Restoring WinXP Home Edition

[RJ]

I've messed up and have to resort to a reformat and fresh install as a last
resort. My question is this: What's the best and most convenient way (i.e,
without having to buy other software or harware) to restore the XP system
when things go wrong? Here's some background to my question: In Windows 98,
I can do a SCANREG from the command prompt whenever I mess up and it's
always fixed the problem. But Windows XP doesn't have that feature. Sure
it's got Last Known Good but if that doesn't work, you cannot go back to an
even earlier day like Win 98 (which saves the last 5 days). Now I know WinXP
has the System Restore feature but all the restore points get wiped out when
you turn off the power (which I've had to do on numerous occasions). I've
tried going into Regedit and exporting the system but when I tried importing
it in safe mode, it didn't work (something was in use so it couldn't copy
all the files - again, I've done this on Win98 in safe mode and it has
worked). As for Backup, there was no Backup tab under System tools (I was
told XP Home doesn't install it automatically) so I insalled it from the CD.
But when I tried backing up my C drive it didn't work. Can I just copy my
entire C drive to another folder, say to my E: drive? I have Windows on my C
drive and a few essential programs, everything else (including the swap file
and other programs) are on other drives. And how do I restore the C drive
from a command prompt? I don't want to reformat again, so some good info on
this backup/restore issue will help. Thanks.

 

[Bert Kinney]

I've messed up and have to resort to a reformat and fresh install as a
last
resort. My question is this: What's the best and most convenient way
(i.e,
without having to buy other software or harware) to restore the XP
system
when things go wrong?

System Restore should be your first choice.

All About System Restore in WinXP
http://bertk.mvps.org/index.html

The next would be a repair install.

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install by Michael Stevens MS-MVP:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

The last resort would be a clean install, or system recovery.

XP Clean Install by Michael Stevens MS-MVP:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

Another option is to use imaging software to backup the entire
partition.

Acronis True Image is a good choice.
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage

Here's some background to my question: In Windows 98,
I can do a SCANREG from the command prompt whenever I mess up and it's
always fixed the problem. But Windows XP doesn't have that feature.
Sure
it's got Last Known Good but if that doesn't work, you cannot go back
to an
even earlier day like Win 98 (which saves the last 5 days).

Choosing the Last Known Good Configuration startup option provides a way
to recover from problems such as a newly added driver that may be
incorrect for your hardware. It does not solve problems caused by
corrupted or missing drivers or files.
When you choose Last Known Good Configuration, only the information in
registry key HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet is restored. Any changes made
to other registry keys remain.

How to start your computer by using the Last Known Good Configuration
feature in WinXP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307852

Start the computer using the last known good configuration:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pr...elp/accae9ed-c2e0-44d7-81ad-0f705d142b25.mspx

Now I know WinXP has the System Restore feature but all the restore
points get wiped out when
you turn off the power (which I've had to do on numerous occasions).

Shutting down the system with the power switch can certainly cause
restore point corruption.

I've tried going into Regedit and exporting the system but when I
tried importing
it in safe mode, it didn't work (something was in use so it couldn't
copy
all the files - again, I've done this on Win98 in safe mode and it has
worked).

Export and import within Regedit is *not* a good method of backing up
the entire registry. Its value is where you are going to modify a small
section - export that section, then if needed delete it and re-import to
put things back.
First the backups are text mode, largely in Unicode and are enormous.
Second there is no proper way to restore it. Import does not replace
the current registry but merges the file into it causing the registry to
be come severely bloated. Thus unwanted additions made since the export
are not removed - which is very often what you want to do.
And third when you want to use it may not be practicable, particularly
if the system will not boot.
System Restore is the built in method of restoring the registry.

Or use ERUNT
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/

More information on how to backup the Windows XP Registry?
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/registry.htm

As for Backup, there was no Backup tab under System tools (I was
told XP Home doesn't install it automatically) so I insalled it from
the CD.
But when I tried backing up my C drive it didn't work. Can I just copy
my
entire C drive to another folder, say to my E: drive? I have Windows
on my C
drive and a few essential programs, everything else (including the
swap file
and other programs) are on other drives. And how do I restore the C
drive
from a command prompt? I don't want to reformat again, so some good
info on
this backup/restore issue will help. Thanks.

Imaging software is the best choice for doing this.

Now to the root of the problem. What's causing Windows to be so
unstable?
Please give us some background on what's occurring with the system that
causes the need to turn the power off with the switch. Provide any error
messages received.

