WHEN AND HOW TO USE SYSTEM RESTORE
Beginners Kaffee Klatch
Presented by Bill Wilkinson
October 27, 2012
Unless you are very careful, you can download a new program or software update, then
find that it makes your system unstable. Wouldn't it be nice if you could go back to a
point in time when your computer was working properly? With System Restore, you can.
Think of System Restore as the Undo command for Windows. While your computer is
on, System Restore takes regular snapshots of your Windows configuration, settings, and
program files. These snapshots (known as "restore points") are stored on your hard disk
so you can revert back to that point in the event of a computer emergency.
System Restore will run automatically at these times:
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At first boot
Every 10 hours of continuous system operation
Every 24 hours of real-world time
Every time Windows Update installs something
Every time you install any software using an installer program that System
Restore recognizes (such as InstallShield)
So what exactly does System Restore do?
Let's start with what it doesn't do. System Restore WILL NOT remove or modify any
personal data files such as word processor documents, spreadsheets, music & photos,
web favorites, emails, etc. More specifically, files in the Documents, Music, Pictures,
and Videos folders will never be touched. If you are unsure as to whether a file will be
affected by System Restore, keep it in one of those folders.
System Restore WILL affect your Windows system settings (the Windows Registry),
protected system files, and recently installed software. You’ll have to re-install software
that was installed after the time of the restore point you select. While System Restore can
be a wonderful tool to get your computer back to a functioning state after a virus or
spyware infestation, you should use it only in such emergencies. If you have installed a
program and suspect that it may be causing trouble, always try the Add and Remove
Programs (XP and Vista) or Uninstall a Program (Win7) in the Control Panel first.
System Restore is a rather drastic measure. System Restore will generally solve the
problem at hand, but some issues like fonts, wallpaper and desktop settings might be
altered. On rare occasions, it has been known to mess up your Internet Explorer menu bar
and command bar.
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THE LIMITATIONS OF SYSTEM RESTORE
System Restore can be useful, but it's important to note its three main limitations:
 It doesn't back up your user files and documents. System Restore focuses on
system-level files and services; it doesn't back up most files you create. If you mess
up or permanently delete an important document or spreadsheet, or want to go
back to an earlier version of such a document, System Restore can't help you.
System Restore doesn't take the place of full backups or cloning.
 System Restore isn't a true "roll back" tool. For example, if you install new
software that crashes badly, System Restore may be able to get Windows running
again, but may not erase the errant program as a whole; may not delete leftover
vestiges of the program that failed to uninstall properly; and may not clean up any
messes that the troublesome program made outside of the system file areas.
 The default settings make System Restore an enormous space hog. For reasons
known only to the programmers at Microsoft, System Restore, like the Recycle Bin
and the Internet Explorer cache (temporary files), sets aside space for itself based
on a percentage of what's available on your hard drive. This might not have been
too bad when disks were small, but with today's large hard drives, the total space
set aside for System Restore (and Recycle Bin and the IE cache) can be ridiculous:
It can amount to many gigabytes! This not only consumes disk real estate, but also
creates a huge amount of needless extra data you have to process when you do a
normal backup.
If System Restore were a 100% "roll back" or "undo" solution, it might be worth all the
activity and disk space. But System Restore takes too much and gives back too little to let
it run in its default mode. You may want to modify System Restore to make it more
efficient, more useful, and far less wasteful. There are three main approaches, and one of
them may be right for you:
SIMPLE OPTION: LET IT RUN, BUT REIN IT IN
You can reduce System Restore's huge appetite for disk space by manually reducing the
area set aside for the Restore cache area. To access that setting:
In XP, right click on My Computer, then Properties, and then the System Restore tab.
Select the hard drive you wish to adjust (in XP, each drive can have its own System
Restore setting), and click the Settings button.
Move the slider to choose a reasonable amount of disk space for the System Restore files.
Start by choosing the smallest allowable Restore area (usually a still-hefty 200
megabytes) by moving the slider all the way to the left.
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In Vista, there is no obvious way to define the percentage of the hard drive that System
Restore allocates. Microsoft thought it would be a good idea to hide the setting from
users and allocate 15% of the hard drive’s capacity to System Restore. On a 500 Gigabyte
drive System Restore would allocate 75 Gigabytes of space!
In Microsoft’s drive to create an uncomplicated system, they have restricted the user’s
ability to adjust the size of the system restore cache downward to a reasonable level. To
change the System Restore size in Vista you have to rely on a specific command line.
This process can be very complicated and convoluted and your BKK presenter is not
convinced that it is worth jumping through all the hoops.
In Windows 7, go to the Start Menu and then click on Control Panel. Select the
System applet. In the left pane, click the “System protection” link. In the list under
Protection Settings, you can see which volumes have the System Restore feature enabled.
You can also click on the partition that you want to adjust, and press the Configure
button. A new dialog will open and present you with a slider that you can use to change
the amount of storage that System Restore will use. You will find that two percent is
quite adequate.
EXTREME OPTION: DISABLE IT ENTIRELY
If you're already making regular, full backups or clones by using such programs as
Acronis, Casper or Windows 7 Backup, you don't really need System Restore at all. Your
backups already do far more than System Restore can. Good backups and clones protect
everything on your system (system files and user data) and can return every part of your
system back to a full trouble-free operation.
