Can "System Restore Points" be locked?

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

I know that a system restore point is far from an everything;
nevertheless, they do seem a useful concept. However, like the ERU/ERD
ones in Windows 95 (works fine in 98/Me too), I'd like to be able to
keep the odd one; at present SRPs seem to be like the replacement to
ERU/ERD that came with '98, i. e. they go into a FIFO buffer: since the
system makes SRPs quite frequently, the oldest isn't that old. I've just
installed CCleaner, which has a useful "manage your CRPs" tool (actually
all it lets you do is remove them, but it's useful as a way of seeing
what you've got), and I see my oldest is only just over a month old, and
there are only ones made by my system and a utility there, none that
I've made myself.

Can it be done (marking one as "keep")? If not, can they be moved to a
safe place, and moved back when needed? (What form do they take?
Presumably not registry entries! Though how they're indexed I rather
fear _is_ in the registry.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

"Most of us, when all is said and done, like what we like and make up reasons
for it afterwards." - Soren F. Petersen

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I know that a system restore point is far from an everything;
nevertheless, they do seem a useful concept. However, like the ERU/ERD
ones in Windows 95 (works fine in 98/Me too), I'd like to be able to keep
the odd one; at present SRPs seem to be like the replacement to ERU/ERD
that came with '98, i. e. they go into a FIFO buffer: since the system
makes SRPs quite frequently, the oldest isn't that old. I've just
installed CCleaner, which has a useful "manage your CRPs" tool (actually
all it lets you do is remove them, but it's useful as a way of seeing what
you've got), and I see my oldest is only just over a month old, and there
are only ones made by my system and a utility there, none that I've made
myself.

Can it be done (marking one as "keep")? If not, can they be moved to a
safe place, and moved back when needed? (What form do they take?
Presumably not registry entries! Though how they're indexed I rather fear
_is_ in the registry.)

No. That would be a backup. System Restores are not the same, nor can they
be treated in the same way - as a backup.

You could use ERUNT to backup your XP registry if you want. You could make
just 'System State' backups if you want.

ERD (Emergency Repair Disk) is nothing like System Restore. The Windows XP
CD itself contains most everything you would need to boot and repair an
installation of Windows XP. In conjunction with the Recovery Console, you
have a whole slew of tools at your disposal in this way.

You could utilize something like a BartPE or Ultimate Windows Boot CD to get
in and have a more familar interface from a CD/DVD.

In the end - no - system restores cannot be saved. Use backups. Get
yourself an inexpesive external drive that probably has twice to five times
the total amount of space you have and either use some feature of it to
backup your system or use some third party application to make images of
your hard disk drive to it or just make system backups using internal or
third party methods.

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

I know that a system restore point is far from an everything;

[]
No. That would be a backup. System Restores are not the same, nor can they
be treated in the same way - as a backup.

You could use ERUNT to backup your XP registry if you want. You could make

I do.

just 'System State' backups if you want.

ERD (Emergency Repair Disk) is nothing like System Restore. The Windows XP
CD itself contains most everything you would need to boot and repair an
installation of Windows XP. In conjunction with the Recovery Console, you
have a whole slew of tools at your disposal in this way.

You could utilize something like a BartPE or Ultimate Windows Boot CD to get
in and have a more familar interface from a CD/DVD.

I have BartPE (as dual boot; I haven't got round to making an actual CD
yet).

In the end - no - system restores cannot be saved. Use backups. Get
yourself an inexpesive external drive that probably has twice to five times
the total amount of space you have and either use some feature of it to
backup your system or use some third party application to make images of
your hard disk drive to it or just make system backups using internal or
third party methods.

What you say matches what I suspected; it just seems a pity that System
Restore appeared with XP, but it is far from clear (to me at least) what
a System Restore point actually _does_ store.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

Mathematics is the language with which God has written the universe. -Galileo
Galilei, physicist and astronomer (1564-1642)

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I know that a system restore point is far from an everything;
nevertheless, they do seem a useful concept. However, like the ERU/ERD
ones in Windows 95 (works fine in 98/Me too), I'd like to be able to keep
the odd one; at present SRPs seem to be like the replacement to ERU/ERD
that came with '98, i. e. they go into a FIFO buffer: since the system
makes SRPs quite frequently, the oldest isn't that old. I've just
installed CCleaner, which has a useful "manage your CRPs" tool (actually
all it lets you do is remove them, but it's useful as a way of seeing what
you've got), and I see my oldest is only just over a month old, and there
are only ones made by my system and a utility there, none that I've made
myself.