 

[Ken Blake]

I've messed up and have to resort to a reformat and fresh install as
a last resort.

In my view, that's very seldom true. I recommend that you first tell us what
your problems are and see if someone here can help before you resort to such
a drastic measure.

My question is this: What's the best and most
convenient way (i.e, without having to buy other software or harware)
to restore the XP system when things go wrong?

You mean for the future, not for the immediate problems?

The best way, by far, in my opinion, isn't free. It's to buy an external
hard drive, and use a program like Acronis True Image to make a periodic
clone or image of it. Even better, buy two external hard drives, and
alternate using them.

Any backup you do to an internal drive (or worse, a second partition on your
only drive) leaves you susceptible to simultaneous loss of the original and
backup to many of the most common dangers: severe power glitches, nearby
lightning strikes, virus attacks, even theft of the computer( and head
crashes, if it's a second partition).

 

[PA Bear]

Now I know WinXP has the System Restore feature but all the

restore points get wiped out when you turn off the power

That's news to me, RJ.

 

[Andrew Murray]

That's news to me, RJ.

Exactly. There's no point having system restore if the restore points get
erased when the PC is powered off.

 

[Bert Kinney]

Shutting down Windows correctly will not harm restore points.

 

[RJ]

Bert, thx for the ERUNT tip, I'll check it out. My restore points did get
erased and I thought it was because I turned the switch at the back of the
computer off (I could not turn off the power switch in front as nothing
would happen and the computer wouldn't do turn off.) I normally click
Start/Shut Down but then I used to get a msg Its now safe to turn off your
computer. A lot of other things also got messed up. It probably started when
I uninstalled programs from C; and reinstalled on another drive, also
deleted some files which maybe I shouldn't have. I tried an overinstall but
I used to get file copy errors. Ran mtest, everything was fine. The guy at
the shop said it's a software problem, not hardware. Guess what? He was
right...I did a reformat and fresh install, everything's ok now. I do have a
question about the wpa.dbl file which I'll address in another thread.

 

[Bert Kinney]

Erunt is a good tool for backing up the registry, but it does not
monitor and backup system files and setting as System Restore does.

Now that a clean install has been performed and the system is running
correctly test System Restore to make sure it's functioning correctly.

Create a new restore point named TEST.
Create a new shortcut on the desktop and point it to My Computer or any
other file of your choice and name it TEST.
Now restore to the Test restore point.
The system will now reboot, and you will receive a message if the
restore was successful, and the Test shortcut on the desktop will be
gone.

The next time applications are installed, or system setting are being
altered, create a restore point prier to the changes.

All About System Restore in WinXP
http://bertk.mvps.org/index.html

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

 

[Harry Ohrn]

RJ. You shouldn't have to use the power switch on the back of the computer.
Often the "front of the case" power switch simply needs to be held in for
about 4-5 seconds to shutdown a computer manually.

 

[RJ]

thanks for the tip, I thought something was wrong with the switch.

RJ. You shouldn't have to use the power switch on the back of the computer.
Often the "front of the case" power switch simply needs to be held in for
about 4-5 seconds to shutdown a computer manually.

--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell\User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp

Bert, thx for the ERUNT tip, I'll check it out. My restore points did get
erased and I thought it was because I turned the switch at the back of the
computer off (I could not turn off the power switch in front as nothing
would happen and the computer wouldn't do turn off.) I normally click
Start/Shut Down but then I used to get a msg Its now safe to turn off your
computer. A lot of other things also got messed up. It probably started
when I uninstalled programs from C; and reinstalled on another drive, also
deleted some files which maybe I shouldn't have. I tried an overinstall
but I used to get file copy errors. Ran mtest, everything was fine. The
guy at the shop said it's a software problem, not hardware. Guess what? He
was right...I did a reformat and fresh install, everything's ok now. I do
have a question about the wpa.dbl file which I'll address in another
thread.

 

[RJ]

Can I schedule a Backup of Drive C: everyday using Scheduled Task? I tried
scheduling things on Win98 but it never worked. Wonder if it's the same on
XP. Does the computer need to be on all the time for it to work?

 

[Bert Kinney]

I think you can, but I am not absolutely sure.

I would suggest using System Restore to fix problem that are a week or
less old.

Imaging software such as Acronis True Image is the way to go for
restoring longer than a week or so.
Acronis True Image
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage