I think that CCleaner should be able to make a System Restore Point before every session or at least before the registry cleanup sessions. Registry Mechanic does this. How hard would this be to implement in CCleaner?
Giving the option to make System Restore Points might be nice, but I think the default installation should have the option left unchecked. CCleaner already makes registry backups, in case you accidently remove an entry that you want. And the registry scanner is extremely safe; it doesn't touch anything that could possibly wreak havoc with your system.
So the Restore Point would be fine for people who have an unstable system, or who are very cautious, but for most users (such as myself), that would really just slow down the removal process, as it takes several seconds to generate a Restore Point.
one question here... will System Restore restore any type of files...?
one question here... will System Restore restore any type of files...?
System Restore only backs up certain things, but I'm not sure what exactly all of those things are. I do know that System Restore will not restore files that you deleted. For example, if you make a Word document, and then make a Restore Point, then delete that document, and use the Restore Point, you won't get that document back.
I think it mostly backs up things like Windows settings, and registry entries, and hardware drivers and such, but I'm not sure how much and which ones.
I think that CCleaner should be able to make a System Restore Point before every session or at least before the registry cleanup sessions. Registry Mechanic does this. How hard would this be to implement in CCleaner?
Why would you make a LARGE restore point when ccleaner prompts a user to make a backup of the registry entries it is about to remove?
I have System Restore turned off now.
I had it turned on for about two years and never had to use it.
All of the system utilities that I use create their own backups that I would rather use as they are MUCH smaller.
Why would you make a LARGE restore point when ccleaner prompts a user to make a backup of the registry entries it is about to remove?
Yeah, that was kind of what I was thinking. Plus, it takes so long to make them... especially on uber slow computers like mine. To have it as a feature that is turned off by default might be nice, but even then, I would only want it if it only adds a small amount to the installer. Otherwise, it seems like a waste.
System Restore only backs up certain things, but I'm not sure what exactly all of those things are. I do know that System Restore will not restore files that you deleted. For example, if you make a Word document, and then make a Restore Point, then delete that document, and use the Restore Point, you won't get that document back.
Actually, it will - standard MS documents (word, excel, etc.) if saved in My Documents folders will be recovered with System Restore.
Have a look at HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\BackupRestore\FilesNotToBackup
am sure there is similar keys for 'to backup' (index.dat etc. isn't recovered)
B.
(Just for the record - I haven't used system restore for over a year. Treat ur MC with respect and it wont die)
And anyway, system restore will only allow your system to boot (with MS apps) - it does not remember ur apps./games/docs./etc so you loose everything anyhow.
So you're saying it will back up strictly MS file types, and nothing else? If so, that makes me despise MS even more. If that is the case, it isn't "System Restore" at all; it is "Microsoft Restore".
If System Restore is used with ZoneAlarm installed it can cause a boat load of problems, especially if a current restore point wasn't created.
Actually, lokoike was right, it doesn't back up any data.Actually, it will - standard MS documents (word, excel, etc.) if saved in My Documents folders will be recovered with System Restore.
From Microsoft: "System Restore protects your personal files by not restoring any files in the My Documents folder. It also does not restore any files that use common data file name extensions, such as .doc or .xls." All the details are in Help and Support.
It does back up most non-Microsoft app's but it monitors changes to specific file type extensions to do this so some app's using unusual extensions may not restore properly.
I don't use Windows System Restore because my office IT support guys recommend against it; apparently some viruses can use it to make themselves persistent. I use another app that creates restore points when I backup my files to an external backup drive. It allows me the option to restore everything (system, apps & data), just system & apps (like Windows Restore), or just selected data.
Besides, if you're using CCleaner to clean out your c***, why would you want it to first make a copy of your c***?
Besides, if you're using CCleaner to clean out your c***, why would you want it to first make a copy of your c***?
Good point.
Thanks for clearing that up.
I would like to add one more thing! I thought that this was interesting.
"The file types that System Restore monitors are many but include most of the extensions that you typically see when you install new software (e.g., .cat, .com, .dll, .exe, .inf, .ini, .msi, .ole, .sys). Note that only application installations that use a System Restore restorept.api-compliant installer will trigger the creation of a restore point.
Typically, system recoveries are easiest when you know *or think you know* what caused the problem (e.g., a recently installed device driver). In some cases, System Restore might not be the best choice for correcting a problem you're experiencing. System Restore changes many different files and registry entries, and in some cases might replace too much and actually cause more problems than it solves. For example, say you install Office XP, which triggers System Restore to create a restore point, and the software suite works great. Later in the day, you download and install an updated video driver, and because the driver is signed, the installation doesn't trigger System Restore to create a restore point. Now your system hangs on occasion, and you believe that the video driver is the culprit. In this case, you should use the Device Driver Rollback utility because it will address the device-driver problem only and not change anything else on your system. System Restore would roll your computer back to a preOffice XP state, and you would have to reinstall the entire software suite after you resolved the driver problem." (Microsoft Corporation)
I would like to add one more thing! I thought that this was interesting.
"The file types that System Restore monitors are many but include most of the extensions that you typically see when you install new software (e.g., .cat, .com, .dll, .exe, .inf, .ini, .msi, .ole, .sys). Note that only application installations that use a System Restore restorept.api-compliant installer will trigger the creation of a restore point.
