Can Old Restore Points Be Used With New Windows Install?

[Guest Will]

I have a massively corrupted Windows XP SP3 installation that may require a

new install of Windows. My system restore points are intact in the system

information folder. After creating a new install of Windows, is it able to

restore Windows' system state using those old restore points that were

created with a different install of Windows?

 

It would be an extremely nice feature to have if not. All of my

installed software on this system is intact. I really just need to recover

the original registry and system32 subtree.

 

--

Will

[Guest Twayne]

Re: Can Old Restore Points Be Used With New Windows Install?

 

> I have a massively corrupted Windows XP SP3 installation that may

> require a new install of Windows. My system restore points are

> intact in the system information folder. After creating a new

> install of Windows, is it able to restore Windows' system state using

> those old restore points that were created with a different install

> of Windows?

>

> It would be an extremely nice feature to have if not. All of my

> installed software on this system is intact. I really just need to

> recover the original registry and system32 subtree.

 

No. Even if you could, since I'd assume you can't use them to fix it

now, it wouldn't fix anything. But no, it just won't work,

unfortunately.

[Guest Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Re: Can Old Restore Points Be Used With New Windows Install?

 

 

"Will" <westes-usc@noemail.nospam> wrote in message

news:pPqdnZrKwamMTv7VnZ2dnUVZ_qbinZ2d@giganews.com...

>I have a massively corrupted Windows XP SP3 installation that may require a

> new install of Windows. My system restore points are intact in the

> system

> information folder. After creating a new install of Windows, is it able

> to

> restore Windows' system state using those old restore points that were

> created with a different install of Windows?

>

> It would be an extremely nice feature to have if not. All of my

> installed software on this system is intact. I really just need to

> recover

> the original registry and system32 subtree.

>

> --

> Will

>

 

The original registry does NOT contain any references to your installed

software but the corrupted registry does. You are therefore asking for

the impossible.

[Guest PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Re: Can Old Restore Points Be Used With New Windows Install?

 

> ...After creating a new install of Windows, is it able to

> restore Windows' system state using those old restore points that were

> created with a different install of Windows?

 

No.

> I have a massively corrupted Windows XP SP3 installation...

 

Details, please?

 

Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available for

Windows XP, but only for Service Pack 3 (SP3), until 14 Apr-09. Chat and

e-mail support is available only in the United States and Canada.

 

• US:

http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131

 

• CA:

http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-ca&prid=11273&gprid=522131

 

• UK:

http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-gb&prid=11273&gprid=522131

 

• AU:

http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-au&prid=11273&gprid=522131

 

• Other: http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?gprid=1173 | select

Windows XP | select Windows XP Service Pack 3

--

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)

MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002

AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net

DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

 

 

Will wrote:

> I have a massively corrupted Windows XP SP3 installation that may require

> a

> new install of Windows. My system restore points are intact in the

> system

> information folder. After creating a new install of Windows, is it able

> to

> restore Windows' system state using those old restore points that were

> created with a different install of Windows?

>

> It would be an extremely nice feature to have if not. All of my

> installed software on this system is intact. I really just need to

> recover

> the original registry and system32 subtree.

[Guest Will]

Re: Can Old Restore Points Be Used With New Windows Install?

 

The registry whose copies were made in the system restore point does contain

references to the installed software. So if you did a fresh install, and

if you could recover those registry files in the system restore points, you

would regain the references to the installed software.

 

If you cannot use the restore points with a new install, it gets mute.

 

I'll probably inspect into the restore points to see if the registry files

were backed up there in their original form without encrypting or

compression. If so, I might be able to copy them over manually using an

ERD Commander boot disk.

 

It's starting to look like brain surgery for my computer no matter which

recovery method I use.

 

--

Will

 

"Pegasus (MVP)" <I.can@fly.com.oz> wrote in message

news:uFad7P71IHA.5944@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>

> "Will" <westes-usc@noemail.nospam> wrote in message

> news:pPqdnZrKwamMTv7VnZ2dnUVZ_qbinZ2d@giganews.com...

>>I have a massively corrupted Windows XP SP3 installation that may require

>>a

>> new install of Windows. My system restore points are intact in the

>> system

>> information folder. After creating a new install of Windows, is it able

>> to

>> restore Windows' system state using those old restore points that were

>> created with a different install of Windows?

