Has Windows System Restore actually worked for you???

i just wanna know if it really has a purpose in this world

 

It's worked for me a couple of times.
I'm the computer crash test dummy. lol

 

Yea I think once I was really really REALLY lazy to format so I did it and it actually worked fine.

 

So you normally frequently reformat your computer for the smallest reasons?

 

I got bombed by viruses on my brothers computer while he was gone, apparently some inactive trojans activated and what not. It really saved me.

 

I've turned mine off. I don't use it. It's a waste of storage space =D

 

I dont used System Restore, because, like BENDER said, its a waste of storage.

JC

 

My problem is i am too curious, I like to dig around in files to see what they do and i usually end up messing something up.

 

Yes, I use system restore quite often. I like to experiment with downloads and this is the best way to jump back and erase traces if something goes wrong. Just a couple of hours ago I downloaded a windows optional broadband hardware update, afterward the computer stuck on a useless wifi connection and refused to change to the one I use. Restore put me back. By the way, any recent improvement or option by Microsoft should be avoided like HIV. The new defender refused to download properly and rendered the older version useless and uninstallible and the new IE7 had too many bugs and issues to mention.

 

I use it quite a bit much like how luee explained it.

I'm curious though about the people saying how it wastes space. How much exactly/roughly?

 

It works. Not always. I use it when something is tricky (before upgrading drivers, installing new software etc). I also have moved my profile to another volume on disk, and sometimes restore tends to delete my .dat file and sets it to default (256k in size). That is why I always have my .dat on another drive in backup.

It saved my time on many occassions, but I understand people that hate it. One thing I can say is that it doesn't slow your comp down or anything - it eats space on your disk.

Cheers,

Ivan

 

I killed off some very nasty malware with it. Top result!

 

The system Restore function can use up as much space as you give it (up to 12% I think)... so if you have a 250GB hard drive, it can take up to 30GIGS!!!! of your space.

that's a lot.

 

It has saved me many times. I like to try different utilities and stuff I download. Sometimes an installation fails and it can mess up your system. I always set a system restore point before installing anything. As long as you uninstall right away, then you can do a system restore. Otherwise, if you have to restore too far back, you can easily confuse Windows even more - although it can be done if you are careful about having uninstalled everything you installed since that restore point first. With the gobs of disk space most people have nowadays, the little bit of space system restore files occupy isn't worth worrying about.

Who wants to spend hours reinstalling everything when a system restore does the job? Reformatting is quick, it's the reinstalling and reconfiguring everything that takes time!

 

Can someone explain what system restore is? I still dont quite understand the concept even after readinf some of these posts or if it is worth leaving it on.

 

I am a serial downloader so system restore has saved my a** many times.

 

Hmm..forgot about System Restore. It feels like years since I used Windows, although it only been months. I have used it once when I critically messed up a n essential file when tweaking, and once when I made a modded driver that failed. Unfortunately, System Restore is needed for Windows since, unlike Linux, you cannot go and edit things easily via command line if the GUI is messed up.

 

I used it alot before XP came out.

It's a shame how many times I used it on Windows ME.

The last couple of times I used Restore was on Vista RC1 & RC2 because of driver problems. Restore on Vista is the Quickest.

I rarely used it on XP.

I don't like to disable it because you never know when you might need it. Unless you backup your HD alot or have sometype of autoback up device, then it's not wise to disable.

 

I thought it was funny.

 

To be TOTALLY honest I never bothered to play with it, hit the disable button, made a ghost image of my PC (at various points) problem solved.

The one time I tried to use it I found it to be cumbersome and didn't really do what it claimed it would, so I just couldn't be bothered.

I hate Paying Microsoft to Beta test there products (for years and years)

 

Since there was no "Works Most of The Time" or "Works 90% of The Time" selection I couldn't vote. I've used it several times and it worked for me at least 90% of the time. It does have issues with Norton AV and Zone Alarm and I'm happy to say I've dumped Zone Alarm on my Inspiron 8600 and did not install it on my E1705. I still hav NAV on the Inspiron 8600 but not on the E1705. Too many issues to deal with over the years for these 2 apps. I've had to uninstal and re-install both at times after a system restore.
Just my 2 cents..

 

It works O.K. Not as good as the old GoBack program if you ask me. GoBack would allow you to manually make restore points when ever you wanted and also it automatically makes a lot more restore points than Windows Restore does.

Funny thing is, I just got this Asus G1 and tried to load GoBack on it and the system kept crashing, rebooting, and crashing. It then went into safe mode and I was able to use Windows Restore to restore it back to the single restore point it had registered.

 

You can also create restore points with the windows program.