How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

[Guest Talal Itani]

Every time I install in a new device in my PC, XP creates a new

restore-point, and saves old files. Is there a way to keep XP from creating

these restore points? I need this because I frequently install new yet

similar devices. Thanks.

[Guest Colin Barnhorst]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

If you turn off System Restore you will lose all restore points already

saved.

 

The VSS driver that takes the snapshots for new restore points does not run

in Safe Mode so if you can install in Safe Mode the installer cannot have

System Restore make a new restore point.

 

"Talal Itani" <titani@verizon.net> wrote in message

news:8Mmwj.14096$Hd.9919@trnddc02...

>

> Every time I install in a new device in my PC, XP creates a new

> restore-point, and saves old files. Is there a way to keep XP from

> creating these restore points? I need this because I frequently install

> new yet similar devices. Thanks.

>

[Guest GreenieLeBrun]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

 

 

Talal Itani wrote:

> Every time I install in a new device in my PC, XP creates a new

> restore-point, and saves old files. Is there a way to keep XP from

> creating these restore points? I need this because I frequently

> install new yet similar devices. Thanks.

 

You can turn off system restore from "My Computer", "Properties", "System

Restore".

 

Of course if you do turn it off it is OFF and you will have NO retore points

at all.

[Guest kookieman]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

While enabled, you cannot choose System Restore's behavior.

 

"Talal Itani" <titani@verizon.net> wrote in message

news:8Mmwj.14096$Hd.9919@trnddc02...

>

> Every time I install in a new device in my PC, XP creates a new

> restore-point, and saves old files. Is there a way to keep XP from

> creating these restore points? I need this because I frequently install

> new yet similar devices. Thanks.

>

[Guest Bill in Co.]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

GreenieLeBrun wrote:

> Talal Itani wrote:

>> Every time I install in a new device in my PC, XP creates a new

>> restore-point, and saves old files. Is there a way to keep XP from

>> creating these restore points? I need this because I frequently

>> install new yet similar devices. Thanks.

>

> You can turn off system restore from "My Computer", "Properties", "System

> Restore".

>

> Of course if you do turn it off it is OFF and you will have NO retore

> points

> at all.

 

Which is a pretty bad idea to do.

[Guest GreenieLeBrun]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

 

 

Bill in Co. wrote:

> GreenieLeBrun wrote:

>> Talal Itani wrote:

>>> Every time I install in a new device in my PC, XP creates a new

>>> restore-point, and saves old files. Is there a way to keep XP from

>>> creating these restore points? I need this because I frequently

>>> install new yet similar devices. Thanks.

>>

>> You can turn off system restore from "My Computer", "Properties",

>> "System Restore".

>>

>> Of course if you do turn it off it is OFF and you will have NO retore

>> points

>> at all.

>

> Which is a pretty bad idea to do.

 

I agree

[Guest Canadian 420]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

On Feb 24, 4:51 pm, "GreenieLeBrun" <GreenieLeB...@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Bill in Co. wrote:

> > GreenieLeBrun wrote:

> >> Talal Itani wrote:

> >>> Every time I install in a new device in my PC, XP creates a new

> >>> restore-point, and saves old files.  Is there a way to keep XP from

> >>> creating these restore points?  I need this because I frequently

> >>> install new yet similar devices.  Thanks.

>

> >> You can turn off system restore from "My Computer", "Properties",

> >> "System Restore".

>

> >> Of course if you do turn it off it is OFF and you will have NO retore

> >> points

> >> at all.

>

> > Which is a pretty bad idea to do.

>

> I agree- Hide quoted text -

>

> - Show quoted text -

 

Hi, I am running WinXP Pro 64 bit, IE7, Microsoft Office 2003 and am

wondering what is the "best percentage" of disk space to use for

System Restore? I am currently set to 5%, is that enough, or too much?

Any input on this is appreciated. TIA

Joanne in British Columbia, Canada

[Guest GreenieLeBrun]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

 

 

Canadian 420 wrote:

> On Feb 24, 4:51 pm, "GreenieLeBrun" <GreenieLeB...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>> Bill in Co. wrote:

>>> GreenieLeBrun wrote:

>>>> Talal Itani wrote:

>>>>> Every time I install in a new device in my PC, XP creates a new

>>>>> restore-point, and saves old files. Is there a way to keep XP from

>>>>> creating these restore points? I need this because I frequently

>>>>> install new yet similar devices. Thanks.

