System Restore On or Off? - Page 2

i have it off, dont like it. i dont really backup either, since all my important stuff is kept on my external HD anyway.

Trueimage is the best one out right now:
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing...cts/trueimage/

I also have norton ghost pro 9.0 or something and have used ghost since 3.0 its never wroked really good.

Good to here stay away from spending money on Ghost its like throwing it in a fire and watching it burn. The only reason I use it is because that is what work provides for me.

#2 ftw!!

And I also have it turned off.

Agreed. I have seen 1 instance where the antivirus found a virus inside System Restore files. Similarily, ghosting would also backup the virus as well and you end up with the same problem as system restore.

Again, just have to reiterate to users who don't dive deep into this thread. System restore is to save your system files only (ie. programs that you have installed), not your data files. If you know enough about computers and prefer to use a different method to backup your system, fantastic. If you don't really follow the ins and outs of this thread, leave your system restore on. I hope this piece of advice can help someone in the future.

Bowmah this is true that is why you get a good baseline and make the image from it.

I have to disagree with you on that one. If your not going to image your drive then install your programs put them away somewhere safe and do regular back up of your data on USB HD cd/DVD or another partion on the harddrive. Turn system resouce hog off and if something goes really sideways on you just use the restore disk.

How perforamance would one lose if System Restore was turned on? Glad to know that we can disagree and still keep the conversation going.

It takes up hard drive space and is another sevice process running in the back ground.

Another really easy way to say guard your data and some of your programs is to set up two partations on your harddrive when you first get it or have to format for any reason. say you have a 60 gig harddrive like me 20 goes to C: for windows and programs that just refuse to install on anything but the OS partation D: gets the other 40 gigs. Now my Data pics word doc's email achive etc goes to D: and anyprogram that I can install there with out if spazing out on me. So when windows takes a dump on you your covered because your data is on another partation. This dosn't help you if your harddrive pysicaly dies but it does take a load off worry about windows craping out.

System Restore saved me many times.
But then I contracted a virus that obliterated the "system32" folder...the temporal lobe of Windows.
...It's also where the restore points for SR are kept!
All data was eventually recovered by putting the hdd in an enclosure and retrieving it all, but my 22 GBs of program files were useless, and I had to start from scratch.

Since then, I have gotten a 120 GB drive, and I've partitioned it into C: -OS & Programs, D: -All my documents, web site development crap, photos, etc, and E: -Backup.
I've also installed Norton Ghost & GoBack. GoBack is located on C:, but the dedicated restore points folder for it (7.6 GB Gobackio.bin) is located on E:.

Norton GoBack is better than System Restore for two reasons; It saves your entire global configuration instead of only user system files, and it presents you with a list of files that have been created or changed between restore points which you can reinstall, like for example the email dbx files.

I use Ghost to clone my C: partition, and now I'm presently exploring the very underappreciated XP backup utility.

System Restore will be disabled for me ONLY because I have GoBack.
If you don't want to spend the time configuring a new backup utility, or if being creative and strategic about setting up a backup "plan" is not appealing to you, then I highly recommend that you leave it running.
But if you either have another backup-recovery program or you're disciplined enough to manually backup your system regularly, then SR is another "write to disk" program that probably does slow your system after changes or during shutdown while it's recording.

If you decide to use System Restore, at least take the time to configure it so that it doesn't impede performance.

A helpful little freeware that is a perfect accessory to System Restore is called "System Snapshot". (Got it from Majorgeeks.com, I believe)
It puts an icon on your taskbar that you can click any time to instantly add another restore point to your System Restore folder.

I leave it on and let it manage itself. When I need more space, I off load stuff to one of my external drives. It really helps with recovering from experimental and unstable software.

Good post Physchokitty. I have to agree. Leave System Restore on if you do not have an alternative (which is probably for most users in general).

Olyteddy: To recover space, there is an option to delete all but the latest System Restore points. Check out System Tools>>Disk Clean. Good luck!

Acronis Trueimage is all you need, VERY easy for even a novice to learn how to use, so worth it. Novices are the ones who need something like Trueimage the most when things get screwed up.

Stay away from anything that sez Norton btw.

Novices are the ones who need a disk back up soft most if there is something wrong, yes, considering it's easier and thus, more friendly for them.

However, about who will use it most, I would say not the novices. I reformat my computer more frequently than my father (I mean, I do the job, but talking about his computer), for example. That happens because I need to test so many softwares (curiosity or real necessity), while my father just do the daily activities: internet, word, free cell, spider, pinball (not the default 3d cadet one). after configuring his computer right (with his account as a 'limited user'), i don't think i will need to reformat it again for a long time. more than a year and still a good win XP installation.

I leave it on but reduce the amount of space it can use, and honestly I've never used it

90% of the time, if your computer is really screwed up, System Restore won't work anyway. I can't count the number of times I've tried it on client's computers only to go through all the long process of watching it install files, reboot, etc, to finally be told "The computer could not be restored to this restore point."

Like I said, Terabyte Unlimited's BootIt NG (you can also use Image for Windows or Image for DOS, all three programs create images that are cross-compatible with each other). A buddy of mine uses that program -- he loves it.

I see th9s is still going, so I'll pose a question for "those in the knowz"...

Can the folder where the System Resore restore points be changed?
Can I simply use "Change Of Address 2" to reroute where they are kept?

What program (prefferably freeware) could I use to not relocate the folder, but have a copy of the folder located on another partition that would update in near realtime when the restore points folder updates?

Like I say, I use Norton GoBack, but because it is global, I feel like my data partition is at it's mercy. I've found myself "locked out" of a hard drive due to GoBack malfunctioning.
Also, as time goes on, I'm more and more convinced that GoBack is sucking about 400% the resources that XP System Restore ever did.

(Gettin' kinda sick of Norton. If they put half the effort into making their products more efficient as they do into making sure their software is non distributable and installation hack-proof, they MIGHT have software worth their ridiculous prices.)