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Windows XP system restore points question

K

kraut

Flightless Bird
I have had this system for about a year and a half with no problems
and have the daily system restore points and system restore points for
when I installed / removed / updated software for that time.

Question is how far back should I keep the restore points or files or
whatever?? Room is not a problem for now so keeping them all is no
big deal but I was just wondering.

Thanks much.
 
S

SC Tom

Flightless Bird
"kraut" <kraut3852@yahoo.comg> wrote in message
news:29nav5hbcmh3f1h7iaofjunka2ac1q407n@4ax.com...
>
>
> I have had this system for about a year and a half with no problems
> and have the daily system restore points and system restore points for
> when I installed / removed / updated software for that time.
>
> Question is how far back should I keep the restore points or files or
> whatever?? Room is not a problem for now so keeping them all is no
> big deal but I was just wondering.
>
> Thanks much.
>
>


Depending on what you have allocated for space (default is 12%), it will
keep them until needing to be overwritten, or, IIRC, 90 days.

I would hate to think of using a restore point from, say, 6 weeks ago. Any
changes made to the system will be lost, including updates, etc. If you're
thinking of going back more than a week or two, I would personally consider
disk imaging over system restore. SR is great when, as you stated, used for
undoing something a program installation may have messed up, but doesn't
protect anything else other than Windows files.
--
SC Tom
 
P

PA Bear [MS MVP]

Flightless Bird
You have 18 months of available Restore Points?

Start here: http://bertk.mvps.org/html/healthy.html
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002


kraut wrote:
> I have had this system for about a year and a half with no problems
> and have the daily system restore points and system restore points for
> when I installed / removed / updated software for that time.
>
> Question is how far back should I keep the restore points or files or
> whatever?? Room is not a problem for now so keeping them all is no
> big deal but I was just wondering.
>
> Thanks much.
 
K

kraut

Flightless Bird
On Thu, 20 May 2010 12:48:41 -0400, "SC Tom" <sc@tom.net> wrote:

>>
>>
>> I have had this system for about a year and a half with no problems
>> and have the daily system restore points and system restore points for
>> when I installed / removed / updated software for that time.
>>
>> Question is how far back should I keep the restore points or files or
>> whatever?? Room is not a problem for now so keeping them all is no
>> big deal but I was just wondering.
>>
>> Thanks much.
>>
>>

>
>Depending on what you have allocated for space (default is 12%), it will
>keep them until needing to be overwritten, or, IIRC, 90 days.
>
>I would hate to think of using a restore point from, say, 6 weeks ago. Any
>changes made to the system will be lost, including updates, etc. If you're
>thinking of going back more than a week or two, I would personally consider
>disk imaging over system restore. SR is great when, as you stated, used for
>undoing something a program installation may have messed up, but doesn't
>protect anything else other than Windows files.
>--
>SC Tom



Not sure how many restore points there are much there are a lot!!
What ever it was set to from factory or however long it was set to
keep them is what I have.

Thanks for the reply. Appreciate the help.
 
K

kraut

Flightless Bird

>>>
>>> I have had this system for about a year and a half with no problems
>>> and have the daily system restore points and system restore points for
>>> when I installed / removed / updated software for that time.
>>>
>>> Question is how far back should I keep the restore points or files or
>>> whatever?? Room is not a problem for now so keeping them all is no
>>> big deal but I was just wondering.
>>>
>>> Thanks much.
>>>
>>>

>>
>>Depending on what you have allocated for space (default is 12%), it will
>>keep them until needing to be overwritten, or, IIRC, 90 days.
>>
>>I would hate to think of using a restore point from, say, 6 weeks ago. Any
>>changes made to the system will be lost, including updates, etc. If you're
>>thinking of going back more than a week or two, I would personally consider
>>disk imaging over system restore. SR is great when, as you stated, used for
>>undoing something a program installation may have messed up, but doesn't
>>protect anything else other than Windows files.
>>--
>>SC Tom

>
>
>Not sure how many restore points there are much there are a lot!!
>What ever it was set to from factory or however long it was set to
>keep them is what I have.
>
>Thanks for the reply. Appreciate the help.
>


I decided to take a chance and delete all the restore points that are
over 4 weeks old and hope it is okay.

Thanks again.
 
M

Mint

Flightless Bird
On May 20, 9:19 pm, kraut <kraut3...@yahoo.comg> wrote:
> >>> I have had this system for about a year and a half with no problems
> >>> and have the daily system restore points and system restore points for
> >>> when I installed / removed / updated software for that time.

>
> >>> Question is how far back should I keep the restore points or files or
> >>> whatever??  Room is not a problem for now so keeping them all is no
> >>> big deal but I was just wondering.

>
> >>> Thanks much.

>
> >>Depending on what you have allocated for space (default is 12%), it will
> >>keep them until needing to be overwritten, or, IIRC, 90 days.

>
> >>I would hate to think of using a restore point from, say, 6 weeks ago. Any
> >>changes made to the system will be lost, including updates, etc. If you're
> >>thinking of going back more than a week or two, I would personally consider
> >>disk imaging over system restore. SR is great when, as you stated, usedfor
> >>undoing something a program installation may have messed up, but doesn't
> >>protect anything else other than Windows files.
> >>--
> >>SC Tom

>
> >Not sure how many restore points there are much there are a lot!!
> >What ever it was set to from factory or however long it was set to
> >keep them is what I have.

>
> >Thanks for the reply.  Appreciate the help.

>
> I decided to take a chance and delete all the restore points that are
> over 4 weeks old and hope it is okay.
>
> Thanks again.