Can it be done (marking one as "keep")? If not, can they be moved to a
safe place, and moved back when needed? (What form do they take?
Presumably not registry entries! Though how they're indexed I rather fear
_is_ in the registry.)

No. That would be a backup. System Restores are not the same, nor can
they be treated in the same way - as a backup.

You could use ERUNT to backup your XP registry if you want. You could
make just 'System State' backups if you want.

ERD (Emergency Repair Disk) is nothing like System Restore. The Windows
XP CD itself contains most everything you would need to boot and repair an
installation of Windows XP. In conjunction with the Recovery Console, you
have a whole slew of tools at your disposal in this way.

You could utilize something like a BartPE or Ultimate Windows Boot CD to
get in and have a more familar interface from a CD/DVD.

In the end - no - system restores cannot be saved. Use backups. Get
yourself an inexpesive external drive that probably has twice to five
times the total amount of space you have and either use some feature of it
to backup your system or use some third party application to make images
of your hard disk drive to it or just make system backups using internal
or third party methods.

I do.

I have BartPE (as dual boot; I haven't got round to making an actual CD
yet).

What you say matches what I suspected; it just seems a pity that System
Restore appeared with XP, but it is far from clear (to me at least) what a
System Restore point actually _does_ store.

System Restore appeared with Windows ME. ;-)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_Restore

Probably one of the best places to research System Restore in Windows XP is
here:

http://bertk.mvps.org/

You might read this:
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/description.html

As well as:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/System-Restore-frequently-asked-questions
and
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial56.html

The last of those has a couple of lists...

These restore points contain configuration and settings and files
that are necessary for your computer to run correctly. The following
are some of the settings and files that are saved in a Restore Point:

. Registry (Contains Configuration information for application, user,
and operating system settings)
. Windows File Protection files in the dllscache folder. (Used for
protecting system files)
. COM+ Database
. Windows Management Instrumentation Database
. IIS Metabase (Contains configuration for Internet Information Server)
. Files with extensions listed in the Monitored File Extensions list in
the
System Restore section of the Platform SDK
. Local Profiles

What System Restore does not store in a Restore Point include:
. Windows XP passwords and hints are not restored. This is done
so that you do not by accident restore an old password and then
lock yourself out of the computer..
. Microsoft Internet Explorer and Content Advisor passwords and
hints are not restored.
. Any file types not monitored by System Restore like personal data
files e.g. .doc, .jpg, .txt etc.
. Items listed in both Filesnottobackup and KeysnottoRestore
. User-created data stored in the user profile
. Contents of redirected folders

Hope that helps!

I still recommend - heavily - some backup application and external location
to put the backup. Best is something that not only backs up your files
periodically (every night, once a week, etc) but also does a system state
backup every single night. For most people - if they only had a way to
restore their system state back to the way it was the day before - their
files and stuff would be readily available and they would be much happier.
;-)

Having a dual boot of BartPE really doesn't help much if it is the drive
that goes bad, eh? *grin*

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote: []

What you say matches what I suspected; it just seems a pity that System
Restore appeared with XP, but it is far from clear (to me at least) what a
System Restore point actually _does_ store.

System Restore appeared with Windows ME. ;-)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_Restore

OK, I didn't know that. (Assuming it's actually the same thing, and that
the Me one was not a development of ERU/ERD.)

Probably one of the best places to research System Restore in Windows XP is
here:

http://bertk.mvps.org/

That tells me how to _do_ a restore, AFAICS.

You might read this:
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/description.html

That one is most informative, thank you. (I hadn't realised that, when
disc space gets low, it not only stops making restore points, but
deletes any already made. Seems an odd behaviour - since something that
is causing disc space to be eaten is exactly one of the many things for
which one might want to go back!)

As well as:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/System-Restore-frequent
ly-asked-questions

That one is a bit Vista-specific. (Interesting that under Vista - and,
presumably, 7 - SR does _not_ save anything on a FAT disc.)

and
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial56.html

Mostly what-it-is-and-how-to-use-it, though does include details of
registry where to change the automatic period.

The last of those has a couple of lists...

These restore points contain configuration and settings and files
that are necessary for your computer to run correctly. The following
are some of the settings and files that are saved in a Restore Point:

[lists of what SR does and does not save/restore]

Hope that helps!

Thanks, useful to know.

I still recommend - heavily - some backup application and external location
to put the backup. Best is something that not only backs up your files
periodically (every night, once a week, etc) but also does a system state
backup every single night. For most people - if they only had a way to
restore their system state back to the way it was the day before - their
files and stuff would be readily available and they would be much happier.
;-)

Agreed for all you say. But I _still_ think that, if system restore is
considered worthwhile at all, it should have been possible to tag one to
be kept indefinitely.

Having a dual boot of BartPE really doesn't help much if it is the drive
that goes bad, eh? *grin*

No, though under those circumstances I don't think having it as a
bootable CD would help me much either *grin* (well, backups of course)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

Mathematics is the language with which God has written the universe. -Galileo
Galilei, physicist and astronomer (1564-1642)

 

[shakey]

Shenan Stanley said
"In the end - no - system restores cannot be saved. Use backups. Get
yourself an inexpesive external drive that probably has twice to five times
the total amount of space you have and either use some feature of it to
backup your system or use some third party application to make images of
your hard disk drive to it or just make system backups using internal or
third party methods.
The BIG danger "as I learned" is that the unexpected happens. I religiously
made Ghost 9 backups but had no way to FULLY test if they would work to
fully restore a clean system. When I needed them the computer a Dell 8400
series would not find the backups on the external drive until I first
installed a program to let the Dell see the external drives. About six days
of effort to do the restore.
Since you have to install backups to test I can see no foolproof method to
proof your backup system.
SG

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Shenan Stanley said
"In the end - no - system restores cannot be saved. Use backups. Get
yourself an inexpesive external drive that probably has twice
to five times the total amount of space you have and either use
some feature of it to backup your system or use some third party
application to make images of your hard disk drive to it or just
make system backups using internal or third party methods.
The BIG danger "as I learned" is that the unexpected happens. I
religiously made Ghost 9 backups but had no way to FULLY test if
they would work to fully restore a clean system. When I needed
them the computer a Dell 8400 series would not find the backups on
the external drive until I first installed a program to let the
Dell see the external drives. About six days of effort to do the
restore. Since you have to install backups to test I can see no foolproof
method to proof your backup system.

Actually - in your case, it may be less a matter of 'no way to test' and
more of not knowing how to test your backup and/or how to recover in case
you need to.

You said you were making Ghost (Symantec/Norton) images (Disk or
partition?) - which means you could have used something like Ghost Explorer
to open and navigate the directory structure manually to see what was
actually there - even copy files from inside the image to your local drives
to see if the backup was working.

Also - most modern virtual machine software will allow you to apply a ghost
image or even convert a ghost image to a VM. You most likely would have to
perform a repair installation on the VM in order to get it to recognize the
'hardware' changes - but it is a proof-of-concept.

Also - most Symantec/Norton software allows you to make a boot disk to
restore from 'bare metal' if you need to.

 

[Tim Meddick]

If you are absolutely intent on saving one or more System Restore Points it is
possible, but it's a bit of a hassle.

To save one or more restore points, displayed at any one time, in the System
Restore's user interface's calendar:

Firstly, you have to change the security permissions of the "System Volume
Information" folder to include your username and give it "full" rights. If not, you
can't even see the inside of this folder.

Then, copy the entire folder to another location on your hard-drive and remove your
username from the permissions again..

If you then want to restore the restore points that were seen when the folder was
copied, edit the "System Volume Information" folder's permissions again to include
your username as owner of full rights.

Then copy the "System Volume Information" folder that you saved to another location,
back again to the root of your system drive - overwriting the current "System Volume
Information" folder completely. In fact, your better off deleting the current folder
before you copy the saved folder back again.

The same dates will now be visible in the System Restore's calendar as when you first
saved the folder.

You cannot save individual restore points because of the way that the program saves
the information about restore points in files within the "System Volume Information"
folder.


You are probably better off, though, downloading the [free] program ERUNT - which
teaches you all about what files constitute the Window's registry, how to back-up the
registry and how to restore the registry in a number of ways, including restoring the
registry when you cannot start Windows!

I highly recommend you get this utility...

