System Restore Question

Can any of you knowlegeable guys tell me if System Restore (Windows XP) restores 'My Documents' (with all of its folders & files) to its state at the time the restore point was created?

 

Hi Wendi, welcome to the forums!

Unfortunately no. System Restore does not monitor changes to personal data files such as documents, pictures, email, etc. So if you use My Documents for your personal files (and that's the default folder for such files), you need another way to keep them backed up. Also not backed up by SR are Internet cookies and favorites and most other types of files created by the user.

JA

 

Thanks Jo Ann. From what you're telling me, System Restore sure has major limitations!

Can you recommend a reliable and easy-to-use program that will backup all of our personal files? I have Acronis True Image 11, but I would like something that is more straight-forward (and quicker) to backup our personal files so that they can be easily recovered without having to go through the Acronis restore process.

 

Thanks stapp. I see that it's free and that's nice, but does Replicator make it pretty easy to specify and backup Outlook Express and Internet Explorer (as well as My Documents)?

 

Hi again Wendi,

While there are many good backup programs (some free, like Karen’s Replicator) I like AJC Active Backup because it provides transparent data protection (but it will cost you about $40). Once you tell it which folders/files you want it to monitor it will automatically back them up every time they change. It stores multiple revisions of each file that changes, which means you can get back any version of a file giving you unlimited undo capabilities. AJC’s advantage over other backup methods is that it backs up every time you save a file without you having to think about it. Your AJC archive is always up to date whereas other types of backups are often days or weeks out of date!

There are a few other similar programs (Second Copy comes to mind), but I don’t have any experience with them.

Wendi, be aware that none of the above mentioned backup programs can protect your Windows operating system (and related items) so don’t ‘put Acronis True Image in mothballs’, as it does that important job quite well.

 

Given the value of a good backup program I don't mind spending $40 for AJC Active Backup, so long as it can automatically backup My Documents, Internet Explorer and Outlook.

Peter, are you implying that AJC can't automatically backup Outlook?

 

MozyHome, free for 2GB of data, will automatically backup your files online. Only changed files are backed up. Files are encrypted.

 

Acronis has a file backup feature, not just drive imaging. Configure it to backup the files you want regularly backed up, and set a daily schedule. To restore, open ATI or double click on the backup archive. I recommend using differential backups.

You should also consider a real time backup util, that will back files up as they're modified.

 

It is called System Restore, not Document Restore ;-) If it did recover old document versions, it would overwrite all current versions in the process.

Jo Ann mentioned Second Copy, when set up properly it's set-it-and-forget-it. I like it a lot.

http://www.centered.com/

 

While the 'real-time' backup solutions like AJC Active Backup and Second Copy are a sweet idea, I found they lacked a wizard to identify the files you want backed-up (i.e., you have to know where those files are located in order to establish a backup profile)!

Therefore, I don't think they are suitable for less knowledgeable PC users.

 

Pete,
I was speaking in terms of a PC novice who typically accepts the program's default locations, without actually knowing where they are.

For example, Outlook (or Outlook Express) email settings, contacts & data, Internet Explorer preferences, favorites & cookies, and so forth. Lots of backup programs have Wizards that handle those simply by just having the user click on Outlook (or OE) and IE, (without the user having to specify where those contents are located).

 

Aaron,

You can move these storage folders to more sensible places. Off the OS partition in particular.

http://www.windowsbbs.com/windows-xp/49222-moving-windows-xp-default-folders-rev1.html

 

Specialized programs are almost always the best choice, except for a novice PC user, as Wendi appears to be (Wendi, hope that doesn't hurt your feelings)! Novice PC users need one simple-to-use backup program or chances are they won't backup!

 

Brian, I know that many of us here can do that, but I believe you (and Pete) missed the point I was making about the necessity of ease-of-backup for novice PC users (see my reply to Pete).

 

Aaron, no offense taken. I and my family are not very PC-literate. We make our share of mistakes and that's what precipitated this thread.

 

Hi Wendy

Have a look at this

http://www.maxtor.com/en/external-drives/backup-and-storage-devices/

vs

 

I wish I would have seen that 2 months ago when I bought a USB drive (also a Maxtor, but not One-Touch)!

 

Aaron Here,
You make a good argument for easy to use software. Many posters at Wilders have wanted the same thing.
In regards to this thread what are some of the easy to use programs that would accomplish what the OP wants.
Hugger