>>

>>>> You can turn off system restore from "My Computer", "Properties",

>>>> "System Restore".

>>

>>>> Of course if you do turn it off it is OFF and you will have NO

>>>> retore points

>>>> at all.

>>

>>> Which is a pretty bad idea to do.

>>

>> I agree- Hide quoted text -

>>

>> - Show quoted text -

>

> Hi, I am running WinXP Pro 64 bit, IE7, Microsoft Office 2003 and am

> wondering what is the "best percentage" of disk space to use for

> System Restore? I am currently set to 5%, is that enough, or too much?

> Any input on this is appreciated. TIA

> Joanne in British Columbia, Canada

 

No experience with XP64 bit but I think the default for 32bit XP is 12%, I

use 10% on a 120Gb drive so it probably depends on how much space you are

prepared to give to the System restore function.

[Guest Colin Barnhorst]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

Depends on the capacity of the hard drive. 5% of a 20GB isn't much but 5%

of 750GB sure is.

 

"Canadian 420" <jmilne420@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:d9bbe8fe-9482-4a9c-8cf9-2cf2c960d71f@s37g2000prg.googlegroups.com...

On Feb 24, 4:51 pm, "GreenieLeBrun" <GreenieLeB...@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Bill in Co. wrote:

> > GreenieLeBrun wrote:

> >> Talal Itani wrote:

> >>> Every time I install in a new device in my PC, XP creates a new

> >>> restore-point, and saves old files. Is there a way to keep XP from

> >>> creating these restore points? I need this because I frequently

> >>> install new yet similar devices. Thanks.

>

> >> You can turn off system restore from "My Computer", "Properties",

> >> "System Restore".

>

> >> Of course if you do turn it off it is OFF and you will have NO retore

> >> points

> >> at all.

>

> > Which is a pretty bad idea to do.

>

> I agree- Hide quoted text -

>

> - Show quoted text -

 

Hi, I am running WinXP Pro 64 bit, IE7, Microsoft Office 2003 and am

wondering what is the "best percentage" of disk space to use for

System Restore? I am currently set to 5%, is that enough, or too much?

Any input on this is appreciated. TIA

Joanne in British Columbia, Canada

[Guest Xandros]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

You can simply disable it. Right click the My Computer icon and select

Properties->System Restore Tab. Check the box to turn it off and click

Apply.

However you should have some form of system state backup. XP's backup

program is a POS so don't even think it will help you out. There are several

decent imaging programs that work a treat. I use Acronis TrueImage. It can

be set to automatically create incremental backups of the entire drive

partition or individual files, folders or even just your e-mail. Or you can

run it manually when you need to. I think Ghost can also do this but I'm not

certain on that.

 

--

 

Xandros

 

 

"Talal Itani" <titani@verizon.net> wrote in message

news:8Mmwj.14096$Hd.9919@trnddc02...

>

> Every time I install in a new device in my PC, XP creates a new

> restore-point, and saves old files. Is there a way to keep XP from

> creating these restore points? I need this because I frequently install

> new yet similar devices. Thanks.

>

[Guest MAP]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

Canadian 420 wrote:

> On Feb 24, 4:51 pm, "GreenieLeBrun" <GreenieLeB...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>> Bill in Co. wrote:

>>> GreenieLeBrun wrote:

>>>> Talal Itani wrote:

>>>>> Every time I install in a new device in my PC, XP creates a new

>>>>> restore-point, and saves old files. Is there a way to keep XP from

>>>>> creating these restore points? I need this because I frequently

>>>>> install new yet similar devices. Thanks.

>>

>>>> You can turn off system restore from "My Computer", "Properties",

>>>> "System Restore".

>>

>>>> Of course if you do turn it off it is OFF and you will have NO

>>>> retore points

>>>> at all.

>>

>>> Which is a pretty bad idea to do.

>>

>> I agree- Hide quoted text -

>>

>> - Show quoted text -

>

> Hi, I am running WinXP Pro 64 bit, IE7, Microsoft Office 2003 and am

> wondering what is the "best percentage" of disk space to use for

> System Restore? I am currently set to 5%, is that enough, or too much?

> Any input on this is appreciated. TIA

> Joanne in British Columbia, Canada

 

Each restore point takes about 200mb of space to create, give or take, so

for each gig you have about 5 checkpionts how many do you believe you need?

 

--

Mike Pawlak

[Guest Bill in Co.]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

Mike - is that documented somewhere, or is that what you've actually seen

over time (that approx 200 MB per restoration point)?

