Which drives and directories will System Restore NOT touch ?

  • Thread starter Thread starter wylbur37
  • Start date Start date
W

wylbur37

If I create or copy a file onto most any subdirectory on the C: drive,
even if it's not a "system" directory such as "\windows\system32",
and then run System Restore back to two days ago, the file that I just
created will no longer be there.

But aren't there certain subdirectories on the C: drive that
System Restore doesn't care about and therefore won't bother
to "restore"?

What about drives other than C: (such as D:)?
Is it safe to put files anywhere on D: and assume they'll always be
there?
 
Hi,

You misinterpret what System Restore does. It does not (as you now know)
recover lost files. What it does do is recover a system "state" where things
were (hopefully) working correctly. SR generally only affects system files,
not user-created ones.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
 
| If I create or copy a file onto most any subdirectory on the C: drive,
| even if it's not a "system" directory such as "\windows\system32",
| and then run System Restore back to two days ago, the file that I just
| created will no longer be there.
|
| But aren't there certain subdirectories on the C: drive that
| System Restore doesn't care about and therefore won't bother
| to "restore"?
|
| What about drives other than C: (such as D:)?
| Is it safe to put files anywhere on D: and assume they'll always be
| there?
|

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding System Restore in Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/newsgroups/faqsrwxp.mspx

--
Doug

I'm not an MVP a VIP nor do I have ESP.
I was just trying to help.
Please use your own best judgment before implementing any suggestions or
advice herein.
No warranty is expressed or implied.
Your mileage may vary.
See store for details. :)

Remove shoes to E-mail.
 
System restore is not supposed to delete personal files, but it can and
will do it at times.
I have witnessed it myself in several cases with people trying to use
system restore so they can export registry keys, then undo the sys
restore to re-import the keys and they are gone after the undo.
To get around this, you should put the files you dont want touched in
the My Documents folder, as it is not monitored by sys restore.
 
Hi Wylbur,

Please, there is no need to such cross posting. One or two newsgroups
will do.

If I create or copy a file onto most any subdirectory on
the C: drive, even if it's not a "system" directory such
as "\windows\system32", and then run System Restore back
to two days ago, the file that I just created will no
longer be there.
Click to expand...

What type of files are you referring to? If the files you are
referring to are system files or monitored file, then yes, theses
files will be effected by the restore.
List of Files and Folders System Restore Monitors
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/filesfolders.html
But aren't there certain subdirectories on the C: drive that
System Restore doesn't care about and therefore won't bother
to "restore"?
Click to expand...

System Restore does not monitor the My Documents folder(s).
What about drives other than C: (such as D:)?
Is it safe to put files anywhere on D: and assume they'll
always be there?
Click to expand...

If there is another partition on the drive that contains data files,
files not monitored by SR, of files that you do not way SR to touch,
then don't let SR monitor it.
Disable a monitored drive.
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/drivedisable.html
 
In microsoft.public.windowsxp.general wylbur37 said:
If I create or copy a file onto most any subdirectory on the C: drive,
even if it's not a "system" directory such as "\windows\system32",
and then run System Restore back to two days ago, the file that I just
created will no longer be there.
Click to expand...
But aren't there certain subdirectories on the C: drive that
System Restore doesn't care about and therefore won't bother
to "restore"?
Click to expand...

As you found out, SR can sometimes screw with you! Basic rule is that it
DOES NOT monitor anything in \Documents and Settings\... That's where you
should put all your personal stuff. Old DOS/WIN3 method of making
directories at the root of the drive for various purposes no longer
applies, always put your stuff in My Documents and below.

If you have more than one Drive (volume really), you can turn off SR for
those volumes that you don't want it to monitor.
 
Basic rule is that it
DOES NOT monitor anything in \Documents and Settings\...
Click to expand...

Except the desktop. Do not store downloaded .EXE files on the desktop -
move those if you don't want them gone. BTDT
Move the files to another folder (or create a <drive letter>:\Download
folder and use it) and then run System Restore.
 
I have my drive partitioned so that c: contains the system files and Program
Files and E: contains all my data files. I did not know you could turn off
SR from certain drives and it seems logical to turn SR off on my data
partition. Does that make sense?
 
In
Jeff said:
I have my drive partitioned so that c: contains the system
files and
Program Files and E: contains all my data files. I did not
know you
could turn off SR from certain drives and it seems logical to
turn SR
off on my data partition. Does that make sense?
Click to expand...


Yes, it makes sense. System restore does nothing for your data
files anyway.
 
Back
Top