Column: Protecting Files During System Restore

[Guest]

New Column: Protecting Files During System Restore

In this investigation of System Restore, columnist Charlie Russel discovers
that some files aren’t preserved during a System Restore.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/expert/russel_sysrestore.mspx

Ask questions or post comments about the article here.

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

__

Kristen Heller
Site Manager, vendor [MS]

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi Kristen,

Charlie's article proves that System Restore is functioning as designed.

Description of System Restore:
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/description.html

The files that are monitored or excluded from monitoring are specified
in the Filelist.xml file.
Paste the following command into Start - Run to view.

%windir%\system32\restore\Filelist.xml

One discrepancy I see is the .sdb file extension. It's not on in
Filelist.xml

One caution, when a system is restored via Safe Mode, or Command Prompt,
an undo restore point will NOT be created.

 

[Guest]

Hi Kristen,

Charlie's article proves that System Restore is functioning as designed.

Description of System Restore:
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/description.html

The files that are monitored or excluded from monitoring are specified
in the Filelist.xml file.
Paste the following command into Start - Run to view.

%windir%\system32\restore\Filelist.xml

One discrepancy I see is the .sdb file extension. It's not on in
Filelist.xml

One caution, when a system is restored via Safe Mode, or Command Prompt,
an undo restore point will NOT be created.

A good caution, Bart. And I'm not at all sure why there's a discrepency, but
there it is. I explictly tested to find the extensions, rather than simply
combing through the xml. I'm an old timer - I believe what I can prove.

And, of course, the real point of the article was to highlight for folks who
never really thought about it very much, which is a lot of users I suspect.

Charlie Russel
MVP - Server, Tablet PC, Security

 

[Bert Kinney]

A good caution, Bart. And I'm not at all sure why there's a
discrepency, but there it is. I explictly tested to find the
extensions, rather than simply combing through the xml. I'm an old
timer - I believe what I can prove.

Well, I just double check and .sdb IS on the list. My mistake. New day
new cup of coffee... ;-)

And, of course, the real point of the article was to highlight for
folks who never really thought about it very much, which is a lot of
users I suspect.

Yes, System Restore is misunderstood by most users. And one of the
reasons for this is that by default System Restore is set holds restore
points for 90 days. This give users the misconception that if they have
a problem they can wait and restore later. For most users more than a
week could cause more problems than it solves. The best time to use SR
is right after a problem is recognized, not 30, 60 or 90 day down the
road.

Here are a few examples why:
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/tips.html#BeforeRunningSR

Nice testing Charlie.

 

[Guest]

System restore on my pc doesn't seem to work properly. I set restore point
before down-
loading a program. When the program didn't work properly I used system
restore, but it told me it couldn't restore because either the C drive was
eliminated or shut down, neither or which was true. It shows various restore
points, but won't let me restore to them. I don't know what could be
blocking this to keep it from restoring. We even tried Safe Mode, but that
didn't help, either. Any suggestions?

 

[Guest]

Hi, I have had no luck in the past using System restore. Any thoughts why?

 

[Rock]

System restore on my pc doesn't seem to work properly. I set restore point
before down-
loading a program. When the program didn't work properly I used system
restore, but it told me it couldn't restore because either the C drive was
eliminated or shut down, neither or which was true. It shows various restore
points, but won't let me restore to them. I don't know what could be
blocking this to keep it from restoring. We even tried Safe Mode, but that
didn't help, either. Any suggestions?

:

New Column: Protecting Files During System Restore

In this investigation of System Restore, columnist Charlie Russel discovers
that some files aren’t preserved during a System Restore.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/expert/russel_sysrestore.mspx

Ask questions or post comments about the article here.

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

__

Kristen Heller
Site Manager, vendor [MS]

See Bert Kinney's page on System Restore for suggestions.
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/srfail.html

 

[Rock]

Hi, I have had no luck in the past using System restore. Any thoughts why?

Hard to say since you haven't given any information on the system and
what the problems have been. Saying you've had "no luck" doesn't tell
much. See this link about SR.

http://bertk.mvps.org/index.html

 

[Talahasee]

Hi, I have had no luck in the past using System restore. Any thoughts why?

I am no "tecchie", but for several YEARS, System Restore
didn't work for me. Depends on the System, I think.
My low-end systems (750 Mhz, 1.2 Ghz) didn't like System
Restore.
It didn't even WORK. (wouldn't run, PERIOD)

Also, if you're not running XP Pro, I find system Restore is
"iffy." Didn't work AT ALL in 98, was irregular in
Millennium.

Now I have my first Hi-End system, an AMD Duron 1.8 Ghz, 512
mb, 200 Gb hdd, 128 gb video. XP Pro (I avoid SP2)

I run GoBack (off Norton SystemWorks 2003 disk), which works
MOST of the time. ( In fact, I run ALL of System Works 2003
EXCEPT the virus protection. For AV, I use AVAST4)

When GoBack doesn't work (those rare times), I run System
Restore.

NOTE: I USUALLY get a "Couldn't Restore" message (with XP's
System Restore), but when I go back into the system (normal
activity) I notice that my problem has been fixed.

Meaning, the "Couldn't Restore" is an error message itself.

If I can't restore, (GoBack failed/System Restore didn't)

I typically yell "F* it!" and

fdisk and format.

I don't mean to say that fdisk / format is the "cure-all",
but it sure beats pulling my hair by the handful for 6 - 8 -
10 hours and having to fdisk ANYWAY.

Tallahassee

New Column: Protecting Files During System Restore

In this investigation of System Restore, columnist Charlie Russel discovers
that some files aren’t preserved during a System Restore.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/expert/russel_sysrestore.mspx

Ask questions or post comments about the article here.

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

__

Kristen Heller
Site Manager, vendor [MS]

 

[Guest]

HELP! I created a second user account in order to segregate business matters
from personal stuff. I cut and pasted my business folders to the new user
account. In moving stuff around, I messed up my Wordperfect so I did a
system restore. I got Wordperfect to work but then had second thoughts about
the second user account. I decided to delete it. I chose the option "KEEP
FILES." Well, it kept the folders but they were empty. I lost all my
business files.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

 

[beb]

Next time start a new thread for your problem.
Don't do anything else on your machine. Find a local data recovery expert
and have them help you with the problem.