life with xp ....

[pam123]

Okay,
I just finished the defragmenting and tried to see if , with enabling APM/NT legacy node and enabling ACPI in th bios, this comp will power down properly without me reinstalling XP.
I sat through the whole defrag watching the screen and got a major scare. All the programs that I thought were lost when I did restore are , sort of, still there. Like defrag is organizing the game file from Tachyon.
This may explain why my printer was printing double but it's not what the explanations for System Restore cover.
My understanding was that , if it wasn't a restore point or in MY Documents, you could kiss it good bye.
Now it seems that it lives forever.
What has been your experiences with restore?
This may be just more grief, or, my ability to retrieve my e-book library.
I need your help!

[not important]

I've found that System restore is not very reliable, for me. I use Norton Ghost.

[HAL9000]

I have found system restore to be quite reliable and a lifesaver on many occasions. Never had a problem with it. The only thing I found that you need to know is data is not affected, but if you installed a program after the restore date that you restore to, the data will be there, but you need to re-install the program.

[Blakhart]

Sometimes changing the hal without a repair or format can lead to these types of problems. If you want acpi, you might want to format and install.

[pam123]

Hal,
The programs seem to be hanging around.
E&B reinstalls in 12 seconds.
My printer prints double till I do a full uninstall and reinstall and run RegClean ( in the printer and fax folder I now have 2 printers).
I run the defragmenter and Tachyon, a game that I should have to reinstall returns to life with no further effort on my part.

Oh, XP is hanging at start-up and I now need to restart.
What is going on ?

I used Restore once and it seemed to work but a few days later it's looking like a mistake.

[lil Jimmie]

Never had a problem with the system restore, granted I have only used it a couple times since XP RC1. I have change the HAL on one of my older systems a number of times trouble shooting a shut down issue and it didn't give me any trouble either.

[Hpro]

System Restore is another BUM FEATURE on WinXp - Disable it , make your copies of your files burn them to CDR so you can count on that it works - that's the way to go...
Hpro

[Tuf]

System Restore works fine for what it's meant to do. I have never had good luck trying to change the HAL layer without starting over. I have come close but I always have one or two issues that don't seem to be resolvable. I finally gave up even trying.

When I get a computer that doesn't install they way I want I just start over and force it if necessary.

[HAL9000]

Originally posted by Hpro System Restore is another BUM FEATURE on WinXp - Disable it , make your copies of your files burn them to CDR so you can count on that it works - that's the way to go... Hpro

I really have to disagree with you on that one Hpro. I can't begin to count how many times a customer has brought in a machine with something like the Sircam (or now the Yaha) virus, and a VERY easy repair could be done simply by restoring to a date before the virus, but they have disabled this "useless" feature on the advice of a "computer buddy". I've done numerous repairs this way to get a machine to a workable state after being screwed over from a virus or user error, but in these instances, their repair bill climbs and climbs (good for me).

[doctorgonzo]

I'm with HAL. I have used System Restore many times and I have never had any problems. It can be a real lifesaver when a program isn't quite ready for XP and does something stupid, like uninstall your TCP/IP protocol. IMO, System Restore is one of the truly useful things that XP has over earlier versions of Windows.

[Spyda]

i had a problem about a week ago, where my IE wouldnt open any java windows, and if someone posted a link on a message board, i could click the link all day and it just wouldnt go to the page, the same with links on pictures etc. the only way i could go to a different page was to find the url of the link and paste it into the address bar, this got boring after about 10 minutes of searching for something. so i restored to 3 days before, when i know it worked right, and sure enough, after the restore everything works like it should and there hasnt been another problem. Yay

[Spyda]

Originally posted by doctorgonzo I'm with HAL. I have used System Restore many times and I have never had any problems. It can be a real lifesaver when a program isn't quite ready for XP and does something stupid, like uninstall your TCP/IP protocol. IMO, System Restore is one of the truly useful things that XP has over earlier versions of Windows.

