Solved System Restore queries!

[Alexey2912]

I always turn off, System restore protection.

My questions are:

1. Are the restore points, automatically created or does one have to manually create them, during a install.

2. Where are these stored?

3. If, required to restore back to the last restore point, should it be done in safe mode?

4. When a system is fully done, all restore points can be deleted, but do they create registry entries?

5. Should the 1st option be used to restore, i.e Restore System settings and previous version of file?

Thanks.

 

[fireberd]

System Restore can save your "rear end". I've fixed many system problems with System Restore. It should be enabled on your "C" drive. Some restore points are automatically created with updates, in other cases if you are installing anything (e.g. a driver update) you can manually create a restore point.

I have always used the Windows default settings.

System Restore is run from "regular" Windows, you don't need to use Safe Mode(s).

If you run a System Restore because of a problem and it does not fix the problem, System Restore has a recovery function to "undo" the last restore.

Bottom line, just like hard drive backups, it is not for "IF" it will ever be needed but for "WHEN" its needed.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
I'd say system images not restore points can save your rear end
But not using windows features
Use third party system imaging instead
Imaging with free Macrium

Create Backup Image with Macrium Reflect by Britec - YouTube

 

[Alexey2912]

Thanks I agree.

1. I don't think Macrium reflect be installed on a new install?

2. I agree restore is run on a regular windows, but to restore back to an older point, should it be done in safe mode?

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Yes macrium can be installed asap
You can save the .exe file to a flash drive and transfer it to the c drive and run it.

 

[Alexey2912]

Hi,

What exactly do you mean by .exe....the less than 10 MB installer...and transfer it to C drive and run from there?

Thanks!

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Well it all starts at one point of downloading reflect to your downloads folder and not running it when you download it.
Most browsers will ask do you want to run or install what you downloaded.
Just click no but once anything is downloaded it exists where you pointed it to be downloaded too = downloads folder is the default location.

But anyway you can copy and paste the download to a flash drive and transfer it to another machine
The actual application/ .exe installer is about 3.8mb
It will install the full program once it's run or double click on it after you copy and paste it to the machine you want to install it on into it's downloads folder

 

[Alexey2912]

You mean this 41.8 MB?

 

[Alexey2912]

Hi,
Well it all starts at one point of downloading reflect to your downloads folder and not running it when you download it.
Most browsers will ask do you want to run or install what you downloaded.
Just click no but once anything is downloaded it exists where you pointed it to be downloaded too = downloads folder is the default location.

But anyway you can copy and paste the download to a flash drive and transfer it to another machine
The actual application/ .exe installer is about 3.8mb
It will install the full program once it's run or double click on it after you copy and paste it to the machine you want to install it on into it's downloads folder

This 3.38 MB....and transfer to the install and run after activation.....correct?

Thanks.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Yep beats going to a website to download the application then running it when your barely updated and without security except windows defender..

 

[ignatzatsonic]

2. I agree restore is run on a regular windows, but to restore back to an older point, should it be done in safe mode?

I've never run it in Safe Mode.

I have no idea why you wouldn't want to use it.

Some people say it doesn't work right on their systems. That could be and those people shouldn't bother with it.

If it works on YOUR system, why wouldn't you want it in your available tools?

I've used it ever since it came around---8 or 10 years, whatever.

In that time, I've run it probably 100 times.

It's run to completion and did what I hoped it would do probably 95 times.

The other 5 times, it did no harm and I had to use Plan B.

What's wrong with that?

No, it's not imaging. But it's a lot quicker. It requires very little storage space. It's automated in that Windows should make System Restore points periodically without user interaction. In my experience, it can resolve issues in many situations.

I've used it mostly to revert away from a recent system change--maybe an installation or update didn't go right. Or even from unexplained issues that appear suddenly. I very very rarely make a System Restore point manually, but at any given time I have 8 or 10 restore points dating back several weeks and they occupy no more than 8 GB of space.

 

[Alexey2912]

Thanks.

Care to reply on these 2 points:

1. Where are these stored?

2. When a system is fully done, all restore points deleted, but do they create/leave registry entries?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I think they are kept in C System Volume Information. That folder shows as having zero bytes when looked at in Windows Explorer on my PC, but when I drill into System Restore settings, I see that it is currently using 7.47 GB.

That's for 8 restore points dating back 3 weeks--to Nov 2.

I'd assume there are references to them in the registry.

I don't think they are copied as part of normal imaging, but I could be wrong about that.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Hi,
I'd say system images not restore points can save your rear end
But not using windows features
Use third party system imaging instead
Imaging with free Macrium

Create Backup Image with Macrium Reflect by Britec - YouTube

I totally agree about using imaging instead of System Restore. I also prefer Macrium Reflect over Windows Imaging

...Some people say it doesn't work right on their systems. That could be and those people shouldn't bother with it.

If it works on YOUR system, why wouldn't you want it in your available tools?...

I'm one of those who hasn't been able to get System Restore to work at all on all three of my Win 7 machines (2 Home Premiums and 1 Ultimate). It would work for me in XP but not all the time. I never had a verified image created with Macrium Reflect fail to restore. The rare times I had an image fail to verify, I ran Macrium Reflect a second time and the image verified.

Why have an iffy tool when one has one that will work perfectly all the time. In addition, one can use an image to restore the system, either to the original drive or to a new one, when the system will not boot, something System Restore will not be able to do.

 

[Alexey2912]

Thanks, for all your expert replies!

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
The worst thing I've seen happen with system restore points is depending on how far back you go really depends on how many programs one has uninstalled because often fragments exist.
System images don't keep anything it is a total image of everything that existed when it was created making it preferred.

The only good thing about system restore points is your personal files are usually unaffected
Programs x86 and or programs folder is another story