If you have a good backup regimen in place, consider turning System Restore all the way
off. Here's how:
In XP: Right click on My Computer, select Properties, and select the System Restore
tab. Select the checkbox labeled "Turn off System Restore on all drives."
With System Restore disabled, you'll reclaim previously wasted disk space, and also
avoid the CPU- and disk-intensive background tasks that System Restore otherwise
automatically launches from time to time.
In Vista: Click on Start, then Control Panel; click on System; click on System
Protection, deselect (uncheck) your primary drive (C), select Turn system restore off.
OK.
In Windows 7: Click on Start, then Control Panel; click on System; click on System
Protection, Configure, select Turn off system protection. OK.
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HYBRID OPTION: RUN IT ONLY ON AN AD HOC BASIS
System Restore can be handy as an ad hoc tool, when used in conjunction with full
backups or clones:
You can use System Restore to set a manual Restore Point just before you install new
software or make significant system changes between backups. This way, should the new
software fail to install properly or cause other problems, you can get your system running
in a stable state again in less time that it would take to do a full restoration from your
backup or clone. But because you're using full backups or clones as your main line of
defense, you don't have to leave System Restore running all the time: You can shut it
down once you're sure your new software is working OK, or your system change worked
out. Used this way, System Restore is a handy, temporary safety net. Here's how:
IN XP: Right click on My Computer, select Properties, and select the System Restore
tab. Deselect (uncheck) the checkbox labeled Turn off System Restore on all drives.
Once System Restore is re-enabled, manually make a new Restore Point: Click Start/All
Programs/Accessories/System Tools/System Restore. Select Create a Restore Point and
follow the prompts. Now install the new software or make your system changes. If the
new software installs cleanly or your other system changes go smoothly, you can then
turn System Restore back off until the next time you need it. But if there's a problem with
the software installation or system changes, you can use the newly created Restore Point
to set things right again.
IN VISTA: Click on Start, then Control Panel; double-click on System; click on System
Protection, select (check) your primary drive (C), OK. This will re-enable your
System Restore.
To establish a System Restore point in Vista, right-click on Computer, click on
Properties, and select System Protection (in the left column). From the System
Protection tab, click create. You will then be asked to assign a name to your restore point
(a date and time will be recorded automatically). Finally, click the create button and a
system restore point will be established. Finally, click OK.
IN WINDOWS 7: Click on Start, then Control Panel; then click on System; click on
System Protection, Configure, select Restore system settings and previous versions of
files, OK. This action will re-enable your System Restore.
To establish a System Restore point in Windows 7, right-click on Computer, click on
Properties, and select System Protection (in the left column). From the System
Protection tab, click create. You will then be asked to assign a name to your restore point
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(a date and time will be recorded automatically). Finally, click the create button and a
system restore point will be created. Finally, click OK.
WHAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU?
First, note that the default settings for System Restore are almost always needlessly
wasteful. At the very least, you should manually control the size of the Restore area so
that it's not consuming huge amounts of disk space.
Beyond that, the ideal approach for you depends on how your system is set up, how you
use it, and whether or not you make regular full backups:
For users with fast PCs and large hard drives, the "Simple" option of letting it run, but
reigning it in (see above) is probably best. With a large hard drive, losing 200MB is not a
big deal; and with a fast CPU, you won't be impeded for long when the system decides
it's time to create an automatic Restore Point. As long as you also make regular, full
backups to protect the files that System Restore doesn't monitor, you'll be well guarded
against both the smaller kinds of problems System Restore can fix, and also the major
troubles that can wipe out not only your system files, but also your data files, too.
The "Extreme" option of disabling System Restore entirely may be best if you have a
slower system, or don't want to lose disk space to System Restore; and/or if you rarely
modify your system.
If you're a "tweaker" who frequently modifies or adjusts your system; or if you
experiment with lots of new software; and if your system is such that the "Simple" option
isn't appropriate, then the "Hybrid" option is probably best. Regular backups should still
be your main line of defense, but the ad hoc use of System Restore can help correct minor
problems that may arise from errant tweaks and software installation errors.
WHEN YOU NEED TO RESTORE YOUR SYSTEM TO AN EARLIER TIME
WINDOWS XP: Go to Start>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools> System
Restore>Restore my computer to an earlier time. Then select a system restore point
from among your choices.
WINDOWS VISTA: Right-click on Computer, click on Properties, [keyboard shortcut
alternative=windows key + pause key] and select System Protection (in the left column).
From the System Protection tab, click System Restore. Click Next. Then select a system
restore point from among your choices. Then click Next.
WINDOWS 7: Right-click on Computer, click on Properties, [keyboard shortcut =
windows key + pause key] and select System Protection (in the left column). From the
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System Protection tab, click System Restore. Click Next. Then select a system restore
point from among your choices. Then click Next.
HAVE YOUR SYSTEM RESTORE OPTION HANDY
If you want to have the System Restore option readily available to you:
WINDOWS XP: Start>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>right-click on System
Restore>Send to: Desktop (create shortcut) or Pin to Start Menu.
WINDOWS VISTA: Start>Control Panel>right-click on System>create shortcut (which
will appear on Desktop)>Open System shortcut from Desktop>click System Protection in
left column>click on the Create button.
WINDOWS 7: Start>Control Panel>right-click on System>create shortcut (which will
appear on Desktop)>Open System shortcut from Desktop>click System Protection in left
column>click on the Create button.
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