Problems with System Restore Manager

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I downloaded a program called “System Restore Manager”. I liked the idea of being able to choose which restore points I kept on my system. You can also alter the number of days to keep them and some other settings. I changed the number of days from default of 90 to 60. I then highlighted the oldest restore point and chose “delete selected” and wham all of them were deleted. Not nice, I was able to create a new restore point with the app so now I have 1. I tried to contact the author first, but could not find any kind of contact link in the software or on his web page. I am running Window 7 HP 64 bit and this installed in the 64 bit directory. I tried an earlier version of this software by the same author called QRM and that worked better, but I had to use task manager to close the create restore point creator. The new app looks more polished, but it did not work properly for me, just an FYI.

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I liked the idea of being able to choose which restore points I kept on my system.

Idb,
Hello, Not being a ” fan”of “System Restore” and I’m sure that I’m going to take my “lumps” for this post, But anyone who is concerned enough about their PC and their “OS” and wants to pass along some information, deserves more information. Hold on an let me put my helmet on,…..OK here goes … System restore is a waste of time and a false sense of security when it comes to protecting your PC ! it will not backup your PC if you encounter a “real” problem … It should be more appropriately named “System Restore Maybe” over the years ( only 3 or 4 ) I have used this misnamed program with mixed results, it will work within a narrow range of problems….. sometimes. (I now always have it switched off) If a Program Fails even once it is WORTHLESS! and it has failed on more than one occasion … when i have tried to use it. Your better off with one of the many “imaging programs” that are available both free and pay for. For my money stick with a “pay for ” program (although many will disagree ) but i have done scores upon scores of “recoveries” and hundreds of “Images” with a “pay for program” and it has always come through when it counts. I will name a few
1. Acronis True Image Home
2. Norton Ghost
3. Shadow Protect
4. Macrium
5. Paragon.
You can find these programs and try them out…before you purchase … All have “bugs” of some kind because of all the various software hardware combination’s that are out there . But in their basic function they will really back up your PC… well post back when the “screaming stops” Regards Fred

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It is NOT misnamed as it will restore SYSTEM files not data or program files.

If it was named Data Restore them I might agree with your comment.

Also NOT the a “System Recover” is controlled by the OEM as to what is going to be put on the system when this is run.

It is NOT to be used to recover or remove a program or a “Program” issue and it has never been advertised as such. That said, it will restore any system files that were over written by a program install since that date of the file being used to do the restore.

I have never needed to use it on any of our machines, but I have used it on many others that had issues and I was able to get the machine up and running.

DaveA I am so far behind, I think I am First
Genealogy....confusing the dead and annoying the living

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It is NOT misnamed as it will restore SYSTEM files not data or program files.
If it was named Data Restore them I might agree with your comment.

DaveA,
Hello… The comment “System Restore Maybe” was meant to convey the fact that it does not always “work as advertised” The real problem is that many people do NOT realize that System Restore will NOT recover all your files ,data , programs. System Restore, in my opinion is a very misleading and poor choice of words.I would be willing to wager that if asked most new PC users think that the “system” is your PC…. everything. (to know the difference between your OS and your Data etc.) I know i didn’t when i first started with using PC’s about 3or 4 years ago. So…. the bottom line is why would you trust a program to do anything important if it fails randomly? Just my experience . Regards Fred

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Those with Win7 interested in accessing “System Restore” capabilities
should consider activating “GodMode” according to the Tutorial at
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial158.html .

Once activated, One of the Choices in its “Action Center” is
“Restore your computer to an earlier time” .

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Those with Win7 interested in accessing “System Restore” capabilities
should consider activating “GodMode” according to the Tutorial at
http://www.bleepingc…utorial158.html .

Once activated, One of the Choices in its “Action Center” is
“Restore your computer to an earlier time” .

The so called “God Mode” is not needed for that. With Windows 7, just go to Control Panel | System and Security. “Restore your computer…” is one of the selection under Action Center.

Joe

--Joe

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I agree that Images are much more effective than System Restore. System Restore does on occasion work for me, but more often than not, it does not work! And I’m not talking about apps or data. It is a basic tool that may help, but is not nearly as effective as an image. In my experience, I have to agree with Fred. System Restore has a place, perhaps it will help, but I have wasted a lot of time trying System Restore without success. For my time, I’ll take an image every time.

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When I start getting a lot of unnecessary System Restore Points, but I want to keep a few interim system checkpoints in the series, I use CCleaner. It has an Options button for System Restore. This Option manages all but the most recent Restore Point. If I do not trust the most recent Restore Point, I create a new one and delete all the irrelevant interim checkpoints. When changing or updating a lot of programs, CCleaner is a real godsend. And it does not need God Mode to work.

And System Restore has helped me at times when a Microsoft Update or a bad software installation rendered Windows unstable, even after removing as much of the bad installation as I could. Nothing beats a current Image Backup, but System Restore is in many cases a quick and dirty way of restoring Windows if something relatively minor to moderate has gone wrong.

-- rc primak

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xxClone avoids all the nonsense … it’s free … it may take some time … but it works perfectly.

