System Restore - Part 2

Last week I dedicated my column to the Good Boot rules for successful software installations. One of which was
to always create a Systems Restore Point before installing software.

System Restore is a utility that became a permanent feature of Windows with the release of Windows Me. It allows a user to restore their computer data e.g., system files, registry keys and installed programs to a specific former state (known as a restore point) by undoing the changes made after the Restore Point was created.

Note: “Only” the system changes are undone. A user’s personal data e.g., files, e-mail and documents remain intact.

System Restore Points are created periodically, when a critical Windows Update is installed and can be created manually by a user.

With each Windows version System Restore has added new and improved features. But in my opinion Windows 7 has topped them all with an extraordinarily useful feature.

Click Start > Control Panel > Systems. If you’re viewing by Category, click System and Security > System. In the left column click System Protection. If you’re viewing by Large Icons or Small Icons (the old classic view) click System and System Protection.

Click System Restore > Next. Select (highlight) any System Restore Point and click “Scan for affected Programs”. System Restore will present all the programs that will be purged if you Restore to that particular Restore Point.

Note that the older the Restore Point the more programs that will be purged. A case in point for creating a Restore Point before installing “each and every” program. A Restore Point that to get your computer back up and running will only have to purge the errant program.

The value of Windows 7's “Scan for affected Programs” feature is that should you have to retreat to a significantly earlier Restore Point, once your computer is stable you’ll know all the purged programs you’ll have to reinstall.

Although Windows 7's System Restore utility is a significant improvement over XP and Vista’s System Restore, it should not be considered a substitute for a disciplined backup regimen of all your irreplaceable Stuff.

Apropos of backing up. Because of the number of snowbird Good Booters who have asked me to do my traditional backing up seminar before they return North, on Saturday, March 13th at 9:30 AM in the Lee Memorial Hospital Auditorium on Cleveland Avenue I’ll be presenting everything an XP, Vista and Windows 7 user needs to know to initiate an effective backup regimen. To include of course, System Restore.

Here’s wishing you a Good Boot.