Windows XP System Restore

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Ryguy@Home

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Here's my story: I recently had a problem that required me to restore back to before the problem happened. I didn't know when I had created the problem though. It was about two weeks ago. I restored to each date that was around two weeks ago to find out when the problem happened. When I found the right place to restore to I had restored and undone each restoration about 5 times. On the last restoration it went really slow and then stopped halfway through. It said the I didn't have enough memory to complete the restoration. It also said that it would return me back to the current time without any changes. When I restarted the computer I couldn't find windows media player and a few other things were messed up. I also found out that all of my previous restore points had been deleted by Windows XP to give me back memory.

Question 1: When does Windows XP store all the information required to restore back to different times?

Question 2: Can I get my deleted restore points back?

Question 3: Should I completely reinstall windows xp?
 
Option 3, in my opinion, best to reformat and reinstall at this point, sorry :(

:cool:
 
Check in your recycle bin - when I go in and manually delete restore points they go to my recycle bin - however if XP deleted them due to low memory- they are probably gone!
 
Ok I think I will probably reinstall windows. But where does windows xp store your restore points. Is it a hidden folder?

What is the best way to completely reinstall windows? I have never done it before. Will I have to resetup my internet connection?
 
Open my computer, open your hard drive, Tools, Folder Options,
View, Uncheck hide protected operating system files, answer yes, open System Volume Information, Open restore folder, RPs are listed from the lowest number to the highest number (oldest point to newest point - I check the date by right clicking on the RP and clicking on properties to see the date created).

This is where in a nutshell - after you have a look be sure to recheck "hide protected folders".
 
Ok I think I'm going to reinstall windows completely. How should I do this?
 
First backup all docs, favourites, email etc. Have the bios to pick up the cd rom which it probably already is, boot up with the xp cd & from there you should be able to figure it out. Format & reinstall.
 
When I try to go into the folder "system volume information" it says "access is denied". Did i do it wrong? Is it corrupt (probably not possible)? Do I have to go into safe mode or turn off any applications?

What is "formating" I'm not too clear on that. So all I have to do is backup my files on cd-rw's. And then put in the WinXP cd and reinstall windows? Is there any websites that tell you how to do it?
 
if i were you i would just reistall everything!! But thats your destion!!
 
All I want to do is delete everything (back it up) and completely start over again and reinstall windows. How should I do that?

I have Windows XP Home edition.

Can I:

1. Back-up my files
2. Insert the WinXP cd
3. Go to "Install Windows XP"
4. Go to New Installation

Does that delete all my current file and start me over again?
 
Originally posted by Ryguy@Home
All I want to do is delete everything (back it up) and completely start over again and reinstall windows. How should I do that?

I have Windows XP Home edition.

Can I:

1. Back-up my files
2. Insert the WinXP cd
3. Go to "Install Windows XP"
4. Go to New Installation

Does that delete all my current file and start me over again?


Well i dont really now THAT much about computers, but i know enough to give ya some advice about that. I think if u have an xtra hard drive or partition on ure hard disk, u should back up all ure IMPORTANT data onto that drive b4 u reinstall windows, Altho if u dont want to format ure drive (Wich i suggest u should do) U could just REinstall windows, w/o formatting and itll just over write the old system files from the previous install and start u off from the beginning. It wont delete anything u got in ure program files, and probably wont delete nuthin from the documents, but any Themes or sounds or anything that are in ure Windows directory and ure start menu and desktop stuff will be deleted. Also take into mind you will have to reinstall all the programs u had b4 since they wont show up on neither ure start menu, desktop, add/remove programs or on the registry. So i suggest back up ure important data to CD-ROM or another partition or hard drive u have that doesnt have windows in it, and format the drive and start over. Just make sure that while ure installing windows u DONT format both the hard disk where windows goes and the hard disk where ure back ups are............Hope this is of any help to you!:)

Update: I know windows has a restoration utility on it, and altho im not sure exactly how it works u could try it out. Just pop in ure XP cd-rom, reboot, let all the stuff load and choose the repair windows option, it will ask u for ure administrator password wich in 99.9% of the times is nothing so leave blank and press enter, who knows maybe itll work, but just in case ask someone else how to use that or go to the Microsoft site for more info on that
 
Ok, I don't have a second harddrive. But I do have a cd burner and 5 re-writable cd's (enough to backup my files). Can I do this instead?

Formating is erasing all information from your harddrive right? Should I format my harddrive first? Or is it part of reinstalling windows xp with the cd?

When I reinstall windows do I have to do alot of setting up? Is it easy? When I got my computer it was done for me. Do I have to tell my isp that I'm reinstalling windows?
 
What sort of files do you want to back up? mp3's? If it is program files that have been installed it does not work that way. You need to back up (burn) the original installation program not the files it creates.
 
I'm going to backup my media files mp3's, avi's, mpeg's, etc. I'm also going to backup my installation files that I have saved for each of my programs.

What is formatting? What is a partition?

I am going to also try to backup my cd games. My bro has two games and he doesn't want to lose his saved games. how should I do this. Should I:

1. Make a backup of the registry info for each game.
2. Backup the information that the game puts on the hardrive(in program files)
3. Reinstall windows
4. Reinstall the cd's
5. Replace the files on the harddrive with the backed-up files
6. Erase the new registry info for each game
7. Restore the registry back-ups from before

Would this work or is there and easier way?
 
About those games.

If you have the installation files for the games you could do this.
1/ Make a backup of the folder where the game is loaded. In there should be the saved games file & other settings.
2/ After you have formated & reloaded the game replace the folder where the game is with your burnt one. There should be no need to do anything else as you will be installing the game again & it will write to the registry itself.

Formating = wiping the hard drive clean.

Partitioning = breaking up the hard drive into more than one piece. It will give you a 'c' dive, 'd' drive ect.
 

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