System Restore on xp gone bad

pctechmike said:
... While it is true you can disable system restore, the chances of getting rid of viruses that reside in the system restore folder are slim.....
Incorrect


mikee286 said:
if the virus gets into your system restore folder just turn system restore off and the folder will clear including the virus in it.
Correct
 
I view system restore (by microsoft) as our own government (unreliable and sneaky). I never use system restore since it takes up resources (cpu load and a lot of disk space). From my past experiences, system restore will mess up your computer. Here's my philosophy: Nothing in the past can truly be recreated. My point is that system restore will never bring your computer to a time in the past - it will try to recreate the past by deleting things that have changed between the present and the restore point; but some things could still remain.

Instead of using system restore, use a disk imaging program (I reccommend Acronis True Image Workstation). These programs will take an exact picture of your computer. The only thing that will not be recreated is the date and time when you restore the image.
 
pctechmike said:
DILLIGAF- How can my experience be "Incorrect"?
I should have quoted you better (post edited to reflect that)

It was not your experience that I was saying was incorrect but the information you provided.

It is a proven fact that trojan downloaders and virus' in system restore points can be removed by deleting the restore points by disabling and re enabling system restore.
 
Links to your proof would be nice, so I can review them. While I understand that disabling system restore, deletes all your restore points, isn't this about the same as deleting a file- your system says it's not there, but it actually is, until it gets over written. Every technician has their way of doing things- and this may have worked fine for you everytime, but I'm sticking to the way I do it for now.
 
although i have used system restore before and it saved my arse, i do have to say that i don't use it any more because it's more effective to use back up soutions to restore any file on your hhd. i have multiple back ups of everything on the hhd, so if anything acts up...restore from backup.


edit: and also for the fact that in the past turning off system restore and turning it back on will erase some virues, the viruses are getting more smarter too, and can cross over from partition to partition.
 
I'm not a fan of system restore either. It's saved me a few times, but it's also restored viruses too. Luckily my AV program has caught some stuff in the system restore folder in the past. I still don't use system restore unless I have to, I usually keep my backups on my other partition but occasionally have to use system restore.
 
pctechmike said:
Links to your proof would be nice, so I can review them .....
Review away at your leisure. :p


-------> LINK <-------


Microsoft on it's website (linked above)


Manually Purge the Data Store

To completely and immediately remove the infected file or files in the data store, disable and re-enable the System Restore feature.

WARNING: Using the following steps will completely remove all restore points from the data store. Do not use this method if this will cause problems. When you enable the System Restore feature again, the System Restore feature will create a new restore point and then resume monitoring your computer.

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click System, and then click the Performance tab.
3. Click File System, and then click the Troubleshooting tab.
4. Click to select the Disable System Restore check box, click Apply, click to clear the Disable System Restore check box, click Apply, and then click OK.
5. Restart the computer when you are prompted to do so. When the computer restarts, the data store is purged and the System Restore feature begins monitoring the system again.

Well gosh darn and golly gee, will ya look at that

:eek: :rolleyes: :D
 
I use system restore, as I'm too lazy to do any proper backups :p

But yeah, it's saved me a few times, so I can't complain. I use to have it consume 12% of the HDD, but I've only got 10 GB left out of 80, so now it sits at 3% (roughly 2GB).

I need another HDD, or an external one, but running on USB 1.1, bugger that.
 
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