Typically, system recoveries are easiest when you know *or think you know* what caused the problem (e.g., a recently installed device driver). In some cases, System Restore might not be the best choice for correcting a problem you're experiencing. System Restore changes many different files and registry entries, and in some cases might replace too much and actually cause more problems than it solves. For example, say you install Office XP, which triggers System Restore to create a restore point, and the software suite works great. Later in the day, you download and install an updated video driver, and because the driver is signed, the installation doesn't trigger System Restore to create a restore point. Now your system hangs on occasion, and you believe that the video driver is the culprit. In this case, you should use the Device Driver Rollback utility because it will address the device-driver problem only and not change anything else on your system. System Restore would roll your computer back to a preOffice XP state, and you would have to reinstall the entire software suite after you resolved the driver problem." (Microsoft Corporation)
I hate System Restore ..!
Anyway, to concur with all above, and to hopefully give more info ....
Microsoft have deemed their own files (ms doc, ms excel doc, etc.) as protected files [you would too if u wrote the OS], and if these files are in the My Documents folder, they will/should be included in the sys restore.
quote
"Windows Me/XP System Restore maintains copies of protected (f they are one of the protected file type e.g. *.doc, *.xls etc) files.
By default, many document types, such as .doc and .xls files in My Documents, are protected.
Windows Me/XP System Restore maintains copies of protected files.
Erasing the original file does not wipe the copy that Windows Me/XP System Restore maintains, it eliminates the file's contents from the disk, but does not remove the file name.
While the file name remains on disk, it is no longer visible in Windows Explorer, but there is no data stored with it."
If u had a doc in C:Doc\test1.doc folders and a doc in C:\Documents and Settings\User\test2.doc and ur system crashed, I can almost be sure system restore would recover test2.doc only (although some disk restore utils may get test1.doc back, but not test1.doc)
(uneraser depending :-)
Superb
Mr B.
I hate System Restore ..!
Anyway, to concur with all above, and to hopefully give more info ....
Microsoft have deemed their own files (ms doc, ms excel doc, etc.) as protected files [you would too if u wrote the OS], and if these files are in the My Documents folder, they will/should be included in the sys restore.
quote
"Windows Me/XP System Restore maintains copies of protected (f they are one of the protected file type e.g. *.doc, *.xls etc) files.
By default, many document types, such as .doc and .xls files in My Documents, are protected.
Windows Me/XP System Restore maintains copies of protected files.
Erasing the original file does not wipe the copy that Windows Me/XP System Restore maintains, it eliminates the file's contents from the disk, but does not remove the file name.
While the file name remains on disk, it is no longer visible in Windows Explorer, but there is no data stored with it."
If u had a doc in C:Doc\test1.doc folders and a doc in C:\Documents and Settings\User\test2.doc and ur system crashed, I can almost be sure system restore would recover test2.doc only (although some disk restore utils may get test1.doc back, but not test1.doc)
(uneraser depending :-)
Superb
Mr B.
It would be nice if CCleaner could determine if in SAFE MODE, and prompt the user if he wants a Restore Point created prior to messing with the registry.
As mentioned by Glenn, if you should happed to get malware in and a system restore point is created, it will save the malware problem in the restore point (in the System Volume Information folder). The only way I have been able to determine that is that using some boot program (I use System Commander), which allowed me to view the system volume information folder, and determine what was in there.
Once I determined that, I was able to take appropriate actions. Microsoft now has a free-scanner at Windows Live which will scan your system and report such problems. I have yet let it clean things, but I was able to determine where the malware problem was.
System Restore is a great thing for technicians; it contains automatic full hive versions of the registry (see DjLizard.net wiki: SVI)
System Restore is exactly that, System restore, not Document restore. If you were working on a document, and went back to a SR point, it would delete your document or roll-back changes to it, which would be worse than just leaving it alone. If you want your documents backed up, then back them up. Document backups are your issue, and they don't belong to the system.
burtman: ControlSet001 is a backup of CurrentControlSet (used for Last Known Good purposes) and thus, isn't a reliable source of information. If you look at HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet, it's probably the same, but at any rate, it is specifying files that the Volume Shadow Copy service cannot possibly get a reliable snapshot of (and files you wouldn't want a snapshot of, such as the hibernation file), and all of the files 'not to backup' are logs and metadata created by services and applications built into Windows that you wouldn't need copies of. This list is used more by backup software (NTBackup, Veritas, and other programs that utilize the Shadow Copy Service) than System Restore (which has a specific set of data to backup). Check my aforementioned wiki page (SVI) for information on how to peek inside your System Volume Information folder.
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System Restore within an application works differently than creating a full System Restore point (and thus, is 1000% faster).
The pseudocode is as such:
SystemRestorePoint.Begin
<Application makes its changes>
SystemRestore.End
It only makes a restore point containing changes made by the application, which takes just a few moments. Notice how Spybot's SR point creation works. It's fast. System Restore is a godsend for me, because I can rescue customer machines that other people thought would require a complete reinstallation of Windows.
I was wondering the same question re: restore after deletion. i have lost a .ddl file and part of a driver for a jpeg codec (VFW)
can anyone help???
Eric
Incorrect. Because System Restore does not record changes to document files, it cannot and will not delete nor roll back changes to documents under normal circumstances. The only situation where this might happen is a document, e.g., a ReadMe.txt, within a system or program folder that was deleted by rolling back.If you were working on a document, and went back to a SR point, it would delete your document or roll-back changes to it, ...
System Restore is exactly that, System restore, not Document restore.
I think that DjLizard is saying that System Restore restores system files, and that is why it is called System restore.
If you were working on a document, and went back to a SR point, it would delete your document or roll-back changes to it, which would be worse than just leaving it alone. If you want your documents backed up, then back them up. Document backups are your issue, and they don't belong to the system.
This is a hypothetical situation. It explains why system restore doesn't include document restore.
What she said.