Re: System Restore causes loss of data files.

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Answered in a previous post.

Regards,
Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User
http://bertk.mvps.org
Member: http://dts-l.org

johan wrote:
Hi Bert,

Listen to this story. The HD of my computer has two partitions, C and D.
Beginning this week I reinstalled XP SP2 plus all my applications, all that
on the C-partition [what a hassle, what a hassle]. The user data and
installer files from applications are located on the D partition - there is
no system nor any system files on the D partition.
I installed Adobe Reader 7.0.7 on the C-partition from its installer on the
D partition. After that I updated AR to AR 7.0.9 using the updater in the
installed AR 7.0.7, all that happened on 16 May. That was the LAST
installation I did, and SR made a restore point just prior to installing AR
7.0.7.
Right after that, I downloaded other installer files which I found on the
net, namely the big installer for AR 7.0.9 (20MB file), which I found after I
updated to AR 7.0.9, also the installer AR 6.0, and some other files.
Apparently those downloaded files where not known/recorded in the last
Restore Point (RP).
On 17 May I reverted back to the RP of 16 May. After that I noticed
immediately that the installer files of AR 7.0.9 and AR 6.0. on the D
partition were unsaved. More specifically those files are called
AdbeRdr709_en_US.exe and AdbeRdr60_enu_full.exe. Undoing the SR made the
installer files come back.

Conclusion: It looks like SR considers those installer are system files and
not as data files. If that is really the case, then there is something fuzzy
with SR. What is the definition of *user files* and *system files*??

Please reply
thanks

"Bert Kinney" wrote:
johan wrote:
Hi,

I did an undo of the system restore and the files came back on the D
partition. However, I went back to the 16 May restore point because of the
desktop icon problem. Hence, some of the files (only those put on the D part
after 16 May, which are only a few files) are missing.
What type of files are being affected by System Restore on the D: Partition?



"HEMI-Powered" wrote:

Today, Detlev Dreyer made these interesting comments ...

In order to repair a background color problem of the desktop
shortcut icons, which I ran into today, I performed a System
Restore based on a restore point of yesterday (16May). The
System Restore solved the problem of the desktop icons'
color, but at the expense of loss of data files on the D
partition. The lost data files where probably added to the D
partition after the last system restore point was made on 16
May.
Start the System Restore tool and undo that system restore.

Anyhow, is that a normal thing that data files get lost after
System Restore?
This may or may not happen. That's why you should monitor the
system partition only.

Per your last, I fully agree, but if you don't turn it off, Windows will automagically set-up monitoring of any other devices it can see including extended partitions or partition(s) on external HDs. In my case, I have 2 extended partitions on my internal and 2 on my external. Besides wasting space on those drives, I don't want a sysstem restore accidently wiping out files that had nothing at all to do with why I did the restore in the first place.

I don't honestly understand all the nuances of System Restore, but at first glance, it seems to me that it will restore ALL monitored partitions to the date you specify, and quite possibly un-save data files. I remember a good saying about bugs that goes like this: if a program does what the programmer intends even if the user doesn't like it, it is a feature, but if a program doesn't do what the programmer intends even if the user does like it, it is a bug. So, maybe what happened to the OP is a "feature" of SR.

--
HP, aka Jerry

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: System Restore causes loss of data files.
    ... no system nor any system files on the D partition. ... I installed Adobe Reader 7.0.7 on the C-partition from its installer on the ... What type of files are being affected by System Restore on the D: ... drives but leave it on for all internal drives/partitions. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: When does System Restore refuse to put Restore Point down?
    ... free is the space free on partition. ... create restore points for partitions containing data and program files. ... > System Restore will create Restore Points for each and every drive / ... > space is spread across all drives / partitions. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain)
  • Re: When does System Restore refuse to put Restore Point down?
    ... A partition other than the Windows partition can not be monitored by ... On each reboot check to see if all the restore points are removed. ... I have over 10GB free space on C: ... > of available System Restore Points.vbs". ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain)
  • Re: Size of Used Space on Main Drive
    ... My computer hard disk is partitioned into C and D drives. ... Note than one place you likely can save some space is System Restore. ... partition, which is about 227 GB, SR will be taking up over 27 GB. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Comodo sys. cleaner
    ... System Restore didn't work either. ... I have to do a Windows Update since I restored to last Monday. ... ApplicationController MSI Install Exception occurred Microsoft Installer ...
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