System Restore Questions (3)

[Guest]

1) Does System Restore make a copy of all of the same files/settings as the
System State? In other words, if a System State backup (Ntbackup.exe) were
made does the resultant .bkf file have all of the same information as a
System Restore point? If not, what are the differences between the two?

2) System Restore points are linked such that if one somehow becomes
corrupt, all of them are useless. Is this because the initial point is a
"Full" snapshot of the system and subsequent ones are "Incremental"?

3) Between a System Restore point or an Ntbackup of the System State, is one
preferable to ensure roll-back capability in the aftermath of undesirable
effects from making changes? (I recognize this may be a matter of preference,
but if you could explain your rationale for one over the other, it would be
appreciated).

 

[Bert Kinney]

Answers inline

1) Does System Restore make a copy of all of the same files/settings as the
System State? In other words, if a System State backup (Ntbackup.exe) were
made does the resultant .bkf file have all of the same information as a
System Restore point? If not, what are the differences between the two?

The big difference is ntbackup is a backup tool and System Restore is not.

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

List of files and folders System Restore monitors:
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/filesfolders.html

Files and folders that are not backed up when the Ntbackup.exe tool is used
in Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/233427/en-us

2) System Restore points are linked such that if one somehow becomes
corrupt, all of them are useless.

This is not correct. Each restore points is chained (or linked) together
with *previous* restore points. When you choose to restore a system all the
*previous* restore point are required to complete the restore.

Is this because the initial point is a
"Full" snapshot of the system and subsequent ones are "Incremental"?

No. System Restore only monitors changes to system type files and folders
and the registry. By default, System Restore will automatically delete
restore points that are older than 90 days starting with the oldest restore
point. Restore points will also be deleted when the when the amount of disk
space set to hold them become full. At this point all restore points will
deleted on a FIFO (first in - first out) basis. Again, System Restore is not
a backup tool.

3) Between a System Restore point or an Ntbackup of the System State, is one
preferable to ensure roll-back capability in the aftermath of undesirable
effects from making changes? (I recognize this may be a matter of preference,
but if you could explain your rationale for one over the other, it would be
appreciated).

System Restore is most effective when used ASAP after a problem is detected.
System Restore does not restore user data or documents, so it will not
cause users to lose their data files, email, browsing history, or favorites.

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

 

[Guest]

Thank you.
--
JCB\1059

Answers inline


The big difference is ntbackup is a backup tool and System Restore is not.

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

List of files and folders System Restore monitors:
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/filesfolders.html

Files and folders that are not backed up when the Ntbackup.exe tool is used
in Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/233427/en-us


This is not correct. Each restore points is chained (or linked) together
with *previous* restore points. When you choose to restore a system all the
*previous* restore point are required to complete the restore.


No. System Restore only monitors changes to system type files and folders
and the registry. By default, System Restore will automatically delete
restore points that are older than 90 days starting with the oldest restore
point. Restore points will also be deleted when the when the amount of disk
space set to hold them become full. At this point all restore points will
deleted on a FIFO (first in - first out) basis. Again, System Restore is not
a backup tool.


System Restore is most effective when used ASAP after a problem is detected.
System Restore does not restore user data or documents, so it will not
cause users to lose their data files, email, browsing history, or favorites.

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

 

[AJR]

JCB - I may ramble a bit here - ntbackup's primary use is for Windows 2000
and related Server functions as a "disaster" recovery tool. It is a static
snapshot.

It backups the registry, COM+, Class Registration Database, Protected
files, system boot files, Active Directory, SYSVOL, Cluster SCVS, and the
IIS meta director, however when used with XP backup it is shortened and
excludes the last four items listed above.

System Restore is not a "backup utility" - it is "dynamic" in that it
monitors system and application changes and during a restore session what
actually happens is that the utility "removes" changes (except for data
files) made to the sytstem and/or application.

In fact, if you decided to restore a XP via ntbackup - System Restore will
automatically create a restore point by which, if the ntbackup restore
messes up, you can restore prior to the backup restoration attempt.(Do not
know how that works in a disaster situation).

From your post "...preferable to ensure roll-back capability in the
aftermath of undesirable effects from making changes?.." - taking your
statement literally regarding "undesirable effects from making chnages"-
that is the specfic function of System Restore.

Whew! That's it - for now.