Download the program ERUNT from the link below...
http://www.aumha.org/downloads/erunt-setup.exe

....or go to the ERUNT homepage...
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt


==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

 

[shakey]

Actually - in your case, it may be less a matter of 'no way to test' and
more of not knowing how to test your backup and/or how to recover in case
you need to.

I understand your believing this but you are wrong.

You said you were making Ghost (Symantec/Norton) images (Disk or
partition?) - which means you could have used something like Ghost
Explorer to open and navigate the directory structure manually to see what
was actually there - even copy files from inside the image to your local
drives to see if the backup was working.

This was done and yes it worked , even restored files before. BUT only with
windows installed. NOT after HD was clean, "no access to external drive."

Also - most modern virtual machine software will allow you to apply a
ghost image or even convert a ghost image to a VM. You most likely would
have to perform a repair installation on the VM in order to get it to
recognize the 'hardware' changes - but it is a proof-of-concept.

In hindsite yes but no idea that it would fail in normal mode.

Also - most Symantec/Norton software allows you to make a boot disk to
restore from 'bare metal' if you need to.

The manual supplied states that the backup image can restore the system.

Strange that my hours long conservations with Symantec did not produce these
replies and no solution I reinstalled XP from origional disk and then
restored files, not programs, from Ghost.

OLD history now so lets agree to disagree and end our part of thread.
SG

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I understand your believing this but you are wrong.

This was done and yes it worked , even restored files before. BUT
only with windows installed. NOT after HD was clean, "no access to
external drive."
The manual supplied states that the backup image can restore the
system.
Strange that my hours long conservations with Symantec did not
produce these replies and no solution I reinstalled XP from
origional disk and then restored files, not programs, from Ghost.

OLD history now so lets agree to disagree and end our part of thread.

If you had a good boot CD/disk (one that can access the external
drive/network) then you would not have had the issue. BartPE, UBCD, etc
come to mind. You could then access the external media, the network, etc
and restore an image you copied externally.

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

If you are absolutely intent on saving one or more System Restore
Points it is possible, but it's a bit of a hassle. []
You cannot save individual restore points because of the way that the
program saves the information about restore points in files within the
"System Volume Information" folder.

Thanks - saved for curiosity, but ...

You are probably better off, though, downloading the [free] program
ERUNT - which teaches you all about what files constitute the Window's

.... since I already have ERUNT, I think I won't be using it (the
how-to-save-restore-points I mean)!

registry, how to back-up the registry and how to restore the registry
in a number of ways, including restoring the registry when you cannot
start Windows!

Actually, it's rather coy about that aspect. I eventually asked Lars the
question, and he recommended BartPE, which I now have as a dual-boot
*must get round to making the CD version).

I highly recommend you get this utility...

Download the program ERUNT from the link below...
http://www.aumha.org/downloads/erunt-setup.exe

...or go to the ERUNT homepage...
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt

[]
One of the first things I installed after getting an XP machine!
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

I was court-martialled in my absence, and sentenced to death in my absence, so
I
said they could shoot me in my absence. -Brendan Francis Behan, playwright
(1923-1964)

 

[Tim Meddick]

You mean you have Bart's PE installed on a hard-disk / partition?

That's very novel.

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

If you are absolutely intent on saving one or more System Restore Points it is
possible, but it's a bit of a hassle. []
You cannot save individual restore points because of the way that the program saves
the information about restore points in files within the "System Volume
Information" folder.

Thanks - saved for curiosity, but ...

You are probably better off, though, downloading the [free] program ERUNT - which
teaches you all about what files constitute the Window's

... since I already have ERUNT, I think I won't be using it (the
how-to-save-restore-points I mean)!

registry, how to back-up the registry and how to restore the registry in a number
of ways, including restoring the registry when you cannot start Windows!

Actually, it's rather coy about that aspect. I eventually asked Lars the question,
and he recommended BartPE, which I now have as a dual-boot *must get round to
making the CD version).

I highly recommend you get this utility...

Download the program ERUNT from the link below...
http://www.aumha.org/downloads/erunt-setup.exe

...or go to the ERUNT homepage...
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt

[]
One of the first things I installed after getting an XP machine!
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

I was court-martialled in my absence, and sentenced to death in my absence, so
I
said they could shoot me in my absence. -Brendan Francis Behan, playwright
(1923-1964)

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

You mean you have Bart's PE installed on a hard-disk / partition?

That's very novel.

== (That should be "-- ", BTW.)

