Backing up registry vs using a restore point

  • Thread starter Thread starter justkay
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J

justkay

I f I make a change to the registry & find that I need to undo do it,
wouldn't it be simpler to use a restore point than the restore associated
with a system state backup? I read that the restore points take a snapshot
of the registry, along with other system data.
 
Depends upon what you're doing in the registry and what keys you are altering

IMHO for minor alterations it is quicker to save the registry key first by:
On the File menu, click Export.
In the File name box, type SaveKey, and then click Save.
If something goes wrong, you simply restore the key.

Yes you could rely on SR but can you trust it? Sometimes SR works flawlessly, other
occasions, it doesn't work.
System Restore FAQ:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/en-us/management/sysrestore_faq.mspx

Perhaps if paranoid depending upon what you'e doing, image the drive.

How to back up, edit, and restore the registry in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756
--

TaurArian [MVP] 2005-2008 - Update Services
http://taurarian.mvps.org
======================================
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
Computer Maintenance: Acronis / Diskeeper / Paragon / Raxco


|I f I make a change to the registry & find that I need to undo do it,
| wouldn't it be simpler to use a restore point than the restore associated
| with a system state backup? I read that the restore points take a snapshot
| of the registry, along with other system data.
 
Keep in mind if you use a restore point you'll possibly be changing a lot
more than you want.
Example: You have a restore point last Saturday. Monday you install
something. Tuesday you change something in the registry and want to restore.
If you use the restore point you won't have what you installed Monday.
(Remember this is just an example)
 
justkay used his keyboard to write :
I f I make a change to the registry & find that I need to undo do it,
wouldn't it be simpler to use a restore point than the restore associated
with a system state backup? I read that the restore points take a snapshot
of the registry, along with other system data.
Click to expand...

You may want to try this one, it sure have saved me a few times

Erunt freeware. http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/

--
Zo
"You are welcome to visit the cemetery where famous Russian and Soviet
composers, artists, and writers are buried daily except Thursday." -- A
sign in a Moscow hotel across the street from a Russian Orthodox
monastery.
 
justkay used his keyboard to write :
System Restore Points are quicker & easier to restore and will often do
the job just fine. Unfortunately they're also more susceptible to
corruption and won't work or the point you need won't work, or there
won't be one current enough to use, etc., unless you created one on your
own (recommended when installing progs).

The System State is more inclusive, less prone to corruption, should
always be availble and since it's a file on disk is easier to assess
visually.

Where Restore Points can only have so much space to use, once that's
full, evry time a point is added, older points are tossed out to make
room. System States are more permanent in that manner.
The part of Restore Points that I really don't like is that by
default it's allocated alarge chunk of space on each disk drive letter
but it's only useful on drives which have system files on them. I've
turned it off on all non-system drives (D thru J) and made the one on C
much smallers, so it only holds a few day's instead of weeks worth. I
gained space on every drive that way. You do that under "Drive
Settings" on the Restore dialog.
Then too, the System State is part of each automated backup I do, so
it's always available and if I do a LOT of changes I'll create one
manually.

Lots more to it, but those seem to be the areas you're interested in.
It's kind of a user choice which to use, but System State backups are
more reliable and apt to exist when you need it. But f I have an
install go bad, the first thing I try is a Restore Piont. If that
doesn't work, then I use the System State instead; it's never failed me.

All that said, it's still sort of a user's choice. Some people have
never needed more than a Restore Point.

Erunt and the like are OK, but I personally avoid 3rd party apps when a
native application will do the job perfectly well.

HTH

Twayne
 
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