Windows XP System Restore.

I can't find FREEWARE Rollback softwares aside from COMODO's which I can't install in my OS for some reason... so I'm thinking of using this Windows XP's built-in system restore function.

Is it reliable?

Is it the same as rollback softwares like Rollback Rx or Comodo Time Machine etc.?

 

Yes, it is (most of the time), but restores only the registry and files with specific extensions you will find the list at %windir%\system32\restore\Filelist.xml.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa378870(v=VS.85).aspx

Some advises:

1. Avoid restoring to the same snapshot multiple times in small periods of time (minutes). e.g. restore to snapshot x and after the reboot and entering windows restoring again to the same snapshot. Avoid it since it does give problems.

2. Create a Windows PE, BartPE disk.
When system restore fails is usually because a folder or a file in the system (most often cabs), got corrupted or its security attributes changed. If this happens system restore fail to restore the file since it cannot delete/replace it with the backup.
With the winPE/bartPE you can a run a chkdsk to fix the corruption or navigate and manually delete it after you fix the security attributes of the file.

3. Give plenty of space to system restore. This way you can have lots of restore points.

4. Avoid defraging very often. Causes the restore points to grow in space at least in Vista and 7. And is better when you want to defrag to disable system restore and reanable it after the defrag.

Panagiotis

 

Reliable after a software conflict? It does do as it says. Reliable after some spyware? Yep.

If you're thinking of using it frequently while testing your system against malware, I personally wouldn't.

 

my cousins install alot of games.
I want to use Windows XP System Restore to easily remove them without touching/damaging anything from my system.

Is that possible? or is it going to leave some registries/files from the game?

 

XP System Restore is not a complete restoration by a very, very long shot. Only the registry and certain Windows system files/folders are restored. If you want a complete solution (and I am reading that you do), then you should be using something else...

 

yes. sad to say "most" if not all, rollback software are not free. :<
Although I have disk image backup... It's incovenient to restore everyday just to revert very little changes.