Windows XP system restore points question

  • Thread starter Thread starter kraut
  • Start date Start date
K

kraut

Guest
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.
 
"kraut" 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
 
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.
 
On Thu, 20 May 2010 12:48:41 -0400, "SC Tom" 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 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.
 
On May 20, 9:19 pm, 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.


>

> >>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
 
Mint wrote:

> On May 20, 9:19 pm, 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.


>>

>>>> 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!
 
On Fri, 21 May 2010 00:21:18 -0400, "Daave" wrote:



>Mint wrote:

>> On May 20, 9:19 pm, 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.

>>>

>>>>> 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.
 
Back
Top