[Question] - System Restore Essentials

[pilz88]

Hi guys,

I have just formatted my HD,downloaded my most trusted win xp,AVG,ZA and ad-aware updates.Ran all scans and the drivers are OK.Now that all is in order, i wish to preserve this super clean condition by backing up all the essetials in a file and then burnt onto a DVD.

The problem is what are the essentials that make up the system restore function.I know that System State is one of them but what else?

Are these items ok?

Application Data

Local Settings

System Volume Information

Program Files.(All?)

WINDOWS(The big folder with lots of folders?)

Is there something that i missed ?

I know this is a biggie but i hope that once this is done,the next time i suffer a major crash,all i need to do is format the HD and use this DVD to put back all the necessary components in to their correct places.It sounds good in theory but i hope it works!!

Hey,i think lotsa guys will benefit from your advice in the event of the mother of all horrors-the meltdown!!

Hey,before i go,season greetings!

Title Edited - Please follow new forum rules from now on

-- Martin L

[dcyphure]

the system restore isnt really a backup,just a snapshot, instead you should use the backup utility thats included on xp cd which is installed by default on xp pro, instructions are here. or use a good backup or image utility like acronis trueimage. however restore points are saved in under x:\system volume information\_restore{558C94FD-3C7F-4954-A02D-26679E6D849E} each restore point's files are saved in a folder named RPXX where XX is a two digit number corresponding to the restore point.

[albator]

I second, clone your drive with acronis true image, you never need anything else than that powerful cloner.

[Rob00GT]

I just created an unattended install DVD with all my programs on it. When windows has problems or I screw it up, just pop in the disk and an hour later I've got my original build again.

[Takeshi]

The backup System State option is useful for backing up the entire registry - I use it for this purpose alone.

But for what you want to do, you'd be much better off with Ghost or Acronis.

[spacesurfer]

I just created an unattended install DVD with all my programs on it. When windows has problems or I screw it up, just pop in the disk and an hour later I've got my original build again.

that's a waste of time if you're installing everything all over again.

someone in this thread mentioned true image. that creates a disk image of your OS with all apps installed. that's much faster... like minutes (not hours).

i personally use norton ghost. i have never experienced a problem with it and prefer it over true image.

[Rob00GT]

Benefits of an unattended DVD install: It only takes one hour to load onto a pc, requires no user intervention at all, and all your preferences and software can be installed on ANY computer and not just the one you've been using. But to each their own.... this method works well for me and only the latest antivirus definitions and any MS hotfixes since the DVD's creation must be updated. Only my .pst file for Outlook and a directory with my data in it must be regularly backed up.

[Andromeda43]

i personally use norton ghost. i have never experienced a problem with it and prefer it over true image.

I'll gladly second that motion!

I've used Ghost since Ghostsoft Inc. first wrote it a decade ago. (long before Symantec got their grubby mits on it and started screwing with it.)

Ghost 2003 is still available over the internet for under $7.00 usd. and it's pretty much the original program.

When I first set up a PC and get it just purrrrrrrfect, I immediately make a Ghost image and let Ghost burn it to a CD or DVD. It also puts itself on the disk as the boot sector.

So, if your HD does a "Mt St. Helens" and you have to do a total reinstall of your OS plus goodies, you just boot up with your Ghost restore DVD and run Ghost and do a Restore and in minutes you're all back up and running.

I've set up this system for many of my own customers and it just works GRRRRRRRREAT!

With my SATA drive, the restore only takes five minutes from my D: drive,,,,a little longer from a DVD.

I do a restore after a backup, for a Defrag like none you've ever seen since '98 days.

After the restore, all files are in sequencial order with NO spaces and NO fragmentation.

Good Luck and Merry Christmas everyone,

Andromeda43

[spacesurfer]

It also puts itself on the disk as the boot sector.

I avoid letting Ghost backup directly to a DVD. Reason is, I have several images: one with the base installation, one after all drivers installed and all the tweaks, one after all the programs installed, and several just backup after major modifications.

I can burn several of those on the same DVD. You can emulate a ghost floppy disk. Then you can pick which one you want to restore from that one DVD.

I've noticed that you have load CD-ROM drivers to restore from DVD if you choose my method. Otherwise Ghost will know that the DVD image was not burned from within the program and won't let you restore. (Does that make sense?)