Windows xp system restore

[Bill in Co.]

That's part of the problem. I'm using WinXP Home, and access is denied.

(and if I read correctly, it can't be initiated - for WinXP Home with NTFS)

But it's more than a "snapshot", Bert. It actually saves the files that
it needs to restore. But yeah, I know what you mean.

 

[Bert Kinney]

What where you doing to produce the "access is denied" error message?
And what was the exact error message?

Regards,
Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User
http://bertk.mvps.org
Member: http://dts-l.net

 

[PD43]

Sure it can. Selecting the undo restore point will restore all monitored
file types and the registry to the way they were before the undo restore
point was created.

Which is what I thought.

Thanks.

 

[PD43]

Bill is correct in that experimenting is a good way to learn. Just don't do
it on a main system you rely on for day to day use.

But he was wrong in stating that such an UNDO would NOT really undo
ALL of what the restore did.

 

[Bill in Co.]

Just clicking on it in windows explorer results in this error message:

"C:\System Volume Information is not accessible."
"Access is denied"

 

[Bill in Co.]

But he was wrong in stating that such an UNDO would NOT really undo
ALL of what the restore did.

I may have misspoken then (assuming System Restore succeeds in following
through with the undo). But as I mentioned, I had that case where it
couldn't - and failed.

Also, it appears that many people don't realize this (including you), that
certain previously saved recent files will NOT be restored IF you use System
Restore to go back to the previous restore point, which I have done on a few
occasions. They will be lost - unless you had taken some very special
precautions to hide them in a certain safe place - which is very annoying.

The best way to learn this is to get down in the trenches and try it for
yourself, rather than just reading about it.

 

[PD43]

Also, it appears that many people don't realize this (including you), that
certain previously saved recent files will NOT be restored IF you use System
Restore to go back to the previous restore point, which I have done on a few
occasions. They will be lost - unless you had taken some very special
precautions to hide them in a certain safe place - which is very annoying.

I think one of the first subjects I found you interested in on this
subject was whether or not SR would restore program files. If you
like, I can find the exact thread and your comments/questions on that
issue to jog your memory on that.

I AM FULLY AWARE of what SR can and cannot do. I've been using it for
over 6 years.

You admit you are a noob with XP. While you haven't said how recently
you upgraded, it would appear from your activity here that you
upgraded THIS YEAR.

You are the one with the problem, not I.

 

[Bill in Co.]

I think one of the first subjects I found you interested in on this
subject was whether or not SR would restore program files. If you
like, I can find the exact thread and your comments/questions on that
issue to jog your memory on that.

I did ask something about that. That is true. Actually, we had a
spirited debate on that subject, and *I* was the one who pointed out that
not ONLY does it backup and restore "program files", but it also can mess
with some other ones, too (as we've already discussed). Perhaps YOU don't
remember that part. I think I was discussing this with Grumpy, or maybe
it was you, or maybe you are Grumpy for all I know.

I AM FULLY AWARE of what SR can and cannot do. I've been using it for
over 6 years.

No, I don't think you are "FULLY aware". That much seems a bit evident by
some of the discussions we've had here.

You admit you are a noob with XP.

Yes, I do. But NOT to operating systems, which I have played around with,
and investigated considerably more than you. I mean, down in the trenches
(and not just reading about it).

While you haven't said how recently
you upgraded, it would appear from your activity here that you
upgraded THIS YEAR.

January. But that is for WinXP, my dear. Not for Win98SE, not for
Win98, not Win95, not Win 3.1, not DOS 6.22, not DOS 5.0, not DOS 3.3., not
DOS 2.0, etc, etc, etc, etc.

You are the one with the problem, not I.

Not really. See lad, the first step is admitting to yourself that you even
have a problem. You have to recognize it first. But I'll leave the
light on for ya, when (I mean IF) you ever decide to come down from the
bleachers, and into the trenches, to *actually try* and DO some of this
stuff - instead of being so recalcitrant and just reading about it.

 

[PD43]

January.

I knew that.

That said, and after all of your talk about experimenting and
getting under the hood, if you've had to restore your LESS than
two-month-old Dell system as many times as it would appear from
your posts on the subject of System Restore, maybe you should
stay in the driver's seat and let the under-the-hood stuff wait
until you know what you're doing.

Most certainly, gain more experience with XP before you start giving
me advice.

