I love System Restore

[yhelothar]

No need to deal with a bunch of scanning software that's a resource hog and doesn't even work a big fraction of the time.
System restore works ALL of the time no matter how nasty the malware is.
It doesn't affect the documents. Windows generally makes a new restore point every 3 days, so at worst, I might have to reinstall one or two programs. I'm surprised most people don't use this or uses it as a last resort.

 

[Kantastic]

win32/sality

 

[yhelothar]

OK almost all of the time. But it's still like nuking it from orbit compared to the leaky AV/antimalware programs.
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/tzink/archive/2010/06/28/the-efficacy-of-anti-virus.aspx

 

[Raizinman]

Once I had a problem and went to system restore. It was a new computer only days old. Well, it gave a message that system restore was not set up yet. Anyway, I realize that most people do not even think of system restore or backup until there is a problem, but are there any options, switches, or is the default OK, with system restore? What is the low down.

 

[yhelothar]

System restore... it literally takes like three clicks and 10 minutes, and is almost 100% effective.
The only time I don't want to use it is if I can easily fix it and I don't feel like rebooting.
I've come across so much malware that survived through multiple malware removers. I tried deleting all of the files associated with it in safe mode by sorting by date modified and deleting every single file since I got the spyware, and it still survived.
Spent 10 minutes with system restore... it's all gone.

 

[BUTCH1]

No need to deal with a bunch of scanning software that's a resource hog and doesn't even work a big fraction of the time.
System restore works ALL of the time no matter how nasty the malware is.
It doesn't affect the documents. Windows generally makes a new restore point every 3 days, so at worst, I might have to reinstall one or two programs. I'm surprised most people don't use this or uses it as a last resort.

System restore is kinda of a hog itself but it's a lifesaver when something catastrophic happens

 

[yhelothar]

True. But most people have it enabled anyways.

 

[BUTCH1]

True. But most people have it enabled anyways.

Mine's off but on my wife's I leave it on and also recommend noobs leave it on as well, takes awhile for people to learn what not to click on. Biggest problem I see is Google image search, for some reason or other lots of maleware-infested sites come up so I rarely use it anymore..

 

[stargazr]

Mine's disabled, partly to cut down on SSD writes. Don't miss it.

 

[classy]

I don't use system restore home and not at work where I am an admin at either. The problem with sytem restore is most of time, it doesn't work when it comes to Malware. It is fine when it comes to drivers or a known application install, but totally blows when it comes to malware. System restore likes to restore registry items, but most malware is stuck in a users profile, usually in temp folders. Even though you do a restore, the infection is still there and will reactivate again once the user loads his profile again, especially java related infections. I think if you need to do a system restore, unless it is for a driver related issue, you should do a clean install.

 

[olds]

If you love it so much why don't you marry it?

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Mine's disabled, partly to cut down on SSD writes. Don't miss it.

:thumbsup:

it never did me any good when i needed it anyway. imo, bloatware garbage

 

[lxskllr]

I always left it on when I used Windows, but I didn't find it particularly effective. Disk space is cheap enough(barring SSDs) that it's worth a shot, cause when it does work, it doesn't get much easier.

 

[mechBgon]

No need to deal with a bunch of scanning software that's a resource hog and doesn't even work a big fraction of the time.
System restore works ALL of the time no matter how nasty the malware is.
It doesn't affect the documents. Windows generally makes a new restore point every 3 days, so at worst, I might have to reinstall one or two programs. I'm surprised most people don't use this or uses it as a last resort.

I can think of several types of damage that SR will not save you from.


1. Ransomware. It encrypts your files and holds them for ransom. Using SR doesn't decrypt them, so you'd better have a regular offline/cloud-based backup routine and be keeping up on it.

2. Game keys, Windows keys and other software licenses getting heisted. Once they're gone, the damage is done. Removing the malware that sent them out the door is closing the barn door after the horse has bolted.

3. Credit-card details, eBay/PayPal/bank log-in keystrokes, WoW and Steam accounts, etc. See description of item #2 above. The malware that does this stuff isn't going to get in your face and make itself apparent, either.

