Removing a single past restore point

[Don Wiss]

Ny current virus software (F-Prot) does not delete viruses when it find
them in real time. It just warns. So if I am not at the computer they
remain there until I return. My restore picked one up. Now I am warned all
the time about this restore that has a virus. But when I go to the restore
facility I didn't see any way to delete the infected one. I am using XP
Pro.

Don <donwiss at panix.com>.

 

[Kaylene aka Taurarian]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;309531
How to Gain Access to the System Volume Information Folder

 

[Cerridwen]

Ny current virus software (F-Prot) does not delete viruses when it
find them in real time. It just warns. So if I am not at the computer
they remain there until I return. My restore picked one up. Now I am
warned all the time about this restore that has a virus. But when I
go to the restore facility I didn't see any way to delete the
infected one. I am using XP Pro.

Don <donwiss at panix.com>.

You cannot remove a single point. You must turn SR off, reboot and turn it
back on again. This will purge /all/ points, but you have no choice.

 

[Tom Porterfield]

Ny current virus software (F-Prot) does not delete viruses when it find
them in real time. It just warns. So if I am not at the computer they
remain there until I return. My restore picked one up. Now I am warned all
the time about this restore that has a virus. But when I go to the restore
facility I didn't see any way to delete the infected one. I am using XP
Pro.

It is not possible to delete a single restore point. You can turn off
system restore and turn it back on. That will clear all of your current
restore points and create a new one when system restore is re-enabled.
--
Tom Porterfield
MS-MVP MCE
http://support.telop.org

Please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup only.

 

[John Tiedt]

You can delete all but the last restore point in Disk Cleanup.

J.Tiedt

 

[Phil]

Yes, but if the virus is in the last restore point, and it most likely is,
then that's not going to help him. Deleting them all is the sure way to get
rid of it.

 

[David Candy]

So you create one first, then clear all but last.

 

[Will Denny]

Hi David

That is Alex's protocol as well, but I advocate a complete turn off/on of SR
to get rid of any virus *before* any new checkpoints are created. That way
all viruses are eradicated. The 2nd reboot creates a new (uninfected)
checkpoint.

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User


So you create one first, then clear all but last.

 

[Phil]

Yes you could do that as well. As long as you know your virus free when
creating the point.

 

[Don Wiss]

You can delete all but the last restore point in Disk Cleanup.

This is the best solution posted. The virus is in a restore point that is
now over a week old. And nothing is infected, but the virus is just sitting
in the Attachments folder for that restore.

Let me try this now... Done. But as I was doing it I got the virus present
warning. Maybe triggered by its deletion? It will take a day or so to see
if the warning pops up again.

Thanks, Don <donwiss at panix.com>.

 

[Alex Nichol]

Ny current virus software (F-Prot) does not delete viruses when it find
them in real time. It just warns. So if I am not at the computer they
remain there until I return. My restore picked one up. Now I am warned all
the time about this restore that has a virus. But when I go to the restore
facility I didn't see any way to delete the infected one. I am using XP
Pro.

Make a new point for the system (now clean) . Then go to
Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Disk Cleanup
and in the 'More Options' the button to delete all but the most recent
point.

Note that restore points form a chain, and you cannot delete one out of
the middle without braking the chain