Clone to a new drive (make sure you use the included tool to make the new drive bootable) … disconnect your old drive … connect your new drive as the master … and Voila! You’re off and running … system AND data intact!

You do have to have the same size drive or bigger that you are cloning to, but the price of drives is peanuts today!

I clone a 320GB (C:)drive with only 17GB on it in about 35 minutes. I suspect if you had 40 or 50 GB on it, it would take considerably more time … but it works like gangbusters … between that and ERUNT … I’ve disabled “System Restore” totally … and that is saving some time on booting up also.

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xxClone avoids all the nonsense … it’s free … it may take some time … but it works perfectly.

Clone to a new drive (make sure you use the included tool to make the new drive bootable) … disconnect your old drive … connect your new drive as the master … and Voila! You’re off and running … system AND data intact!

You do have to have the same size drive or bigger that you are cloning to, but the price of drives is peanuts today!

I clone a 320GB (C:)drive with only 17GB on it in about 35 minutes. I suspect if you had 40 or 50 GB on it, it would take considerably more time … but it works like gangbusters … between that and ERUNT … I’ve disabled “System Restore” totally … and that is saving some time on booting up also.

Roger,
Hello,
As stated in many previous threads.. “Cloning” , “Imaging” , and “System Restore” all have a place and use. Each of them fill their own “niche” and are not at all the same….. some examples….
Imaging.. With Acronis true image home 2010 i can do a complete image of my OS (around 24 GB) with validation in less than 7 minuets. No removal or switching around anything.

Cloning …i use for my data drive (around 522 GB) Has all my data Backup images etc.Swap out about once a month.

System Restore .. has marginally worked for me,(more times not) and i also have it turned off. But as Bob has pointed out it has its place too.

ERUNT …don’t know what OS your using ….but in my attempts to use it in Vista … it didn’t work except for crashing my PC .
Regards Fred

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Fred
I had ERUNT installed on a Vista 64bit system and now have it on my Windows7 64bit box. You have to turn off user account control. From the web site.
Question: Do ERUNT and NTREGOPT run on Windows 7?
Answer: ERUNT and NTREGOPT in their current versions 1.1j are still compatible with Windows 7, but as in Vista, they will only work correctly if you turn off User Account Control in Windows’ Control Panel (move the slider to the lowest position). Regards, Rogermac

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Fred
I had ERUNT installed on a Vista 64bit system and now have it on my Windows7 64bit box. You have to turn off user account control. From the web site.
Question: Do ERUNT and NTREGOPT run on Windows 7?
Answer: ERUNT and NTREGOPT in their current versions 1.1j are still compatible with Windows 7, but as in Vista, they will only work correctly if you turn off User Account Control in Windows’ Control Panel (move the slider to the lowest position). Regards, Rogermac

Roger,
Hello…. I have never used “UAC” in its “pristine form” in Vista or “7” 32 or 64 bit. I have used a program called “Winbubble” and have it set to “elevate without prompting” so i don’t know if that had anything to do with ERUNT’s failure (Vista), just couldn’t stand the “nag screens” Have since moved on to Acronis now version 2010 and i think it’s their best so far (of 10, 11, 2009) and think that backing up the registry is a waste of time, as i have previously stated that i can backup my whole “OS” of about 24GB in less than 7 minutes (with verification).. as well as restore. So in my opinion … it’s not worth “fooling with” … Acronis doesn’t care what you have the “UAC” set to. I would suggest that you if you have not done so already , look into a backup program free or otherwise, as there are too many things that can go wrong with just a registry backup. Regards Fred

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Fred,
I already have Acronis. I also have ERUNT. I’ve used it a couple of times for minor mistakes I’ve made instead of doing a complete backup restore.Works great for me. I was trying to explain why ERUNT didn’t work on your vista system that’s all. Roger.

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Fred,
I already have Acronis. I also have ERUNT. I’ve used it a couple of times for minor mistakes I’ve made instead of doing a complete backup restore.Works great for me. I was trying to explain why ERUNT didn’t work on your vista system that’s all. Roger.

Rogermac,
Thanks for the “tip”, as I’m sure that there are many “out there ” in PC land who need to know that .In my case when i “trash my OS ” most likely a “reg fix ” just wouldn’t do it …as i am an incurable tinkerer… probably why it didn’t work in the first place. Regards Fred

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Fred, You and me both. I have had to restore from an Image much more often recently, probably because I’m not afraid to try new things now because the restoration takes about 15 minutes if my Image is up to date. Just today I Imaged both the wife’s and my laptops. I’m now trying a beta version of MSE, which is supposed to integrate better with IE and Win firewall. I’ll see how it works. I also do not rely on System Restore because more often than not it does not fix the problem. To be fair, it has worked at times, and when it does, it takes somewhat less time than an Image restore, but quite often the time spent trying System Restore ends up being time wasted. What can I say, I am firmly on the side of Imaging. I have restored both our laptops recently, have no idea what happened to the wife’s, but mine are due to me! Cheers! Ted

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