>>

>> It would be an extremely nice feature to have if not. All of my

>> installed software on this system is intact. I really just need to

>> recover

>> the original registry and system32 subtree.

>>

>> --

>> Will

>>

>

> The original registry does NOT contain any references to your installed

> software but the corrupted registry does. You are therefore asking for

> the impossible.

>

[Guest Will]

Re: Can Old Restore Points Be Used With New Windows Install?

 

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABearMVP@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:%23JlHNn71IHA.2292@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>> ...After creating a new install of Windows, is it able to

>> restore Windows' system state using those old restore points that were

>> created with a different install of Windows?

>

> No.

>

>> I have a massively corrupted Windows XP SP3 installation...

>

> Details, please?

 

It is in other threads here. I turned on the computer four days after

doing a long COMPLETE/NAME defrag in O&O defrag on a Windows XP Media Center

SP3 install. At minimum, these three folders have disappeared:

 

c:\windows\system

c:\windows\system32

c:\windows\repair

 

I don't mean the folders are empty. I mean they do not exist. They are

not hidden. They do not exist. I've never seen anything like this. I

almost wonder if it was a virus/trojan, because those are really strategic

and related system folders for Windows and it seems like a surgical strike.

Everything else on the drive looks to be intact.

 

At this point I could attempt to restore the system32 from a very old

backup, onto a different computer, then manually copy over those files to

the affected system using an ERD Commander boot disk and a USB flash drive.

I could hope to boot the system from that old backup, then apply the latest

windows updates.

 

If I could get that far, would the system agree to restore from a more

recent system restore point? If those become unusable as soon as I try to

recover from a backup, I may have to inspect inside of those restore point

folders (you can do this from ERD Commander) and copy off the registries

hoping to later restore them manually.

 

> Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available for

> Windows XP, but only for Service Pack 3 (SP3), until 14 Apr-09. Chat and

> e-mail support is available only in the United States and Canada.

>

> • US:

> http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131

 

I'm not sure I need help installed SP3, and probably until I get to a level

2 person at Microsoft I'm not going to get someone who could help with

something this tricky.

 

--

Will

 

 

 

> Will wrote:

>> I have a massively corrupted Windows XP SP3 installation that may require

>> a

>> new install of Windows. My system restore points are intact in the

>> system

>> information folder. After creating a new install of Windows, is it able

>> to

>> restore Windows' system state using those old restore points that were

>> created with a different install of Windows?

>>

>> It would be an extremely nice feature to have if not. All of my

>> installed software on this system is intact. I really just need to

>> recover

>> the original registry and system32 subtree.

[Guest Bill in Co.]

Re: Can Old Restore Points Be Used With New Windows Install?

 

 

 

Will wrote:

> The registry whose copies were made in the system restore point does

> contain

> references to the installed software. So if you did a fresh install,

> and

> if you could recover those registry files in the system restore points,

> you

> would regain the references to the installed software.

>

> If you cannot use the restore points with a new install, it gets mute.

>

> I'll probably inspect into the restore points to see if the registry files

> were backed up there in their original form without encrypting or

> compression. If so, I might be able to copy them over manually using an

> ERD Commander boot disk.

>

> It's starting to look like brain surgery for my computer no matter which

> recovery method I use.

>

> --

> Will

 

Reading this (and your succeeding post), I think you're at the point now

where you NEED to do a new install, and just start all over. I don't see

how your going to be able to patch it (even with the contents of that System

Volume Information Folder), and especially given that all your

windows\system folders have mysteriously vanished!

 

As that old saying goes, "you're swinging at the bell". Maybe it's time

to bite the bullet, and you'll undoubtedly end up saving time this way,

anyways (vs a neverending story of an impossible resurrection, at least from

what I can tell here) Just copy what you can (if at all possible) off of

that drive before doing so.

> "Pegasus (MVP)" <I.can@fly.com.oz> wrote in message

> news:uFad7P71IHA.5944@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>>

>> "Will" <westes-usc@noemail.nospam> wrote in message

>> news:pPqdnZrKwamMTv7VnZ2dnUVZ_qbinZ2d@giganews.com...