(sounds fairly reasonable (although a bit more than I expected), but I was

just wondering where you got the estimate from)

 

MAP wrote:

> Canadian 420 wrote:

>> On Feb 24, 4:51 pm, "GreenieLeBrun" <GreenieLeB...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>>> Bill in Co. wrote:

>>>> GreenieLeBrun wrote:

>>>>> Talal Itani wrote:

>>>>>> Every time I install in a new device in my PC, XP creates a new

>>>>>> restore-point, and saves old files. Is there a way to keep XP from

>>>>>> creating these restore points? I need this because I frequently

>>>>>> install new yet similar devices. Thanks.

>>>

>>>>> You can turn off system restore from "My Computer", "Properties",

>>>>> "System Restore".

>>>

>>>>> Of course if you do turn it off it is OFF and you will have NO

>>>>> retore points

>>>>> at all.

>>>

>>>> Which is a pretty bad idea to do.

>>>

>>> I agree

>>

>> Hi, I am running WinXP Pro 64 bit, IE7, Microsoft Office 2003 and am

>> wondering what is the "best percentage" of disk space to use for

>> System Restore? I am currently set to 5%, is that enough, or too much?

>> Any input on this is appreciated. TIA

>> Joanne in British Columbia, Canada

>

> Each restore point takes about 200mb of space to create, give or take, so

> for each gig you have about 5 checkpionts how many do you believe you

> need?

>

> --

> Mike Pawlak

[Guest PD]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

On Feb 25, 2:43 am, "Bill in Co." <not_really_h...@earthlink.net>

wrote:

> Mike - is that documented somewhere, or is that what you've actually seen

> over time (that approx 200 MB per restoration point)?

> (sounds fairly reasonable (although a bit more than I expected), but I was

> just wondering where you got the estimate from)

 

Actually, that is high. On my system it's running about 130mb (divide

allotted space by number of restore points).

[Guest Colin Barnhorst]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

There might be that difference between XP Pro x86 and XP Pro x64 (he is

using the latter).

 

"PD" <pauld1943@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:26c18eb3-9b4f-4fd5-a8e8-66bec0094822@z17g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...

On Feb 25, 2:43 am, "Bill in Co." <not_really_h...@earthlink.net>

wrote:

> Mike - is that documented somewhere, or is that what you've actually seen

> over time (that approx 200 MB per restoration point)?

> (sounds fairly reasonable (although a bit more than I expected), but I was

> just wondering where you got the estimate from)

 

Actually, that is high. On my system it's running about 130mb (divide

allotted space by number of restore points).

[Guest Uncle Grumpy]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

"Colin Barnhorst" <c.barnhorst@comcast.net> wrote:

>There might be that difference between XP Pro x86 and XP Pro x64 (he is

>using the latter).

 

OK... then use the method I used to compute: divide the allotted space

by the number of restore points.

 

Only works when you know you're at the max number. Mine has less than

two weeks of restore points (some days have multiple points) and I

only use 3% of the disk space.

[Guest Ken Blake, MVP]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

On Sun, 24 Feb 2008 17:56:26 -0800 (PST), Canadian 420

<jmilne420@gmail.com> wrote:

 

> Hi, I am running WinXP Pro 64 bit, IE7, Microsoft Office 2003 and am

> wondering what is the "best percentage" of disk space to use for

> System Restore? I am currently set to 5%, is that enough, or too much?

> Any input on this is appreciated. TIA

 

 

It shouldn't be on a percentage basis. The default 12% of the drive

that it takes is way too much for most people. If you try to use

System Restore to go back more than a week or two, you are likely to

end up getting all sorts of things out of synch with the restored

operating system files, and typically create more problems than you

solve.

 

I would lower it to whatever gives to 10-12 days of restore

points--somewhere around 2GB.

 

 

--

Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

Please Reply to the Newsgroup

[Guest MAP]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

Hi Bill,

I seem to have the ability to remember useless stuff like this, I wish that

I could remember more important things but I'll take what I can get.

To answer your ? I remember a couple of MVP's talking about it a few years

ago and it stuck in my head.

As for me I have my restore setup for only 1% which is about 1500 mb,I

figure that if I install something that disagrees with my system I'll know it

fairly soon.Plus I keep three complete True Image backups on a separate HD.

--

Mike Pawlak

 

 

"Bill in Co." wrote:

> Mike - is that documented somewhere, or is that what you've actually seen

> over time (that approx 200 MB per restoration point)?

