[Ham-Computers] RE: system restore

[Hsu, Aaron (NBC Universal)]

>>> WA5CAB wrote:
What is XP System Restore?


>>> My reply:

Windows XP (and Vista) has a feature where it periodically backs up critical system files (known as setting a "Restore Point").  It also does this when you install new hardware or install a new app as long as the installer initiates the backup process.  Should anything prevent Windows from working properly after the software/hardware installation, you can use WinXP's System Restore to "restore" the system files back to the way they were when the "Restore point" was created.  You can even go back several "restore points".

*** HOWEVER ***

WinXP's System Restore is not infallible.  There are many things that it doesn't "track" which may be replaced by an installer - you may actually make things worse by doing the restore.  Also, the longer you go between "restore points", the less likely System Restore will be able to "restore" the system to the way it was.

I generally recommend that you don't restore anything beyond a couple days old.  Depending on how much you use your system, many things can change and attempting a system restore may make things worse.  Windows does have a limited ability see if a restore will work and will prevent the system restore process if it will create an unstable system - but this doesn't always work.  Luckily, you can always "undo" a system restore, but this may not always work either.

One more thing...System Restore reserves drive space to store the restore point files.  By default, SR takes 12% of drive space...an insane amount if you have a large drive, especially since this is 12% per drive (SR tracks changes on all disks).  I recommend that you reduce the SR reserved space to about 1GB or 1%, whichever is lower - most restore points are less than 100MB in size and no one should ever go back more than 10 restore points lest you run into cross-compatibility issues with DLL's.

To change the amount of drive space System Restore uses, open the "System" Control Panel (via the Control Panels, or, right-click "My Computer" -> "Properties").  Then click on the "System Restore" tab and move the slider until you get to 1GB (1000MB) or 1% (if it's the smallest).  If yo have multiple drives, you can use one slider to adjust the % on all drives, or you can adjust individual drives.

73,

  - Aaron, NN6O