The 15% is 44.71 GB and the System Protection is turned "ON" for C: Drive.

Also, I am the only user and yesterday I did the time/date exercise for verifying administrator rights and it didn't actually prompt me with a UAC dialogue box, but I would have no problem accessing time/date settings, which supposedly verifies I am logged on with administrator rights.

The thing I really can't understand is why it has suddenly stopped creating restore points, presumably since I increased the slide meter to 15%. Isn't it, even if it only creates restore points for a day or two, suppose to keep creating so that there is always that past day or two to restore from? It is 5 or 6 days now that there are no restore points, and I like the idea that I have a restore point dating back to the 1st, but I might not need to restore from that far back.

What can be done?

44GB is definitely enough for a restore point. I have over 25 restore points with less space than that.

However, a restore point is not taken every day, usually it is once a week. My last restore point was 8/3 and before that 7/27 and 7/19. It also takes a restore point before something important, like you install windows updates, etc.

But what does concern me, is it not letting you manually create a restore point. Here are some ideas.

1. Some viruses try to destroy all your restore points so you have a hard time recovering. this doesn't sound like your situation but it wouldn't hurt to run a full virus scan.

2. One post I read suggested a corrupt restore point could cause issues and what they suggest is turning off restore points and then turning them back on. So you might try that: Turn off system protection <apply> then turn it back on <apply>. Then reboot and see if you can then manually create a restore point.

3. Also try going to Control Panel > All Control Panel Items > User Accounts. Choose "Change User Account Control Settings" and take note of where the slider is currently and then move the slider all the way to the bottom to "never notify". See if you can create a restore point. Then restore the slider to its original position.

4. This may be an ownership issue. There are some folders the computer tries to "own" so that it is harder for people to change them, even administrators. If the other things don't work I will search some more on where the restore points are stored. With that info, I can point you to the Take Ownership script to grant yourself access to that area, and you can try a restore point again.

As trinableman said,
It can be or is a virus issue

Besides ensuring the system is malware free, this would me my suggestion too.

Is all your critical data backed up? Do you have more than one drive/partition? If so, is there ample free space on all?