System Restore Me & XP

[Whyzman]

Until today I just let System Restore in my WinMe just "do it's thang," whatever that was! Really, I didn't have a clue as to what it was capable of doing.

System Restore, however, just sounded good so I let it be. I was hoping/assuming that one day when my computer coughed up some unknown error code phlem, I'd have just the cure with my dose of System Restore! :cool:

Here on the PC GUIDE I picked up on the comments about how it was a resource hog and not worth the "price of admission."

Well, a subscription for a news letter I pickup along with a download showed up today with some information on System Restore. It was interesting reading and provided me some insight into its abilities and limitations. I pass THIS (http://www.informationweek.com/story/IWK20020711S0009) info on in the "for what it's worth" topic this early Monday morn! ;)

[jabarnutcase]

Pretty good read Wyzmn!
(Couldn't let it slip away without a response) :D
Some of the stuff I knew... some not.
This one I think we have both mentioned and applied:

First, note that the default settings for System Restore are almost always needlessly wasteful. At the very least, you should manually control the size of the Restore area so that it's not consuming huge amounts of disk space.

In the past, I had always used the "Extreme Option: Disable It Entirely" . Since I have heard "How much better" it is with XP, I switched over to the "Simple Option: Let It Run, But Rein It In".
Heck, who knows- maybe I'll give the "Hybrid Option: Run It Only On An Ad Hoc Basis" a try!
Golly Gee- Aint windows fun! By the way, if it's hot where you are- leave em open so the "window" blow in and keep you cool!:rolleyes: :D
Forget I said that- We'll diskus it at a later date.
Man, this pun stuff is enough to make even my motherbored-I'll definately have to monitor myself more carefully. (Either that or try to controller when she gets so sick of it she wants to ram me in the head). :(
Sorry folks, I lost it for awhile- I'm OK now :confused:

[Mitch Hatfield]

Hey Whyzman,

Thanks for your link to the Fred Langa article:)

In another thread, I've been involved in discusssions about the relative merits of back-up versus rollback, and the Langa piece really helps to put System Restore in context.

When I had Windows ME installed, in another age, I never had a use for System Restore (couldn't really figure it out).

More recently, I've been trialling Go Back, but as has been pointed out in the other thread, this type of software is both inflexible and expensive - and doesn't provide an alternative to backing-up to CD-R/RW.

For what it's worth, I can't really figure Go Back out either!!:o

[Whyzman]

Mitch,

I thought I'd point out an area that I haven't yet explored in the Langa Links (good name for a golf course LOL), that there was some information on how to do a backup etc. If you get there before I do, would you post back and let me know if there was anything that stood out? ;)

JBNC, "Don't encourage him!" hehe (quote from my Wife!) mjc put things into perspective one evening on mIrc when he refered to it as "punishing humor!" :p I enjoying exploring a word and it's "links."

It's gotten to be a challenge when we're all together in the car (captive audience there), to go for the groans! :p I know they're really laughing deep down inside! :D

I enjoy the exchange with you...Thanks! Perhaps it's a little sado-masochistic... but I enjoy dishing out and receiving punishment! :rolleyes: :D

[Mitch Hatfield]

Hey Whyzman,

Thanks for your comments.

Is this what you mean?

http://www.langa.com/backups/backups.htm


If not, give me a shout - it's time I learned to do a bit of research!!!!

[iisbob]

From my experiences with system restore in ME, it's not very reliable-you are better off using the old tried and true SCANREG /RESTORE from a boot disk to restore your registry settings ( this is what system restore actually is-just a GUI version of the old scanreg program function ), now in XP it actually does work very well, and i make it a point to control the space it uses and how many restore points are created.

It's a very useful tool in XP, and i hope MS continues to develop the technology behind it, but until PC's are reliable, i'll keep my custom boot floppy with Debug and other helpful DOS commands handy. :D

[Whyzman]

Mitch,

Yep, that's it! Was going to download for off-line viewing...perhaps to print so I could take it with me. Then, I began looking through it and found there are a lot of links to requisite earlier newsletters that apparently need to be read to bring one up to speed for the current info...ARGH! I'll just have to take the time and plow through it...he says with furrowed brow! :D

[Whyzman]

iisbob,

I suppose the System Restore in Me was initiated with M$'s desire to wean us from DOS. Since there's no option to boot into DOS other than with the boot disk you mentioned.

What's bothersome to me is the idea that most viri come Windows based. I just like the idea of being able to come in "under the radar" and clean house.

If they get the System Restore, as you mention in XP, to be reliable...that would be great!

Would like to see something on the order of BB's TestRun. I haven't been able to use the program since it's not for WinMe, but if it does keep track of all files from a program to enable a complete extraction that would really seem to be great! Perhaps hitting a System Restore point just before a software install...and really be able to get back to that point! :)

[Paul Komski]

I haven't tried How to boot to DOS under WindowsME (http://www.geocities.com/dos8me/) but probably should.

[Whyzman]

Paul,

Interesting link...Only difficulty I have with the patch is that one need be attendant when booting up. I just like to hit the button and run...to where ever, come back and have my system waiting to do my every bid! :p

What would be nice to have is the old Win98 shut down menu with the option to reboot into DOS...now that would be a Patch! hehe

[Paul Komski]

That would be a PATCH indeed; but it's just nice to know that M$$$ couldn't hide their DOS that well :D