configuring System Restore

[Guest]

XP's default settings (RPGlobalInterval is 86400) are supposed to create a
restore point every 24 hours but it often misses days. Perhaps I don't
understand how it is measuring that 24 hours ... but I want to ensure that
System Restore creates at least one restore point per day. I changed the
RPGlobalInterval to 43200 and that seemed to help but it still missed days,
including a run of 4 days in a row! I can reduce the RPGlobalInterval further
but am wondering if there's a more reliable way to get it to create daily
restore points ... note: I need this to be a fully-automated process as it's
for a "novice" user's system.

 

[Ted Zieglar]

What you need is a daily backup, not a daily restore point. A restore
point has limited usefullness for a novice user, who will probably muck
things up in no time. Windows Backup is a good start, but you'll find
more flexibility in third party backup (or imaging) programs.

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi James,

Automatic restore points are only created during idle time; for example,
when there is no mouse, keyboard, or disk i/o activity. If the system is in
use the entire time it is turned on, then turned off, an automatic restore
point will NOT be created. Idle time can also be effected by apps running in
the background.

Here is a description of System Restore:
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/description.html

Process Explorer is a good tool for identifying running apps.
Sysinternals Freeware - Process Explorer
http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/ProcessExplorer.html

There's a utility on the following page (XPSystemRestorePointFrequency.vbs)
to automate the changing of the amount of hours automatic restore points are
created. I would suggest setting it every 18 hours and see what happens.
System Restore Scripts & Utilities:
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/srscripts.html

 

[Guest]

Ted:
A backup program is a useful tool but it's not much good if XP isn't
operating properly ... I need something to restore a good configuration and
then I can work on whatever went wrong. Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

[Guest]

Bert:
Thanks for the background info on how System Restore operates. I'll check
out the URLs you gave me and see what more I can learn. Thanks again.

 

[Guest]

Hi Bert:
If the system needs to be idle for SystemRestore to do it's thing, and if I
can't predict the pattern of usage, will setting a very low RPGlobalInterval
value increase the chances of success? As I understand this, if the
RPGlobalInterval were set to 14400 I'm telling the OS to create a restore
point every 4 hours ... at 3600 it should attempt it hourly, correct? Is
there a limit (fixed or practical) to the value I can enter for the
RPGlobalInterval?

 

[Ted Zieglar]

Had a look at imaging software?

 

[Bert Kinney]

Yes, setting RPGlobalInterval 3600 would create a restore point every hour.
This would be a bad approach.
Here's a better alternative.
How to automatically create a System Restore point upon the first boot up of
the day?
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/createrp.htm

 

[Guest]

Had thought about it but was concerned about the "performance overhead"
especially for this user (system isn't the latest & greatest.) Any specific
titles in this category you'd recommend?

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the clarification on using RPGlobalInterval values. I think your
last suggestion of using the script is right on target ... it gets the job
done without user intervention and doesn't ask the OS to perform unnecessary
steps.

 

[Ted Zieglar]

I use and recommend Acronis True Image 9.0 Home. It will create an image
in the background while your novice continues to work. You can create
images to run on a set schedule, of course, and True Image has many
other compelling features.

Any imaging program will have some performance overhead...you can't
compare a full disc image with the relative handful of files in a
restore point. Still, the ability to do a complete restore from a known
good image is worth it, in my opinion.

As footprints go, True Image is much lighter on the computer than its #1
competitor, Norton Ghost. Anything with the name Norton saps the life
out of a computer.

Another fine program is Image for Windows (by Terabyte Unlimited.) I
have not had the opportunity to try this program, but I understand it is
very capable and has an even smaller footprint than True Image.

System Restore is fine as far as it goes and occasionally it does come
in handy. It's certainly better than nothing, which is what most users
do for backing up. But a known good image of a system partition that
takes just minutes to perform and lets you do a bare metal restore is
far superior for those in the know.

 

[Harry Austin]

Here's a better alternative.
How to automatically create a System Restore point upon the first boot up of
the day?
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/createrp.htm

Pardon me for jumping in Bert but how does this work with a Limited User?
I normally work in that mode and use that Administrator Account only as
needed.
As a Limited User I normally cannot access System Restore.
Does it means that I should login as an Administrator first?