> (sounds fairly reasonable (although a bit more than I expected), but I was

> just wondering where you got the estimate from)

>

> MAP wrote:

> > Canadian 420 wrote:

> >> On Feb 24, 4:51 pm, "GreenieLeBrun" <GreenieLeB...@hotmail.com> wrote:

> >>> Bill in Co. wrote:

> >>>> GreenieLeBrun wrote:

> >>>>> Talal Itani wrote:

> >>>>>> Every time I install in a new device in my PC, XP creates a new

> >>>>>> restore-point, and saves old files. Is there a way to keep XP from

> >>>>>> creating these restore points? I need this because I frequently

> >>>>>> install new yet similar devices. Thanks.

> >>>

> >>>>> You can turn off system restore from "My Computer", "Properties",

> >>>>> "System Restore".

> >>>

> >>>>> Of course if you do turn it off it is OFF and you will have NO

> >>>>> retore points

> >>>>> at all.

> >>>

> >>>> Which is a pretty bad idea to do.

> >>>

> >>> I agree

> >>

> >> Hi, I am running WinXP Pro 64 bit, IE7, Microsoft Office 2003 and am

> >> wondering what is the "best percentage" of disk space to use for

> >> System Restore? I am currently set to 5%, is that enough, or too much?

> >> Any input on this is appreciated. TIA

> >> Joanne in British Columbia, Canada

> >

> > Each restore point takes about 200mb of space to create, give or take, so

> > for each gig you have about 5 checkpionts how many do you believe you

> > need?

> >

> > --

> > Mike Pawlak

>

>

>

[Guest Bill in Co.]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

Well, I guess the (somewhat limited) "consensus" here so far is that it

typically takes between 100 - 200 MB per restore point, which at least is

something to go on. :-)

 

I've got my restore HD capacity set to 10% of the HD, because 1) I've got

plenty of room, and 2) I'm doing plenty of experiments.

 

And I have been occasionally (and hopefully, judiciously) using System

Restore and/or ERUNT, as prudent - at least on some "select" occasions.

:-)

 

PS - I know what you mean about the memory thing. It gets worse as we get

older, too. :-)

 

Thanks.

 

MAP wrote:

> Hi Bill,

> I seem to have the ability to remember useless stuff like this, I wish

> that

> I could remember more important things but I'll take what I can get.

> To answer your ? I remember a couple of MVP's talking about it a few years

> ago and it stuck in my head.

> As for me I have my restore setup for only 1% which is about 1500 mb,I

> figure that if I install something that disagrees with my system I'll know

> it

> fairly soon.Plus I keep three complete True Image backups on a separate

> HD.

> --

> Mike Pawlak

>

>

> "Bill in Co." wrote:

>

>> Mike - is that documented somewhere, or is that what you've actually seen

>> over time (that approx 200 MB per restoration point)?

>> (sounds fairly reasonable (although a bit more than I expected), but I

>> was

>> just wondering where you got the estimate from)

>>

>> MAP wrote:

>>> Canadian 420 wrote:

>>>> On Feb 24, 4:51 pm, "GreenieLeBrun" <GreenieLeB...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>>>>> Bill in Co. wrote:

>>>>>> GreenieLeBrun wrote:

>>>>>>> Talal Itani wrote:

>>>>>>>> Every time I install in a new device in my PC, XP creates a new

>>>>>>>> restore-point, and saves old files. Is there a way to keep XP from

>>>>>>>> creating these restore points? I need this because I frequently

>>>>>>>> install new yet similar devices. Thanks.

>>>>>

>>>>>>> You can turn off system restore from "My Computer", "Properties",

>>>>>>> "System Restore".

>>>>>

>>>>>>> Of course if you do turn it off it is OFF and you will have NO

>>>>>>> retore points

>>>>>>> at all.

>>>>>

>>>>>> Which is a pretty bad idea to do.

>>>>>

>>>>> I agree

>>>>

>>>> Hi, I am running WinXP Pro 64 bit, IE7, Microsoft Office 2003 and am

>>>> wondering what is the "best percentage" of disk space to use for

>>>> System Restore? I am currently set to 5%, is that enough, or too much?

>>>> Any input on this is appreciated. TIA

>>>> Joanne in British Columbia, Canada

>>>

>>> Each restore point takes about 200mb of space to create, give or take,

>>> so

>>> for each gig you have about 5 checkpionts how many do you believe you

>>> need?