>>> I have a massively corrupted Windows XP SP3 installation that may

>>> require

>>> a

>>> new install of Windows. My system restore points are intact in the

>>> system

>>> information folder. After creating a new install of Windows, is it

>>> able

>>> to

>>> restore Windows' system state using those old restore points that were

>>> created with a different install of Windows?

>>>

>>> It would be an extremely nice feature to have if not. All of my

>>> installed software on this system is intact. I really just need to

>>> recover

>>> the original registry and system32 subtree.

>>>

>>> --

>>> Will

>>>

>>

>> The original registry does NOT contain any references to your installed

>> software but the corrupted registry does. You are therefore asking for

>> the impossible.

[Guest PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Re: Can Old Restore Points Be Used With New Windows Install?

 

> It is in other threads here.

 

Sorry, but we're dealing with this thread now. It's always best to post

any/all follow-up in replies to one (1) thread.

> ...I turned on the computer four days after

> doing a long COMPLETE/NAME defrag in O&O defrag on a Windows XP Media

> Center

> SP3 install. At minimum, these three folders have disappeared:

>

> c:\windows\system

> c:\windows\system32

> c:\windows\repair

 

Does the behavior persist if you uninstall WinXP SP3 via Add/Remove

Programs?

>> Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available for

>> Windows XP, but only for Service Pack 3 (SP3), until 14 Apr-09. Chat and

>> e-mail support is available only in the United States and Canada.

>>

>> • US:

>> http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131

>

> I'm not sure I need help installed SP3, and probably until I get to a

> level

> 2 person at Microsoft I'm not going to get someone who could help with

> something this tricky.

 

Look again: If installing SP3 caused the problem, you have an installation

and/or compatibility problem.

--

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)

MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002

AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net

DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

 

 

Will wrote:

> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABearMVP@gmail.com> wrote in message

> news:%23JlHNn71IHA.2292@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>> ...After creating a new install of Windows, is it able to

>>> restore Windows' system state using those old restore points that were

>>> created with a different install of Windows?

>>

>> No.

>>

>>> I have a massively corrupted Windows XP SP3 installation...

>>

>> Details, please?

>

> It is in other threads here. I turned on the computer four days after

> doing a long COMPLETE/NAME defrag in O&O defrag on a Windows XP Media

> Center

> SP3 install. At minimum, these three folders have disappeared:

>

> c:\windows\system

> c:\windows\system32

> c:\windows\repair

>

> I don't mean the folders are empty. I mean they do not exist. They are

> not hidden. They do not exist. I've never seen anything like this.

> I

> almost wonder if it was a virus/trojan, because those are really strategic

> and related system folders for Windows and it seems like a surgical

> strike.

> Everything else on the drive looks to be intact.

>

> At this point I could attempt to restore the system32 from a very old

> backup, onto a different computer, then manually copy over those files to

> the affected system using an ERD Commander boot disk and a USB flash

> drive.

> I could hope to boot the system from that old backup, then apply the

> latest

> windows updates.

>

> If I could get that far, would the system agree to restore from a more

> recent system restore point? If those become unusable as soon as I try

> to

> recover from a backup, I may have to inspect inside of those restore point

> folders (you can do this from ERD Commander) and copy off the registries

> hoping to later restore them manually.

>

>

>> Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available for

>> Windows XP, but only for Service Pack 3 (SP3), until 14 Apr-09. Chat and

>> e-mail support is available only in the United States and Canada.

>>

>> • US:

>> http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131

>

> I'm not sure I need help installed SP3, and probably until I get to a

> level

> 2 person at Microsoft I'm not going to get someone who could help with

> something this tricky.

>

>

>> Will wrote:

>>> I have a massively corrupted Windows XP SP3 installation that may

>>> require

>>> a

>>> new install of Windows. My system restore points are intact in the

>>> system

>>> information folder. After creating a new install of Windows, is it

>>> able

>>> to

>>> restore Windows' system state using those old restore points that were

>>> created with a different install of Windows?

>>>

>>> It would be an extremely nice feature to have if not. All of my

>>> installed software on this system is intact. I really just need to

>>> recover

>>> the original registry and system32 subtree.

[Guest Will]

Re: Can Old Restore Points Be Used With New Windows Install?