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Hi Harry,

The WMI script requires admin privileges to run. Otherwise, it generates an
error (800A0046: Permission denied). If you need to run the script from a
limited user account, you can use the RunAs feature to run the script under
administrator account credentials.

Example:
runas /noprofile /user:administrator "c:\windows\system32\wscript.exe
d:\tools\createrp.vbs"

Type that in Notepad, and save as a BAT file. Then place a shortcut of the
batch file in the Startup group. However, you need to type the admin account
password when prompted.

RunAs command - reference:
http://technet2.microsoft.com/Windo...b5d1-494a-be98-61e3434c57151033.mspx?mfr=true

How Can I Use the RunAs Command to Run a Script Under Alternate User
Credentials?
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/resources/qanda/apr06/hey0428.mspx


--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com

Here's a better alternative.
How to automatically create a System Restore point upon the first boot up
of
the day?
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/createrp.htm

Pardon me for jumping in Bert but how does this work with a Limited User?
I normally work in that mode and use that Administrator Account only as
needed.
As a Limited User I normally cannot access System Restore.
Does it means that I should login as an Administrator first?

 

[Harry Austin]

The WMI script requires admin privileges to run. Otherwise, it generates an
error (800A0046: Permission denied). If you need to run the script from a
limited user account, you can use the RunAs feature to run the script under
administrator account credentials.

Thanks for that Ramesh

 

[Guest]

Ted:
Thanks so much for taking the time to offer some specific software
suggestions ... it's always better hearing from someone who's actually used
the products than reading a tech-mag review. Would you elaborate on the
actual restoration process...

A couple OS' ago, backup users faced the problem that Windows had to be
bootable to restore their files, some apps built boot-disks to allow uses to
restore files when Windows was dead. Booting XP from anything other than your
HDD can be a real pain and many newer systems have only CD drives so how do
the "imaging" programs deal with a dead or corrupted XP?

A related issue might be XP's "protection" of system files, preventing apps
from overwriting them, etc. So, if you're faced with a system that won't boot
will an imaging program allow you to restore it to "full" operation or are
you still facing a fresh OS install?

Thanks again.
JamesP

 

[Ted Zieglar]

In computer-time "a couple OS' ago" is like the Stone Age. It's all
different now.

In a nutshell, this is how it works: An image is an exact, byte for byte
copy of everything on a disk partition or even the complete hard disk.
Even protected files and even files that are currently in use. You can
image a partition or a disk while still in Windows and while still
working with your programs. You can store the resulting image file on a
hard disk (internal or external), a network drive or DVDs.

When the time comes to restore an image, if Windows is still working you
just open the imaging program, run the restore wizard and pour yourself
a soothing Chardonnay while your computer travels back to a kindler,
gentler time. If Windows is not working, just boot the PC from the
program disk. The imaging program will start and you can go to the
restore wizard.

You need to check these programs out for yourself and maybe download a
trial version to test it out.

And, FWIW, I almost always make my buying decisions on the basis of
professional reviewers, rather than crackpots who I don't know from Adam ;->

 

[Guest]

Damn, looks like I had it all backwards ... I thought the professional
reviewers were the crackpots! Just kidding, I often rely on the pro reviews
too ... unfortunately some of them gloss over the nuts and bolts of operation
and I've found I can get some good info off sites like this one.

Once again, thanks for all the time you've taken with me ... your info was
very useful!

 

[Ted Zieglar]

My pleasure. Backing up is my religion.

 

[Guest]

XP's default settings (RPGlobalInterval is 86400) are supposed to create a
restore point every 24 hours but it often misses days. Perhaps I don't
understand how it is measuring that 24 hours ... but I want to ensure that
System Restore creates at least one restore point per day. I changed the
RPGlobalInterval to 43200 and that seemed to help but it still missed days,
including a run of 4 days in a row! I can reduce the RPGlobalInterval further
but am wondering if there's a more reliable way to get it to create daily
restore points ... note: I need this to be a fully-automated process as it's
for a "novice" user's system.

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi,


Here are some troubleshooting steps to take when System Restore fails to
create an automatic restore point:
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/srauto.html

Here is a script that can be used to create an automatic restore point.
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_sysrestorepoint.htm

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