system restore

G

graham

Anyone any ideas why I cannot use system restore on my machine. It is
running XP Home SP2. Before attempting to install some software yesterday I
was going to create a system restore point just in case but I noticed that
there were two restore points listed for the day before named System
CheckPoint and Software Distribution Service 2.0. The latter (and later) I
assumed to have been created as a result of a MS update that day. As my
machine was ok I did not bother to create another restore point.

Having loaded the software it would not run due to an ocx registration
problem so I uninstalled it and to be on the safe side tried to run system
restore to my machine to the state it was in before loading the software. I
tried both the restore points listed above but in each case my machine told
me it could not restore my machine to that restore point and therefore had
done nothing.

Graham.
 
B

Bert Kinney

Hi Graham,
Anyone any ideas why I cannot use system restore on my machine. It is
running XP Home SP2. Before attempting to install some software yesterday I
was going to create a system restore point just in case but I noticed that
there were two restore points listed for the day before named System
CheckPoint and Software Distribution Service 2.0. The latter (and later) I
assumed to have been created as a result of a MS update that day. As my
machine was ok I did not bother to create another restore point.
Click to expand...

Automatic restore points will be created by default every 24 hours (System
CheckPoint), and before Windows Update installs updates (Distribution
Service 2.0.

It's always a good idea to create a new restore point before installing any
new software or hardware.
Having loaded the software it would not run due to an ocx registration
problem so I uninstalled it and to be on the safe side tried to run system
restore to my machine to the state it was in before loading the software. I
tried both the restore points listed above but in each case my machine told
me it could not restore my machine to that restore point and therefore had
done nothing.
Click to expand...

Are there any Norton products installed on the system?

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

Maincat

graham said:
[Snip]
Are there any Norton products installed on the system?
Click to expand...

Yes the full security suit.
Click to expand...
Get rid of the Norton software and choose something better - I use F-Secure.
Bet your SR comes back when you delete Norton. Don't forget to fully delete
Norton - get their removal tool at the web site.
 
V

Vanguard

graham said:
Anyone any ideas why I cannot use system restore on my machine. It is
running XP Home SP2. Before attempting to install some software
yesterday I was going to create a system restore point just in case
but I noticed that there were two restore points listed for the day
before named System CheckPoint and Software Distribution Service 2.0.
The latter (and later) I assumed to have been created as a result of a
MS update that day. As my machine was ok I did not bother to create
another restore point.

Having loaded the software it would not run due to an ocx registration
problem so I uninstalled it and to be on the safe side tried to run
system restore to my machine to the state it was in before loading the
software. I tried both the restore points listed above but in each
case my machine told me it could not restore my machine to that
restore point and therefore had done nothing.

Graham.
Click to expand...


System Restore will NOT return your hard drive back to the *exact* state
is was in when the snapshot was taken. By it very name, it is a
*system* restore snapshot, not a data snapshot and not a drive or
partition image backup. System Restore will not get you back to the
exact state you were in before. It only saves the registry and a few
system files. Even if System Restore gets you back working, that
doesn't mean it is all working as before or that you have all the files
in the same state as before. Microsoft did NOT give you free imaging
software.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/getstarted/ballew_03may19.mspx
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms997627.aspx

System Restore is just another tool that might help, might not, just
like a reboot might help or might not. Restore points are known to
disappear or become corrupt. Since they aren't an image, software
installed after a restore point is still left behind after the restore
and can further screw up your host. System Restore is not an image
undo.

If you want to be sure you can get back to the exact same state as
before, get some imaging software. Or learn to use VMware Server (free)
to use an instance of the OS in a virtual machine as a sandbox in which
to trial the new software (because it does include a snapshot that in a
few seconds can return you back to a base state that you saved).
 
G

Guest

Hey Graham,
It appears that the system restore utility is corrupted in your computer.
You can try to re-install it. If you have a windows installaiton Cd then
proceed. Click on Start -> Run -> inf (click ok)
You will see a file which says that "sr.inf". Rt click on it and click on
install. We are re-installaing the system restore service in the comptuer. It
might ask for the Win XP operating system CD. insert it and once it is done,
restart the computer and try doing a system restore. It might work. Byee...
 
V

Vanguard

John Wallace said:
Hey Graham,
It appears that the system restore utility is corrupted in your
computer.
You can try to re-install it. If you have a windows installaiton Cd
then
proceed. Click on Start -> Run -> inf (click ok)
You will see a file which says that "sr.inf". Rt click on it and click
on
install. We are re-installaing the system restore service in the
comptuer. It
might ask for the Win XP operating system CD. insert it and once it is
done,
restart the computer and try doing a system restore. It might work.
Byee...
Click to expand...


I'm not Graham.
 

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