System Restore Alternatives?

System Restore on Windows XP has saved my more than once, as it probably has done with many others as well. The only problem is--sometimes it doesn't work--you choose a SR point to restore to, it goes through the process, and reboots into Windows with an error message, that it could not restore the system to that point (with no explanation why).

Sometimes the system deletes one's system restore points, without asking your permission.

Has SR been improved in Vista? Does it always work in Vista? Or--same problems?

In any case, I was wondering about alternatives to System Restore. Who here has used or is using one? Do you recommend it? Does it always work, when you use it to restore a point? Any problems with it?

I am trying one now, called Rollback RX. I really cannot give any verdict on it yet. On the surface, it seems pretty good. More options than SR. But as I have not yet had a need to use it, where I needed to restore a point, I really cannot say how well it would work in an emergency. Anyone used it for a while?

It has a nice feature to use, in case you cannot boot into Windows. At the beginning of startup, you see a message from it, that says to press Home key to boot into Rollback Rx (without being in Windows), that allows you to restore points from there.

Looking at its processes in Task Manager (XP), it seems to use a fair amount of memory. I can't compare that with SR though, as whatever memory SR is using, is not listed in Task Manager.

I cannot figure out where RR saves its restore points, although I have Windows Explorer set to show hidden files and folders. I searched, and could not find the location. Windows System Restore, for example, saves its restore points in a hidden subfolder of the root directory, called "System Volume Information." At first, even seeing that folder, one might not be able to open it. But, after doing some tweaks (I forgot how, I found info directions on the net), one can get into the SVI folder. For instance, due to the problem of SR points disappearing, I have saved them to an external hard drive. If points are lost, I can copy them back to the SVI folder on the internal drive, and those SR points show up again.

But with Rollback RX, they have it so well-hidden, that I cannot find any trace of where it stores its restore points. That is a problem to me, because I'd like to know where they are, for backup, etc. Anyone know where they store their restore points?

Also--I read somewhere that rollback causes problems with defragmentation of the hard drive. That's a problem for me, as I occasionally do defragment.

As said, nice that they have the feature on bootup, to press Home key to boot into a different environment, to be able to restore points. However, I'm surprised they don't have a CD for that as well. What if the HDD is so screwed up, that that pre-boot RR feature doesn't work? It would be nice to be able to boot from CD, to restore the points.

They actually do list a recovery CD you can create. I did so, tried booting from it, but it is not what I described above. You can not restore Rollback points from it. What it is----Rollback comes with a drive imaging program called, I think Drive Image. Doesn't look as good as others, like Acronis True Image, much less options. (Of course though, it comes included with Rollback.) The CD is for restoring on bootup., a saved image (most likely on external HDD) of your internal HDD. It cannot restore the Rollback restore points at all. I think they should have included that capability on the CD. Sure, the internal solution on bootup (not needing the CD) is better, but if it didn't work, I would like to be able to do that from a CD as well.

From what I understand, using Windows System Restore, in Vista, you can boot into the Vista install disk, and without installing, restore SR points form there. You cannot do it with the XP install disk, but there are other boot CDS you can obtain, such as Winternals, that will do just that. So, Windows does have ways to boot into an environment on a CD, to restore SR points. Rollback has the way built into the system and HDD, not needing a CD. That is more convenient, but they should include a CD which does that as well.

Sorry I wrote so much, some of my thoughts comparing the two. Again, I have no idea how well Rollback works in an emergency, whether it can ever fail you, etc.

I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has used Rollback for a while, actually recovered their system with it, etc., to tell us how well it works long-term, compare with Windows System Restore, the other issues I raised above, and anything else you can tell us.

Also, if anyone could recommend other SR alternatives, please do so, and tell us about them.

Thanks in advance.

 

Acronis true image. It great for imaging your HD. I still use system restore but its always nice to know I have the acronis image if all else fails. Its also important to partition your HD and put all your important data on another partition and NOT your primary partition so when windows takes a dive all your data will be safe. Personally I think MS does a decent job with system restore. You will have a hard time finding anything better for what it does. Just image the drive and be done with it. Its the only absolute solution for when the catastrophic event happens.

 

A repair install is another option (good if Windows files are corrupted, but not very helpful for 3rd party driver/application related problems).

 

To answer your question about SR in Vista. I've had no problems with SR in Vista. Works well.

 

I've rolled back twice, the most recently to remove Symantec 10 from my computer. System restore probably won't help if you've completely butchered your user folder, but it seems pretty effective. If you're concerned with it automatically removing restore points, you can allocate a few percentage points more space.

A couple editions of Vista also come with a built-in automated imaging solution, for when your computer is eaten by crocodiles.

 

System Restore cannot fix some few and rare problems in Vista. Does Rollback RX guarantee a 100% restoration?

System restore works fine for almost two years for me and my friends.
If it does, Maybe for companies, Roolback RX will help much.

 

Yes, I have Acronis True Image. That is a backup and drive imaging program, a very good one, but I would not consider it a "system restore alternative".

Do you use Vista? I'm wondering if the System Restore has been improved from XP.

 

Yes, that has saved my butt before as well. (Although, if one does not have a recently slipstreamed install disc, it could involve a lot of updating afterwards.)

But that has nothing to do with the subject of this thread--system restore alternatives.

 

Well, even if the company did "guarantee" that, what would that mean, other than advertising? Would they pay you for your time, etc., if it did not work?

That's why it would be nice to hear from people who have used the product for some time, had to restore snapshots with it, etc., to see if the restore has always worked well, whether there have been problems, etc.

I am a little scared by how hidden it (Rollback) is, that so far I have found it impossible to find out where they store their snapshots, that it is supposed to cause problems with defragmenters, etc. (The companies recommendation for defragmenting--uninstall Rollback (which would delete all your restore snapshots), defragment, then re-install it. Not a very good solution.) In a way, I think, it takes over your system.

 

This is useless if thats their design.

Imaging Programs are excellent. A few years ago, I always used the program Power Quest Drive Image because of its simplicity and effectiveness. Too Bad it was absorbed and died.

I've tried Norton Ghost too. Acronis True Image is one of the new and famous today.

Anyway for my opinion, a combination of System Restore and one imaging program will solve all your future problems. easily...

 

I used it one hour after I received my laptop lol. I lost my internet after I uninstalled the norton that came with it. Used SR and put the norton back on. Then I used the symantic removal tool which is what I should have done in the first place. Oh and yes I am using vista premium.