Resolving System Restore error - Error 0x800423F3 - The writer experienced a transient error

System Restore just stopped working when I needed it most. I've tried different restore points but keep hitting the same problem.

Now whenever I run System Restore, it fails with the above error message.

I cleared the event logs and retried to isolate the relevant events. I see five warnings and one info event from VSS and one error from System Restore.

Here's the first warning from VSS:

Log Name:      Application
Source:        VSS
Date:          9/19/2010 1:06:11 PM
Event ID:      8229
Task Category: None
Level:         Warning
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      Rhiny10
Description:
A VSS writer has rejected an event with error 0x800423f3, The writer experienced a transient error.  If the backup process is retried,
the error may not reoccur.
. Changes that the writer made to the writer components while handling the event will not be available to the requester. Check the event log for related events from the application hosting the VSS writer. 

Operation:
   Freeze Event

Context:
   Execution Context: Writer
   Writer Class Id: {a6ad56c2-b509-4e6c-bb19-49d8f43532f0}
   Writer Name: WMI Writer
   Writer Instance ID: {bd283d05-a4f2-42dc-80b9-11ce0dea9ffd}
   Command Line: C:\windows\system32\svchost.exe -k netsvcs
   Process ID: 568
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
    <Provider Name="VSS" />
    <EventID Qualifiers="0">8229</EventID>
    <Level>3</Level>
    <Task>0</Task>
    <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2010-09-19T07:36:11.000000000Z" />
    <EventRecordID>62852</EventRecordID>
    <Channel>Application</Channel>
    <Computer>Rhiny10</Computer>
    <Security />
  </System>
  <EventData>
    <Data>0x800423f3, The writer experienced a transient error.  If the backup process is retried,
the error may not reoccur.
</Data>
    <Data>

Operation:
   Freeze Event

Context:
   Execution Context: Writer
   Writer Class Id: {a6ad56c2-b509-4e6c-bb19-49d8f43532f0}
   Writer Name: WMI Writer
   Writer Instance ID: {bd283d05-a4f2-42dc-80b9-11ce0dea9ffd}
   Command Line: C:\windows\system32\svchost.exe -k netsvcs
   Process ID: 568</Data>
    <Binary>2D20436F64653A20575254575254494330303030353139372D2043616C6C3A20575254575254494330303030333033332D205049443A202030303030303536382D205449443A202030303030353839322D20434D443A2020433A5C77696E646F77735C73797374656D33325C737663686F73742E657865202D6B206E6574737663732020202020202D20557365723A204E616D653A204E5420415554484F524954595C53595354454D2C205349443A532D312D352D313820</Binary>
  </EventData>
</Event>

and the error:

Log Name:      Application
Source:        System Restore
Date:          9/19/2010 1:08:22 PM
Event ID:      8200
Task Category: None
Level:         Error
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      Rhiny10
Description:
Failed to initiate System Restore (Installed Snoop).
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
    <Provider Name="System Restore" />
    <EventID Qualifiers="0">8200</EventID>
    <Level>2</Level>
    <Task>0</Task>
    <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2010-09-19T07:38:22.000000000Z" />
    <EventRecordID>62857</EventRecordID>
    <Channel>Application</Channel>
    <Computer>Rhiny10</Computer>
    <Security />
  </System>
  <EventData>
    <Data>Installed Snoop</Data>
    <Data>0x800423f3</Data>
    <Binary>F32304807F080000340800003E0800004246D1665C1BB6D5A29C91030000000000000000</Binary>
  </EventData>
</Event>

Tried a lot of stuff, but in vain; this error still persists.

Fixed this with the help of the information found at http://www.winvistaclub.com/t89.html:

1. Boot into Safe Mode without networking and open a command prompt as administrator.
2. Now Type net stop winmgmt and hit Enter. This will stop the Windows Management Instrumentation Service
3. Next go to C:\Windows\System32\wbem and rename the repository folder to repositoryold
4. Restart.

Again open a command prompt as administrator, type net stop winmgmt and hit Enter.

Next Type winmgmt /resetRepository and hit Enter.

Restart.