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

Yes; I just followed the instructions; I obviously made certain choices
at some points, including not to make a CD then if that was offered.
It's a few months since I did it now, so I can't remember the details;
but, it comes up at the relevant point during Windows booting, where it
asks me (on a black-and-white text screen) which OS I want to load, and
offers me BartPE and Windows, defaulting to Windows after a few seconds.
(I think I might have reduced that period at some point.)

Regards, John

If you are absolutely intent on saving one or more System Restore
Points it is possible, but it's a bit of a hassle. []
You cannot save individual restore points because of the way that the
program saves the information about restore points in files within
the "System Volume Information" folder.

Thanks - saved for curiosity, but ...

You are probably better off, though, downloading the [free] program
ERUNT - which teaches you all about what files constitute the Window's

... since I already have ERUNT, I think I won't be using it (the
how-to-save-restore-points I mean)!

registry, how to back-up the registry and how to restore the registry
in a number of ways, including restoring the registry when you cannot
start Windows!

Actually, it's rather coy about that aspect. I eventually asked Lars
the question, and he recommended BartPE, which I now have as a
dual-boot *must get round to making the CD version).

I highly recommend you get this utility...

Download the program ERUNT from the link below...
http://www.aumha.org/downloads/erunt-setup.exe

...or go to the ERUNT homepage...
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt

[]
One of the first things I installed after getting an XP machine!
-- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985
MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

I was court-martialled in my absence, and sentenced to death in my
absence, so
I
said they could shoot me in my absence. -Brendan Francis Behan, playwright
(1923-1964)

--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

"Purgamentum init, exit purgamentum." Translation: "Garbage in, garbage out."

 

[Tim Meddick]

That's interesting as I don't have a CD/DVD writer - just a cd-rom drive, but I do
have two hard-drives installed and might look into doing something along those lines,
now that I know it's possible.

BTW changing the "time-out" of the OS choices menu is as simple as text-editing the
root-file "boot.ini" and changing the very first lines:

[boot loader]
timeout=1

You may have to change the file's attributes in order to see / save the file.
Alternatively, there's a built-in editor for the "boot.ini" file. If you open the
System Properties control panel and select the "Advanced" tab and click on the
"Startup and recovery" button. There's a little box to change the numerical value of
[timeout=] or another button to manually edit the entire file. This has the
advantage of not needing to change the file's attributes, as it alters them
automatically.

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

You mean you have Bart's PE installed on a hard-disk / partition?

That's very novel.

== (That should be "-- ", BTW.)

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

Yes; I just followed the instructions; I obviously made certain choices at some
points, including not to make a CD then if that was offered. It's a few months
since I did it now, so I can't remember the details; but, it comes up at the
relevant point during Windows booting, where it asks me (on a black-and-white text
screen) which OS I want to load, and offers me BartPE and Windows, defaulting to
Windows after a few seconds. (I think I might have reduced that period at some
point.)

Regards, John

In message <[email protected]>, Tim Meddick
If you are absolutely intent on saving one or more System Restore Points it is
possible, but it's a bit of a hassle.
[]
You cannot save individual restore points because of the way that the program
saves the information about restore points in files within the "System Volume
Information" folder.

Thanks - saved for curiosity, but ...

You are probably better off, though, downloading the [free] program ERUNT - which
teaches you all about what files constitute the Window's

... since I already have ERUNT, I think I won't be using it (the
how-to-save-restore-points I mean)!

registry, how to back-up the registry and how to restore the registry in a number
of ways, including restoring the registry when you cannot start Windows!

Actually, it's rather coy about that aspect. I eventually asked Lars the
question, and he recommended BartPE, which I now have as a dual-boot *must get
round to making the CD version).

I highly recommend you get this utility...

Download the program ERUNT from the link below...
http://www.aumha.org/downloads/erunt-setup.exe

...or go to the ERUNT homepage...
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt
[]
One of the first things I installed after getting an XP machine!
-- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

I was court-martialled in my absence, and sentenced to death in my absence, so
I
said they could shoot me in my absence. -Brendan Francis Behan, playwright
(1923-1964)

--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

"Purgamentum init, exit purgamentum." Translation: "Garbage in, garbage out."

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

That's interesting as I don't have a CD/DVD writer - just a cd-rom

(This - a netbook - doesn't have either, though it works fine with an
external one.)

drive, but I do have two hard-drives installed and might look into
doing something along those lines, now that I know it's possible.

