Do you use System Restore in Windows XP?

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Kaido

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
50,797
6,809
136
I'm just curious. I've had issues with System Restore in the past and I'm wondering if anyone disables it. I use Norton Ghost to make recovery CDs for my computers and I don't really do much to them once they're installed, just add a new software package now and then and download updates once in awhile, so I wonder if it would be good or bad to disable System Restore.
 
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guidot

Junior Member
Jan 29, 2004
21
0
0
I do not use Restore. It holds viruses and the like. I find for advanced users its not necessary.
 
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mikecel79

Platinum Member
Jan 15, 2002
2,858
1
81
I just leave it on. It's helped me once or twice in the past. This install of XP was an upgrade of 2k that was installed before Win2k SP1 was out. I don't bother keeping ghost images of my PC. Just too much work.
 
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Navid

Diamond Member
Jul 26, 2004
5,053
0
0
This is more a matter of style as you can see from the responses!

When I install XP, one of the first things I do is to disable system restore. I use Dive Image to create an image of my C drive. It takes me 3 minutes to restore it. System restore may take shorter. But, my image produces a predictable result always. I don't need system restore.

For someone who does not have an image or does not feel comfortable using an image, system restore is a must.
 
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Budman

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
10,980
0
0
Originally posted by: guidot
I do not use Restore. It holds viruses and the like. I find for advanced users its not necessary.
Click to expand...

Yes I agree with you there,there's nothing cleaner than a good image to restore to.

Ghost is one of the best apps ever made in my opinion.
 
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spyordie007

Diamond Member
May 28, 2001
6,229
0
0
Making a ghost image is great (and I do make them of my desktops periodically) but I still run (and occasionally use) system restore.

There are some things that you dont always want changed back that System Restore will leave "as is" and Ghost will overwrite, such as account passwords (it's sometimes hard to remember what the password you used on your 6 month old Ghost image is) and machine passwords (in the event that your machine is a domain member). You can also do a lot more frequent snapshots with system restore than is practical with Ghost (mostly due to the storage space required for full images).

I've got plenty of space on all my machines so I'm not too concerned with the space that system restore uses. As far as extra I/O and processor usage from running it the hits are very minimal (not enough to notice). So my thought here is "I've got it, and it wouldnt really hurt to run it, so why not..."
 
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Canterwood

Golden Member
May 25, 2003
1,138
0
0
I always disable System Restore, as I find it uneccessary.

I just make an image of my OS drive and keep that as backup.
 
Phoenix86

Phoenix86

Lifer
May 21, 2003
14,644
10
81
I always like the option to use system restore. I have not used it on any of *my* machines, but then again, my W2K install is about 3 years old. I have on user's machiens with great success. Nothing like hitting a few buttons and going back to a safe state.

Sure it can hold a virus, but how often are you infected? SOP for virus removal is disable system restore and scan in safe mode.
 
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phatrabt

Senior member
Jan 28, 2004
238
0
0
Originally posted by: scooter1
I turn off system restore and use Ghost to make a backup image.
Click to expand...

I have 6 different images, one for each stage of my system build. I guess I'm kinda nutty...
 
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cmv

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
3,490
0
76
For the LOVE OF GOD... Do not disable System Restore on your friends and relatives computers if they are computer neophytes. Can they reinstall XP? Do whatever you want. Do they call tech support? Please leave System Restore enabled. There is nothing like someone calling in with a dialup problem and doing a quick System Restore, after the normal troubleshooting methods, to get them back online.

You might think it blows but it is handy for those of us who work in tech support. Now if only these same neophytes could learn how to disable pop-up blockers in the 2-7 security and toolbar programs they have installed.
 
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KoolDrew

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
10,226
7
81
I never use it on my Pc but I leave it on on my friends PC's. For myself I hate it because

1. I do not need it and if I do have a problem with the OS I can fix it rather then using restore
2. Uses valuable disc space (it is not alot but it's still wasted disc space)
3. When used it actually causes problems with programs that were previously installed but wre no longer installed when you resored your PC.
 
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Philippine Mango

Diamond Member
Oct 29, 2004
5,594
0
0
I think system restore (after it saving my ass a few times) is a pretty good new implementation on windows. The reason why I like system restore is because some times I will have a bad install (either my fault or just a bad file) and it screwed up my system to a point where the only way to fix it was back. I "clean" out system restore about every month where I haven't had a restore (I check the restore calendar) and right before cleaning up I check to make sure that nothing is currently wrong with the system. So then I "clean up" system restore (disable and then reenable it agian). Then I create an image of the machine which helps a lot since I know how far back that first image is. My HDDs are much to big to create an image (80GB and 120GB), an image would absoulutely make sense if I were to use it for quick reinstalls of all of my settings, programs etc.. At first I used to disable system restore but after testing it out it seems it can help a lot.
 
Malak

Malak

Lifer
Dec 4, 2004
14,696
2
0
I have used system restore twice to my benefit. I don't know if you people ghost your drives every day like system restore does, I'm sure that'd be a hassle. But the fact that it only takes me 2 minutes to restore my computer if something bad happens is something I wouldn't trade for anything.
 
Thor86

Thor86

Diamond Member
May 3, 2001
7,888
7
81
Disable it if don't use it, as it should free up some drive space at the very least.
 
VirtualLarry

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,572
10,208
126
Originally posted by: Kaido
I'm just curious. I've had issues with System Restore in the past and I'm wondering if anyone disables it. I use Norton Ghost to make recovery CDs for my computers and I don't really do much to them once they're installed, just add a new software package now and then and download updates once in awhile, so I wonder if it would be good or bad to disable System Restore.
Click to expand...
I disable System Restore immediately by default. I swear by Ghost 2003 for backups. So thumbsdown to SR, thumbsup to Ghost. :) Btw, there are numerous scenarios where Ghost 2003 will be able to save your butt, but SR won't, which is why I do the things that I do. (Severe filesystem damage due to viruses or malfunction, hardware errors/failures, etc.) The only downside is that Ghost isn't running continuously in the background, but since it takes under 10min for a disk-to-disk image, it's not that bad. I still don't backup as often as I should though.
 
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