I totally agree with you there. When i had Me, the restore didnt even work, if you clicked to restore to an earlier point, it would do the little, restoring progress bar, restart and then nothing would happen, and i didnt know what was wrong, so eventually i just put in the windows CD as i thought id have to reinstall windows as nothing would work, but then it started windows. It was wierd, never used Me restore again after that.

[casey]

ME system restore works fine IF you installed the system restore patch.

[Spyda]

ah well, Im not bothered now because I've got XP, which is great

[reboot]

If enabling ACPI in BIOS does not work for your shutdown problem, set BIOS to boot from CD, repair the install.

[pam123]

Okay guys, thanks.
You've given me lots to think about and a few things to try out.

[Hpro]

Hal - have cured about 50 machines of Sircam Virus - I don't mean that I love to do it but it isn't that a big thing and those 50 machines where hooked up to a network - you know sure what I mean - Oh OS was 98 I think.

Now we do that the reverse way around by accident you have gotten a Viri , and you cleaned it - but the Viri has gone into the System Restore files already and you don't set a new Restore point neiter you could clean the System Restore files as those ones are locked by XP - now a few days later again by accident a program failure makes it necessary to to make a restore - and you make a restore of those files infected by the viri - what then??

The other thing by accident your hard drive goes bad at the place where the restore files are - what you think can boot again after a system restore? I honestly think so.

Now tell you what - This all above has happen on both OS's WinMe and WinXP to much more than one person only and - they lost theyr work and files because they thought that system restore would keep theyr files even if something really ugly happen - like damaged drive or a viri..

Burn a CD - it's always the best by far.

Hpro

BTW - My Win98 runs since 1998 without reinstall or major Screwing around - and this with changing the motherboard 3 times from Pentium Pro to Pentium lll to Pentium 4 still the same hard drives - and the same Operating System - this also accounts for Win2K which will start the third year without reinstalling.. - sorry guys but that's the truth.. and it never hangs or crashes never mind what I do and how many apps I have open..

[HAL9000]

Not saying your arguments aren't valid, but just as easy to say I pulled out my restore CD and scratched it, now I can't do a restore. Ever have a ghost image that fails to work, yet another argument against it. How do you know the CD will work unless you wipe the machine and test it? You can argue these points back and forth until the cows come home.

As for the virii infecting the restore files, well, like I said, you do a restore to before the infection, make sure the machine is clean, disable the restore so you can delete the restore files, re-enable it. On first boot you now have a CLEAN restore point to work from again. Not a big deal.

I see the system restore as a second chance, it may save the system. Would it be wise to remove the air bag and/or seatbelts from a car and eliminate your second chance of survival in a major accident?

[Hpro]

You see Hal - I actually haven't much against System Restore as long it is advertised as it is - but this isn't always the truth - and there is what I mean..
Hpro

BTW - there are ways to READ SCRATCHED CD's - need proof?
I have some of them and I backed them up because of the scratches - it is possible.
Hpro

[HAL9000]

True enuf... I can do it to, but lets talk the average person here, frustrated with what they believe to be a screwed CD as it gets thrown into the garbage.

[Hpro]

Yes Hal , here for all them look at this CD - the top color came of on some places so just to make it possible to backup it had to be repaired.. and look at the side where the data are stored - I just CLEANED this side and also the SCANNER GLAS.

Http://www.thedebug.com/pictures/scratchcd.jpg
Http://www.thedebug.com/pictures/scratchcdb.jpg

Hpro

[HAL9000]

Like I said, thats fine for somebody with the knowledge, but something like that is easily beyond the average client. If it wasn't, we would all be out of the computer service business.

[Hpro]

yes you are right - somehow..
Now you see - here I have to come back to the beginning again - I think it's unfair not to tell those who don't know what actually is going on -.have a good time there.. it's time to sleep over here...
Hpro

[crjdriver]

If you are getting the “It is now safe to shutdown your computer” screen, there is a very easy fix for this problem. Post back it that is what you are trying to fix.