You best bet is to turn off System Restore and use a Disk Imaging
Program.
Store the image on a second drive in case your primary goes out.

I use Macrium Reflect which is very reliable.

Andy
 
D

Daave

Flightless Bird
Mint wrote:
> On May 20, 9:19 pm, kraut <kraut3...@yahoo.comg> wrote:
>>>>> I have had this system for about a year and a half with no
>>>>> problems and have the daily system restore points and system
>>>>> restore points for when I installed / removed / updated software
>>>>> for that time.

>>
>>>>> Question is how far back should I keep the restore points or
>>>>> files or whatever?? Room is not a problem for now so keeping them
>>>>> all is no big deal but I was just wondering.

>>
>>>>> Thanks much.

>>
>>>> Depending on what you have allocated for space (default is 12%),
>>>> it will keep them until needing to be overwritten, or, IIRC, 90
>>>> days.

>>
>>>> I would hate to think of using a restore point from, say, 6 weeks
>>>> ago. Any changes made to the system will be lost, including
>>>> updates, etc. If you're thinking of going back more than a week or
>>>> two, I would personally consider disk imaging over system restore.
>>>> SR is great when, as you stated, used for undoing something a
>>>> program installation may have messed up, but doesn't protect
>>>> anything else other than Windows files. --
>>>> SC Tom

>>
>>> Not sure how many restore points there are much there are a lot!!
>>> What ever it was set to from factory or however long it was set to
>>> keep them is what I have.

>>
>>> Thanks for the reply. Appreciate the help.

>>
>> I decided to take a chance and delete all the restore points that are
>> over 4 weeks old and hope it is okay.
>>
>> Thanks again.

>
> You best bet is to turn off System Restore and use a Disk Imaging
> Program.
> Store the image on a second drive in case your primary goes out.
>
> I use Macrium Reflect which is very reliable.


The best bet is to keep SR on *and* use a disk imaging program
regularly. SR still has its uses! Running SR is *much* quicker than
restoring an image. And if SR fixes the problem, then it is the
preferred solution.

An example of where SR is preferred:

You install a program. Performance slows to a crawl. You know that the
new program is responsible. Simply uninstall the program and if
necessary, run SR, using the last good Restore Point (i.e., the one
right before the problematic installation). The reason is might be
necessary? If the uninstallation routine was not thorough enough and the
performance problem remained.

Sure, restoring an image would be equally effective, but it would take
an awful lot longer! Of course, for those times where SR does not solve
the problem (unable to boot for instance, and no other method can fix
the problem), restoring an image can be a godsend!

To OP:

As SC Tom indicated, SR is most useful when you use a very recent
Restore Point. The further far back in time you go, the more issues you
will have with it and the less effective it will be. In those cases,
yes, restoring an image is certainly the way to go!
 
K

kraut

Flightless Bird
On Fri, 21 May 2010 00:21:18 -0400, "Daave" <daave@example.com> wrote:

>Mint wrote:
>> On May 20, 9:19 pm, kraut <kraut3...@yahoo.comg> wrote:
>>>>>> I have had this system for about a year and a half with no
>>>>>> problems and have the daily system restore points and system
>>>>>> restore points for when I installed / removed / updated software
>>>>>> for that time.
>>>
>>>>>> Question is how far back should I keep the restore points or
>>>>>> files or whatever?? Room is not a problem for now so keeping them
>>>>>> all is no big deal but I was just wondering.
>>>
>>>>>> Thanks much.
>>>
>>>>> Depending on what you have allocated for space (default is 12%),
>>>>> it will keep them until needing to be overwritten, or, IIRC, 90
>>>>> days.
>>>
>>>>> I would hate to think of using a restore point from, say, 6 weeks
>>>>> ago. Any changes made to the system will be lost, including
>>>>> updates, etc. If you're thinking of going back more than a week or
>>>>> two, I would personally consider disk imaging over system restore.
>>>>> SR is great when, as you stated, used for undoing something a
>>>>> program installation may have messed up, but doesn't protect
>>>>> anything else other than Windows files. --
>>>>> SC Tom
>>>
>>>> Not sure how many restore points there are much there are a lot!!
>>>> What ever it was set to from factory or however long it was set to
>>>> keep them is what I have.
>>>
>>>> Thanks for the reply. Appreciate the help.
>>>
>>> I decided to take a chance and delete all the restore points that are
>>> over 4 weeks old and hope it is okay.
>>>
>>> Thanks again.

>>
>> You best bet is to turn off System Restore and use a Disk Imaging
>> Program.
>> Store the image on a second drive in case your primary goes out.
>>
>> I use Macrium Reflect which is very reliable.

>
>The best bet is to keep SR on *and* use a disk imaging program
>regularly. SR still has its uses! Running SR is *much* quicker than
>restoring an image. And if SR fixes the problem, then it is the
>preferred solution.
>
>An example of where SR is preferred:
>
>You install a program. Performance slows to a crawl. You know that the
>new program is responsible. Simply uninstall the program and if
>necessary, run SR, using the last good Restore Point (i.e., the one
>right before the problematic installation). The reason is might be
>necessary? If the uninstallation routine was not thorough enough and the
>performance problem remained.
>
>Sure, restoring an image would be equally effective, but it would take
>an awful lot longer! Of course, for those times where SR does not solve
>the problem (unable to boot for instance, and no other method can fix
>the problem), restoring an image can be a godsend!
>
>To OP:
>
>As SC Tom indicated, SR is most useful when you use a very recent
>Restore Point. The further far back in time you go, the more issues you
>will have with it and the less effective it will be. In those cases,
>yes, restoring an image is certainly the way to go!
>



Thanks again for all the help.
 
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