I _don't_ have two hard drives; the boot menu that offers me the two
choices, BartPE and Windows, is on the same drive (and, I think,
partition) as Windows is. And I didn't do anything special - I'm not
that good at such things; it was all set up for me as part of the BartPE
installation.

BTW changing the "time-out" of the OS choices menu is as simple as
text-editing the root-file "boot.ini" and changing the very first lines:

[boot loader]
timeout=1

You may have to change the file's attributes in order to see / save the
file. Alternatively, there's a built-in editor for the "boot.ini" file.

I probably used one of those options.
[]

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

[]
There is a good reason for having your .sig delimiter as "-- " (note the
space) rather than "==".
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

I'm getting pretty enough for radio now (Desmond Lynam in Radio Times, 1998)

 

[Tim Meddick]

That IS interesting - that Bart's PE Creator handles the creation of partitions on a
hard-drive as well!

Concerning your comments about the delimiter above my sig. I was TOLD (in no
uncertain terms) that having
"--" as the delimiter negatively affects some newsreaders - cutting the rest of the
text off at that point.
So I specifically changed it (it's not automatic - I have to do this manually EVERY
time I post a reply) to "==" to avoid problems with these newsreaders.

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

That's interesting as I don't have a CD/DVD writer - just a cd-rom

(This - a netbook - doesn't have either, though it works fine with an external
one.)

drive, but I do have two hard-drives installed and might look into doing something
along those lines, now that I know it's possible.

I _don't_ have two hard drives; the boot menu that offers me the two choices,
BartPE and Windows, is on the same drive (and, I think, partition) as Windows is.
And I didn't do anything special - I'm not that good at such things; it was all set
up for me as part of the BartPE installation.

BTW changing the "time-out" of the OS choices menu is as simple as text-editing the
root-file "boot.ini" and changing the very first lines:

[boot loader]
timeout=1

You may have to change the file's attributes in order to see / save the file.
Alternatively, there's a built-in editor for the "boot.ini" file.

I probably used one of those options.
[]

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

[]
There is a good reason for having your .sig delimiter as "-- " (note the space)
rather than "==".
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

I'm getting pretty enough for radio now (Desmond Lynam in Radio Times, 1998)

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

That IS interesting - that Bart's PE Creator handles the creation of
partitions on a hard-drive as well!

Hmm. I'm not sure it does anything about partitions: I think it just
hooks into the menu system that is part of Windows (isn't it a .ini file
somewhere?).

Concerning your comments about the delimiter above my sig. I was TOLD
(in no uncertain terms) that having
"--" as the delimiter negatively affects some newsreaders - cutting the
rest of the text off at that point.
So I specifically changed it (it's not automatic - I have to do this
manually EVERY time I post a reply) to "==" to avoid problems with
these newsreaders.

Ah, yes, I'd forgotten that you top-post. Yes, when I reply to a posting
(or an email), my news/mail software (by default - I can override) snips
at the delimiter, so that I don't post/mail people's signatures back to
them or to the newsgroup. If the post/email being responded to hasn't
placed his/her text below the points he/she is responding to (as I've
done here), but leaves all of the original post below, then yes it will
get snipped (by default).

I'll leave the rest of your post this time (-:

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

That's interesting as I don't have a CD/DVD writer - just a cd-rom

(This - a netbook - doesn't have either, though it works fine with an
external one.)

drive, but I do have two hard-drives installed and might look into
doing something along those lines, now that I know it's possible.

I _don't_ have two hard drives; the boot menu that offers me the two
choices, BartPE and Windows, is on the same drive (and, I think,
partition) as Windows is. And I didn't do anything special - I'm not
that good at such things; it was all set up for me as part of the
BartPE installation.

BTW changing the "time-out" of the OS choices menu is as simple as
text-editing the root-file "boot.ini" and changing the very first lines:

[boot loader]
timeout=1

You may have to change the file's attributes in order to see / save
the file. Alternatively, there's a built-in editor for the "boot.ini"

I probably used one of those options.
[]

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

[]
There is a good reason for having your .sig delimiter as "-- " (note
the space) rather than "==".
-- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985
MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

I'm getting pretty enough for radio now (Desmond Lynam in Radio
Times, 1998)

--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. -e.e. cummings, poet
(1894-1962)