 

[PD43]

Not really. See lad, [snip]

BTW... if I'm a "lad", then you'd best tell your local undertaker to
keep a close monitor on your condition: I'm 64.

 

[Bill in Co.]

Not really. See lad, [snip]

BTW... if I'm a "lad", then you'd best tell your local undertaker to
keep a close monitor on your condition: I'm 64.

We're in the same vintage. But at least I remember some things from the
FDR legacy.

 

[Bill in Co.]

I knew that.

That said, and after all of your talk about experimenting and
getting under the hood, if you've had to restore your LESS than
two-month-old Dell system as many times as it would appear from
your posts on the subject of System Restore, maybe you should
stay in the driver's seat and let the under-the-hood stuff wait
until you know what you're doing.

I know a bit about what I am doing, and at least I am DOING some things
(trying out some things, and yes, that includes editing a bit in the
registry, as needbe. But I wouldn't classify myself as an expert on WinXP.
Nor would I you, or for that matter, quite a few here. Just a select few
from what I've seen, who really know it, from the ground up.

Most certainly, gain more experience with XP before you start giving
me advice.

You don't seem to get it. You could have had Win XP for years, and never
have been under the hood, so to speak - OR you could have had it for a
month, and picked up even more.

Actually, I'm not trying to give you advice - it started with you and your
childish quips. Perhaps your memory is fading, but I'm sure I could pull
up *quite* a few posts illustrating the same.

Experience isn't just measured in years, it's also measured in what you've
actually done down there, and not just "read about". And that means
getting down into the trenches, and yes, working your way around a bit in
regedit, too. Sitting on the sidelines for 10 years doesn't count.

 

[Bert Kinney]

Two things to keep in mind.
1. Only *monitored* files will be effected.
2. And if monitored files do not exist in the restore point you are
restoring to, they will not exist when the restore is complete. They are not
being deleted, they just were not there before.

Regards,
Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User
http://bertk.mvps.org
Member: http://dts-l.net

 

[Bert Kinney]

Think of it in terms of *monitored files*, not "program files".

Regards,
Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User
http://bertk.mvps.org
Member: http://dts-l.net

 

[Bert Kinney]

That's because the System Volume Information folder is a super hidden
folder. The following instruction will allow you to view the System Volume
Information folder.

http://bertk.mvps.org/html/tips.html#14

Regards,
Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User
http://bertk.mvps.org
Member: http://dts-l.net

 

[Bill in Co.]

Exactly. Good terminology. I just wish it were a bit more intelligent
on what it monitors.

Still, it sure beats what we had to do back in the days in Win95, and
perhaps even Win98SE (although I got the latter one down with
scanreg/restore pretty well)
Of course, that didn't monitor stuff like System Restore does. I'd say it
was more comparable to ERUNT.

 

[Bill in Co.]

Two things to keep in mind.
1. Only *monitored* files will be effected.
2. And if monitored files do not exist in the restore point you are
restoring to, they will not exist when the restore is complete. They are
not
being deleted, they just were not there before.

But I had saved them on my hard drive as real physical files. So restore
is evidently deleting them, because those files are no longer physically
there on the drive anymore.

 

[PD43]

Think of it in terms of *monitored files*, not "program files".

He'll get it after another couple dozen visits under the hood followed
by system restores to get his computer working again ;->

 

[Daave]

But I had saved them on my hard drive as real physical files. So
restore is evidently deleting them, because those files are no longer
physically there on the drive anymore.

Yes, we've gone over this already. Both you and Nepatsfan made the
correct point that these "real physical files" will be deleted after a
System Restore provided they are the "monitored" files Bert mentioned
(such as .exe files) *and* they weren't saved to the My Documents
folder. Perhaps there are other "safe" locations, too. But I know that
the Desktop is not one of them.

To PD43, for a listing of other monitored files, see:

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

and scroll down to "List of file extensions System Restores Monitors in
Windows XP."

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

 

[Daave]

One thing I haven't tried yet is "undoing" the restore point - and
seeing if I get back ALL of my exe (and other "monitored" files) that
were (somewhat erroneously) removed by System Restore (and I mean all
the ones that shouldn't have been!)

Regarding your "somewhat erroneously" remark, it's a feature, not a bug,


And why haven't you tried undoing the restore point? This way you could
see for yourself if the monitored files come back or not. And if you're
extra anxious, you could always image the drive first.