XP restore point questions

[Ext User(Damian)]

"Alpha_77DX" <nospamforme@microsoft.con> wrote in message
news:43c27532$0$11844$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.a u...
> Can I create a restore point and then stop it creating others?
>
> Basically I want to create a restore point and then not let it over right
> it with later ones. I don't want give it too much hard drive space and as
> it creates newer points, the earlier one must get dumped right?
>

No it doesn't dump earlier ones to my knowledge. it simply backup the
registry and important system files, etc. doesn't necessarily consume
lot of hard disk space.

> If I create one and then turn of restore, will it be there if I turn it
> back on at a later date?
>

If u turn it off all the restore points will b gone.

> Or would I be better off creating a backup instead??
>

Yes. Backups r always better and more reliable. System restore doesnt do
everything and certain malicious
viruses can stuff up System Restore. It's better not to rely on it, in my
opinion.

> Thanks.
>

[Ext User(Colin ®)]

"Damian" <damian_andrews75@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:43c51bb3$0$25289$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.a u...
>
> "Alpha_77DX" <nospamforme@microsoft.con> wrote in message
> news:43c27532$0$11844$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.a u...
>> Can I create a restore point and then stop it creating others?
>>
>> Basically I want to create a restore point and then not let it over right
>> it with later ones. I don't want give it too much hard drive space and as
>> it creates newer points, the earlier one must get dumped right?
>>
>
> No it doesn't dump earlier ones to my knowledge. it simply backup the
> registry and important system files, etc. doesn't necessarily consume
> lot of hard disk space.

Yes it does. The default is 10% of the O/S partition. Once that is reached
it overwrites.

It will get there as it does one every 24 hours.

[Ext User(Alpha_77DX)]

Can I create a restore point and then stop it creating others?

Basically I want to create a restore point and then not let it over right it
with later ones. I don't want give it too much hard drive space and as it
creates newer points, the earlier one must get dumped right?

If I create one and then turn of restore, will it be there if I turn it back
on at a later date?

Or would I be better off creating a backup instead??

Thanks.

[Ext User(Alpha_77DX)]

"Alpha_77DX" <nospamforme@microsoft.con> wrote in message
news:43c27532$0$11844$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.a u...
> Can I create a restore point and then stop it creating others?
>
> Basically I want to create a restore point and then not let it over right
> it with later ones. I don't want give it too much hard drive space and as
> it creates newer points, the earlier one must get dumped right?
>
> If I create one and then turn of restore, will it be there if I turn it
> back on at a later date?
>
> Or would I be better off creating a backup instead??
>
> Thanks.
>

Oh, and it's XP Pro sp2 if that makes a difference.

[Ext User(Rod Speed)]

Alpha_77DX <nospamforme@microsoft.con> wrote

> Can I create a restore point and then stop it creating others?

> Basically I want to create a restore point and then not let it over
> right it with later ones. I don't want give it too much hard drive
> space and as it creates newer points, the earlier one must get dumped
> right?

> If I create one and then turn of restore, will it be there if I turn it back
> on at a later date?
>
> Or would I be better off creating a backup instead??

Depends. A full backup takes much more space.
A restore point doesnt always restore everything tho.

And a real backup will protect you against
hard drive failure, a restore point cant.

[Ext User(Whatcher?)]

"Alpha_77DX" <nospamforme@microsoft.con> wrote in message
news:43c27532$0$11844$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.a u...
> Can I create a restore point and then stop it creating others?
>
> Basically I want to create a restore point and then not let it over right
> it with later ones. I don't want give it too much hard drive space and as
> it creates newer points, the earlier one must get dumped right?
>
> If I create one and then turn of restore, will it be there if I turn it
> back on at a later date?
>
> Or would I be better off creating a backup instead??
>
> Thanks.
>

It entirely depends on what you are attempting to ensure is OK.

1) Restore Points. Say that your machine is running OK and you install some
new program that stuffs things around so it runs badly thereafter and you
can still get in to Windows. You run system restore to before you installed
the program and all is OK after that, generally.

2) Backup. If you do an IMAGE backup, then should your hard drive actually
burn out and thus need replacing entirely, you get everything back the way
it was at that last backup. This means no fiddling setting up internet,
passwords, servers and all sorts of other things.

Personally, I always say to backup entirely with an Image Backup but then I
also make sure restore points are running for minor things that it can fix.

OTOH, if you don't give a shit about having to install Windows and set
everything up all over again and feel quite competent enough to do all that
and are only looking to backup certain files, then at least have a CD burner
and put them over to a CDRW.