system restore

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kue2
  • Start date Start date
RC 2 here and no problem. Actually it's creating restore points on a drive
that's not even selected! So I'm getting more than I bargained for.
 
If you are dual booting to XP your restore points in Vista are deleted each
time you boot to XP
 
As long as XP can see the Vista volume you will lose the Vista restore
points. Using Bitlocker on the Vista volume will prevent it as will using a
third party boot manager to set up Vista, or disabling the Vista drive
before booting into XP, but otherwise you cannot prevent the deletion of
Vista restore points.

This has been discussed in detail several times in this ng. Search on
"volsnap.sys" (the VSS driver) to read the explanations. It is a problem
that MS has decided not to fix since it would require an extensive rewrite
of XP in order to reconcile the differences between the Volume Shadowcopy
Services in XP and Vista. The changes to VSS in Vista are by design and
this is not considered a fixable bug.
 
This is disapointing news ;o(

I was planning on keeping my system dualboot when Vista comes out for retail.


You mention a 'third party boot manager to set up Vista" - can you suggest
one. I currently have Vista set up (dualboot). Will i have to reinstall?

If I disable the Vista drive (partition) before booting to XP, how will I be
able to boot back into Vista?

Jeff
 
Using bitlocker is your easiest solution. For a boot manager, I suggest you
Google boot manager to find numerous ones available. I haven't used one you
have to reinstall to use. Just set it up, it scans and lists the os on the
computer and you add any it missed. Since they hide the other os drives,
you will need to set up a partition for data you want to share between your
systems.
 
I use Bitlocker specifically to protect my restore points.
I have, yet, to experience a problem using BitLocker, nor
have I seen any hit on performance after encrypting Vista's
volume. Also, after enabling BitLocker and encrypting Vista's
partition, if you want to, you can turn off boot-up authentication.
That way, you don't have to worry about putting in the USB flash
drive that contains the key, or enter the encrypt password-
which is extraordinarily long. After the encryption is done, go
back into Bitlocker's settings. You will see "Turn off BitLocker"
or "Decrypt". By "turning off" Bitlocker you do not decrypt Vista's
partition, you simply turn off authentication at boot-up.

I think since RC1, users have to use gpedit.msc to enable
the option to turn on BitLocker without TPM.
Got to: Computer Configuration>Administrative Templates>
Windows Components>BitLocker Drive Encryption>
Control Panel Setup: Enable advanced startup options-
set the state to Enabled.
Then, go back to BitLocker and turn it on. It takes quite
awhile to encrypt Vista's volume.


-Michael
 
Tnx John & Michael,

My only concern now is that I do not intend to buy Vista Ultimate or
Business edition that has Bitlocker. My needs are more as a power home
user... so what can I do in a dualboot world if my version of Vista doesn't
have Bitlocker?! Back to a regular boot manager?

I guess what I am really wondering is why it would be so difficult to have
ANY version of Vista keep "system restore" safe in a dual boot environment.
Could they not be placed in a hidden directory that only Vista can read?

Jeff
 
Re: "As long as XP can see the Vista volume you will lose the Vista
restore points"

Let me ask a different question:

Let's say that you have dual boot, XP on C: and Vista on D:, and both
OS' see all drives (and, for that matter, data drives on E: thru I:).

Lets say that in XP, before installing Vista on D: (but after the D:
partition exists), you go into Control Panel (in XP), system, and select
the system restore tab, and disable monitoring of drive D: by XP's
system restore. You click the box that says "Turn off system restore on
this drive".

You then install Vista on D:

Will subsequent use of XP still cause loss of Vista restore points, with
XP's own system restore on D: disabled?
 
You will still lose your restore points. Does not matter whether the Vista
drive is being monitored or not. Sorry :-) I was hopeful too.
 
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