4. Bootkits a la TDL-4, which modify the boot records so THEY boot before Windows itself does. Welcome to The Matrix

5. Sending out infections to your friends/family. Email's just one possibility; infecting USB devices and even adding a malware auto-run attack to CDs and DVDs are quite common.


I could probably come up with some more, but I think the point's been made. That said, I'm with you on not relying on antivirus/security software alone. It's not a reliable defense by itself. But there are free hardening steps that anyone here can handle, and I maintain a list of my favorites here: http://www.mechbgon.com/security

 

[AMCRambler]

That's what I use on my crappy little $100 laptop instead of buying an anti virus. For my desktop I actually use a virus scan cuz I don't want to have to mess around. System restore does take 10-15 min which is a bit of an inconvenience.

 

[Ichinisan]

No need to deal with a bunch of scanning software that's a resource hog and doesn't even work a big fraction of the time.
System restore works ALL of the time no matter how nasty the malware is.
It doesn't affect the documents. Windows generally makes a new restore point every 3 days, so at worst, I might have to reinstall one or two programs. I'm surprised most people don't use this or uses it as a last resort.

You have GOT to be kidding me!

After Windows XP SP2, System Restore fails 100% of the time you actually NEED it to work. I can't imagine something more useless.

I don't ever actually need it for myself, but I work with people all the time who do need it (I work in tech support). Every time I've ever resorted to System Restore, it goes through all the motions and restarts. After restarting, it says something like:

The system could not be restored to __/__/__. Please select a different date and try again.

Invariably, I can successfully restore to any restore point created *after* the system was messed up. If I select anything from *before* the system got messed-up, I get the same failure message every time.

 

[rh71]

I haven't had it work successfully for me at all. WHY?! Always just says it failed to restore after the reboot. Not just 1 machine, but 2... both XP. Tried multiple dates going back, no dice. USELESS.

 

[Ichinisan]

I haven't had it work successfully for me at all. WHY?! Always just says it failed to restore after the reboot. Not just 1 machine, but 2... both XP. Tried multiple dates going back, no dice. USELESS.

This. Used to work every time....way back before XP SP2. In other words, System Restore has been effectively useless for much longer than it was ever useful.

 

[CPA]

If you love it so much why don't you marry it?

lol

 

[Imp]

Thanks, I completely forgot that I could turn it off on my machine!

Last few viruses I had, I did the Antivir, Malwarebytes and MS SE scans in safemode, admin account, and finally my user account. That usually solves it, so meh.

 

[yhelothar]

If you love it so much why don't you marry it?

If only it had a vagina.

 

[yhelothar]

You have GOT to be kidding me!

After Windows XP SP2, System Restore fails 100% of the time you actually NEED it to work. I can't imagine something more useless.

I don't ever actually need it for myself, but I work with people all the time who do need it (I work in tech support). Every time I've ever resorted to System Restore, it goes through all the motions and restarts. After restarting, it says something like:



Invariably, I can successfully restore to any restore point created *after* the system was messed up. If I select anything from *before* the system got messed-up, I get the same failure message every time.

Worked great on Win Vista and 7...

 

[Leros]

When I cared about backing up my machine, I did full OS backups every week. My data and OS were on separate partitions.

If something went wrong with my SO, I would just restore to last week's image. The data partition would remain untouched.

 

[yhelothar]

Thanks, I completely forgot that I could turn it off on my machine!

Last few viruses I had, I did the Antivir, Malwarebytes and MS SE scans in safemode, admin account, and finally my user account. That usually solves it, so meh.

I recently had this virus.
http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Web+Search/thread?tid=6df7e15519290612&hl=en

As you could see, people are saying they scanned with every scanner out there and had no luck. They recommended asking for help on some specialist forums.

I just ran system restore, fixed it in 10 minutes.

That was actually the only time I had to use it in the past 5-6 yrs, since vista/7 has basically be secure enough to keep the malware out when I'm not noob enough to click on stuff that gives you malware.

But where I find it the handiest is when friends/family ask for computer help. I don't have to fumble with the scanners and find one that works. System restore is easy enough that I can get them to do it over the phone too.

 

[Via]

System restore saved my ass quite a few times. It doesn't work anymore?