some question about system restore

[muiacir]

hi guys.
i am creating an article for my master about "system restore" in windows 7
i have some questions.please answer them completely
1-can we create a restore point from all partitions(not just C drive)?is it usefull to create restore point from all partition?
2- if we create restore point where does it save?can we transfer it by usb flash memory?and can we restore our system restore point on an other computer?
3- if our system has virus if we resore it , will it clean?
4- if we restore the system do the programs come back? programs that we installed them and now we do not have them?
5-if our windows does not coming up , can we restore our computer in boot menu by a restore point?
6- if we restore our system do all of our files like images , musics , systemfiles and etc come back?

 

[Alejandro85]

1-can we create a restore point from all partitions(not just C drive)?is it usefull to create restore point from all partition?

Never tried it (never had a computer with partitioned HD), but my guess is that it creates a restore point for every partition.

2- if we create restore point where does it save?can we transfer it by usb flash memory?and can we restore our system restore point on an other computer?

They're stored in the "system volume information" folder located in the root directory for each drive. Note that it's hidden and by default only "system" is allowed access to it (not even administrators). You can't use it somewhere else, since it's a differential backup and most likely not work in any other drive.

3- if our system has virus if we resore it , will it clean?

It will revert most of the system at the point of the restore point. That will include deleting every program (viruses included) that wasn't when the RP was taken. But the opposite is true too, if you take a RP in an infected system, then clean it, then restore, it will restore the virus too (that's why you should disable system restore after cleaning an infected machine).

4- if we restore the system do the programs come back? programs that we installed them and now we do not have them?

Don't tried it myself, but most likely they will come back. Since the RPs are snapshots of how the whole system was, if you restore, it will "undelete" everything you had back then, and will delete everything you hadn't.

5-if our windows does not coming up , can we restore our computer in boot menu by a restore point?

You can boot in safe mode and it often asks if you want to perform a system restore before booting. If Windows can't reach even that point, system restore cannot run and most likely it has reach the time to reformat.

6- if we restore our system do all of our files like images , musics , systemfiles and etc come back?

For what I have tried myself, most, if not all, things under the "users" folders are immune to system restore and will not be affected in any way (casually, the default location where MS expect you to put your data files). Everything outside users will be affected and reverted, programs, data filles or whatever.


If you have some free time, it would be a good idea to install a fresh Windows copy in a virtual machine to test everything about system restore. Trial and error with such features is often the best way to discover their inner working.

 

[muiacir]

1- you mean that you always create RP from only your C Drive?is it enough?
4- for programs one question creates in my mind that for example if our trial
licence for a program(like antiviruses) has expired.can we use again that antivirus by restore point?
(thank you my friend for all answers.as you suggested because mt article should be complete then i tried the RP in a virtual machine and ask my questions again here.thanks again)

 

[kado897]

1. An RP of the system drive C is usually enough unless you have moved "system" files onto another partition. Creating an RP for other partitions is needed only if you wan't to use Previous Versions for data on the partition.

4. It is unlikely to work like that. A 30 day free trial would be date based for instance.

 

[muiacir]

1. An RP of the system drive C is usually enough unless you have moved "system" files onto another partition. Creating an RP for other partitions is needed only if you wan't to use Previous Versions for data on the partition.

4. It is unlikely to work like that. A 30 day free trial would be date based for instance.

thanks.
1- if we deleted permanently a file like a music for example in D Drive and we restore the system does it back?(we create RP when the file existed)
2-i did not understand exactly why we can not use 30 days free trial again by rstoring the system?

 

[Alejandro85]

Don't know about deleting the file in another partition (never had a system with 2 partitions to try it out).

About the 30 days, it's due to the fact that system restore doesn't revert the system date to the point it was. The date will still be "today" instead of "a week ago". Most time limitations save the date the program was installed and count "30 days since then", therefore if the system time keeps advancing (which happens regardless system restore) the program will still expire. The only way to crack a program this was is to take a RP before installing it, and reverting to it when the program expires (yes, it will revert everything else too )

 

[kado897]

System restore only restores system files such as windows and programs. To recover data files you need to use the Previous Versions tab in the file or folder properties.

 

[muiacir]

thanks all of my friends.
i tested all questions and your answers on an virtual machine and if i have questions i will ask again and then mark this thread as solved

 

[kado897]

Testing on a VM is a good idea when you are trying something new.