 

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABearMVP@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:OqsXDaH2IHA.5728@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>> It is in other threads here.

>

> Sorry, but we're dealing with this thread now. It's always best to post

> any/all follow-up in replies to one (1) thread.

>

>> ...I turned on the computer four days after

>> doing a long COMPLETE/NAME defrag in O&O defrag on a Windows XP Media

>> Center

>> SP3 install. At minimum, these three folders have disappeared:

>>

>> c:\windows\system

>> c:\windows\system32

>> c:\windows\repair

>

> Does the behavior persist if you uninstall WinXP SP3 via Add/Remove

> Programs?

 

How do I uninstall anything with an OS that I cannot boot because the most

basic system folders are gone?

 

>>> Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available for

>>> Windows XP, but only for Service Pack 3 (SP3), until 14 Apr-09. Chat and

>>> e-mail support is available only in the United States and Canada.

>>>

>>> • US:

>>> http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131

>>

>> I'm not sure I need help installed SP3, and probably until I get to a

>> level

>> 2 person at Microsoft I'm not going to get someone who could help with

>> something this tricky.

>

> Look again: If installing SP3 caused the problem, you have an installation

> and/or compatibility problem.

 

Installing SP3 went without any hitches. I had it installed since it was

released. The catastrophe happened four days after a major defrag.

 

--

Will

 

 

> Will wrote:

>> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABearMVP@gmail.com> wrote in message

>> news:%23JlHNn71IHA.2292@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>>> ...After creating a new install of Windows, is it able to

>>>> restore Windows' system state using those old restore points that were

>>>> created with a different install of Windows?

>>>

>>> No.

>>>

>>>> I have a massively corrupted Windows XP SP3 installation...

>>>

>>> Details, please?

>>

>> It is in other threads here. I turned on the computer four days after

>> doing a long COMPLETE/NAME defrag in O&O defrag on a Windows XP Media

>> Center

>> SP3 install. At minimum, these three folders have disappeared:

>>

>> c:\windows\system

>> c:\windows\system32

>> c:\windows\repair

>>

>> I don't mean the folders are empty. I mean they do not exist. They

>> are

>> not hidden. They do not exist. I've never seen anything like this. I

>> almost wonder if it was a virus/trojan, because those are really

>> strategic

>> and related system folders for Windows and it seems like a surgical

>> strike.

>> Everything else on the drive looks to be intact.

>>

>> At this point I could attempt to restore the system32 from a very old

>> backup, onto a different computer, then manually copy over those files to

>> the affected system using an ERD Commander boot disk and a USB flash

>> drive.

>> I could hope to boot the system from that old backup, then apply the

>> latest

>> windows updates.

>>

>> If I could get that far, would the system agree to restore from a more

>> recent system restore point? If those become unusable as soon as I try

>> to

>> recover from a backup, I may have to inspect inside of those restore

>> point

>> folders (you can do this from ERD Commander) and copy off the registries

>> hoping to later restore them manually.

>>

>>

>>> Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available for

>>> Windows XP, but only for Service Pack 3 (SP3), until 14 Apr-09. Chat and

>>> e-mail support is available only in the United States and Canada.

>>>

>>> • US:

>>> http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131

>>

>> I'm not sure I need help installed SP3, and probably until I get to a

>> level

>> 2 person at Microsoft I'm not going to get someone who could help with

>> something this tricky.

>>

>>

>>> Will wrote:

>>>> I have a massively corrupted Windows XP SP3 installation that may

>>>> require

>>>> a

>>>> new install of Windows. My system restore points are intact in the

>>>> system

>>>> information folder. After creating a new install of Windows, is it

>>>> able

>>>> to

>>>> restore Windows' system state using those old restore points that were

>>>> created with a different install of Windows?

>>>>

>>>> It would be an extremely nice feature to have if not. All of my

>>>> installed software on this system is intact. I really just need to

>>>> recover

>>>> the original registry and system32 subtree.

[Guest PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Re: Can Old Restore Points Be Used With New Windows Install?

 

Then I suspect a hijackware infection caused the problem and only a format &

reinstall will fix it.

 

Will wrote:

> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABearMVP@gmail.com> wrote in message

> news:OqsXDaH2IHA.5728@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>>> It is in other threads here.