>>>

>>> --

>>> Mike Pawlak

[Guest Bert Kinney]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

Why in the world would you want to do that?

 

As long as a new restore is created prier to a device being installed, there

should not be a problem. Just don't install new devices before fully

testing the previous device installed.

 

Regards,

Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User

http://bertk.mvps.org

Member: http://dts-l.net

 

Talal Itani wrote:

> Every time I install in a new device in my PC, XP creates a new

> restore-point, and saves old files. Is there a way to keep XP from creating

> these restore points? I need this because I frequently install new yet

> similar devices. Thanks.

>

>

[Guest Bert Kinney]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

Disabling System Restore is a bad idea. It should be your first step in

restoring the system after an application or device is installed.

 

Restoring using an image should be the next step.

 

Regards,

Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User

http://bertk.mvps.org

Member: http://dts-l.net

 

Xandros wrote:

> You can simply disable it. Right click the My Computer icon and select

> Properties->System Restore Tab. Check the box to turn it off and click

> Apply.

> However you should have some form of system state backup. XP's backup

> program is a POS so don't even think it will help you out. There are several

> decent imaging programs that work a treat. I use Acronis TrueImage. It can

> be set to automatically create incremental backups of the entire drive

> partition or individual files, folders or even just your e-mail. Or you can

> run it manually when you need to. I think Ghost can also do this but I'm not

> certain on that.

>

[Guest Bert Kinney]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

 

Mike wrote:

> Each restore point takes about 200mb of space to create, give or take, so

> for each gig you have about 5 checkpionts how many do you believe you need?

 

This is not true. The size of a restore point will be determined by the size

and amount of monitored files, folder and the registry.

[Guest Bert Kinney]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

Mike wrote:

> Each restore point takes about 200mb of space to create, give or take, so

for each gig you have about 5 checkpionts how many do you believe you need?

 

This is not true. The size of a restore point will be determined by the size

and amount of monitored files, folder and the registry.

 

 

Regards,

Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User

http://bertk.mvps.org

Member: http://dts-l.net

[Guest Bill in Co.]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

But it seems to be in the range of 100 to 200 MB from what we've heard here.

But as you said, it's a BAD idea to disable it - and pretty stupid, dare I

say! (unless you are relying on some other rollback technique, and even

then, it's best to have it as a fallback option)

 

Bert Kinney wrote:

> Mike wrote:

>> Each restore point takes about 200mb of space to create, give or take, so

>> for each gig you have about 5 checkpionts how many do you believe you

>> need?

>

> This is not true. The size of a restore point will be determined by the

> size

> and amount of monitored files, folder and the registry.

[Guest Bert Kinney]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

System Restore can be a very useful tool if it's understood and used

correctly. :)

 

 

Regards,

Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User

http://bertk.mvps.org

Member: http://dts-l.net

 

 

Bill in Co. wrote:

> But it seems to be in the range of 100 to 200 MB from what we've heard here.

> But as you said, it's a BAD idea to disable it - and pretty stupid, dare I

> say! (unless you are relying on some other rollback technique, and even

> then, it's best to have it as a fallback option)

>

> Bert Kinney wrote:

>> Mike wrote:

>>> Each restore point takes about 200mb of space to create, give or take, so

>>> for each gig you have about 5 checkpionts how many do you believe you need?

>> This is not true. The size of a restore point will be determined by the

>> size and amount of monitored files, folder and the registry.

[Guest Bill in Co.]

Re: How to keep XP from creating restore-points?

 

Yup. I'm now using it *in conjunction with* ERUNT. And of course,

Acronis True Image for backing up the entire C: partition.

 

Bert Kinney wrote:

> System Restore can be a very useful tool if it's understood and used

> correctly. :)

>

>

> Regards,

> Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User

> http://bertk.mvps.org

> Member: http://dts-l.net

>

>

> Bill in Co. wrote:

>> But it seems to be in the range of 100 to 200 MB from what we've heard

>> here.

>> But as you said, it's a BAD idea to disable it - and pretty stupid, dare

>> I

>> say! (unless you are relying on some other rollback technique, and even

>> then, it's best to have it as a fallback option)

>>

>> Bert Kinney wrote:

>>> Mike wrote:

>>>> Each restore point takes about 200mb of space to create, give or take,

>>>> so

>>>> for each gig you have about 5 checkpionts how many do you believe you

>>>> need?

>>> This is not true. The size of a restore point will be determined by the

>>> size and amount of monitored files, folder and the registry.