>>

>> Sorry, but we're dealing with this thread now. It's always best to post

>> any/all follow-up in replies to one (1) thread.

>>

>>> ...I turned on the computer four days after

>>> doing a long COMPLETE/NAME defrag in O&O defrag on a Windows XP Media

>>> Center

>>> SP3 install. At minimum, these three folders have disappeared:

>>>

>>> c:\windows\system

>>> c:\windows\system32

>>> c:\windows\repair

>>

>> Does the behavior persist if you uninstall WinXP SP3 via Add/Remove

>> Programs?

>

> How do I uninstall anything with an OS that I cannot boot because the most

> basic system folders are gone?

>

>

>>>> Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available for

>>>> Windows XP, but only for Service Pack 3 (SP3), until 14 Apr-09. Chat

>>>> and

>>>> e-mail support is available only in the United States and Canada.

>>>>

>>>> • US:

>>>> http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131

>>>

>>> I'm not sure I need help installed SP3, and probably until I get to a

>>> level

>>> 2 person at Microsoft I'm not going to get someone who could help with

>>> something this tricky.

>>

>> Look again: If installing SP3 caused the problem, you have an

>> installation

>> and/or compatibility problem.

>

> Installing SP3 went without any hitches. I had it installed since it was

> released. The catastrophe happened four days after a major defrag.

>

>

>> Will wrote:

>>> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABearMVP@gmail.com> wrote in message

>>> news:%23JlHNn71IHA.2292@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>>>> ...After creating a new install of Windows, is it able to

>>>>> restore Windows' system state using those old restore points that were

>>>>> created with a different install of Windows?

>>>>

>>>> No.

>>>>

>>>>> I have a massively corrupted Windows XP SP3 installation...

>>>>

>>>> Details, please?

>>>

>>> It is in other threads here. I turned on the computer four days after

>>> doing a long COMPLETE/NAME defrag in O&O defrag on a Windows XP Media

>>> Center

>>> SP3 install. At minimum, these three folders have disappeared:

>>>

>>> c:\windows\system

>>> c:\windows\system32

>>> c:\windows\repair

>>>

>>> I don't mean the folders are empty. I mean they do not exist. They

>>> are

>>> not hidden. They do not exist. I've never seen anything like this. I

>>> almost wonder if it was a virus/trojan, because those are really

>>> strategic

>>> and related system folders for Windows and it seems like a surgical

>>> strike.

>>> Everything else on the drive looks to be intact.

>>>

>>> At this point I could attempt to restore the system32 from a very old

>>> backup, onto a different computer, then manually copy over those files

>>> to

>>> the affected system using an ERD Commander boot disk and a USB flash

>>> drive.

>>> I could hope to boot the system from that old backup, then apply the

>>> latest

>>> windows updates.

>>>

>>> If I could get that far, would the system agree to restore from a more

>>> recent system restore point? If those become unusable as soon as I try

>>> to

>>> recover from a backup, I may have to inspect inside of those restore

>>> point

>>> folders (you can do this from ERD Commander) and copy off the registries

>>> hoping to later restore them manually.

>>>

>>>

>>>> Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available for

>>>> Windows XP, but only for Service Pack 3 (SP3), until 14 Apr-09. Chat

>>>> and

>>>> e-mail support is available only in the United States and Canada.

>>>>

>>>> • US:

>>>> http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131

>>>

>>> I'm not sure I need help installed SP3, and probably until I get to a

>>> level

>>> 2 person at Microsoft I'm not going to get someone who could help with

>>> something this tricky.

>>>

>>>

>>>> Will wrote:

>>>>> I have a massively corrupted Windows XP SP3 installation that may

>>>>> require

>>>>> a

>>>>> new install of Windows. My system restore points are intact in the

>>>>> system

>>>>> information folder. After creating a new install of Windows, is it

>>>>> able

>>>>> to

>>>>> restore Windows' system state using those old restore points that were

>>>>> created with a different install of Windows?

>>>>>

>>>>> It would be an extremely nice feature to have if not. All of my

>>>>> installed software on this system is intact. I really just need to

>>>>> recover

>>>>> the original registry and system32 subtree.