Creating a System Restore Point after Windows Update

[Isaanbiker]

   Please create a new System Restore Point after each Windows Update! The old ones usually disappear and there's no way to get them back.

 

        I had a little problem thought a little restore would do the trick, but there were all points gone after the last update.

 

            Good luck that I've got all my PC"s backed up on an external drive with Macrium, free and fantastic software from the UK and IMO, the best. It even tops Acronis in my eyes, I had for ages.       

[wgdanson]

Just Googled Macrium, and it says £47 for a version, SUITABLE FOR W7, W Vista & W8 ?????

[Isaanbiker]

6 hours ago, wgdanson said:

Just Googled Macrium, and it says £47 for a version, SUITABLE FOR W7, W Vista & W8 ?????

Nope, there is and always was a free version for "Home users". If you're on their website and they ask you for an e-mail address would be the worst part. Of course, do they want to sell their product and I've just found out that they've changed their homepage. 

 

   it's around 70 MB file and the best currently on the market. It beats Acronis because it's free and much easier to handle.

 

    Don't worry, just download it, make the setup and don't forget to create a bootable medium, I prefer a memory stick because you can have other files on it that you're using on daily basis and it's much handier than a CD. Some notebooks do not have a CD drive, so it makes it easy to go for a memory stick. 

 

   You can also set your PC/notebook in a way that it gives you the choice of booting into OS 10, or Macrium, which would straight bring you to the point where you can easily find your back up and restore it. 

 

   After installing it from here, without registration  https://download.cnet.com/Macrium-Reflect-Free/3001-2242_4-10845728.html start the program and create a back up on an external drive ( depending on your programs at least 60 GB) I've got around 100 GB of files and programs as my backup, but I've got countless programs running. 

 

     Once you've created your back up and your bootable memory stick and you're having problems, just boot your system from/with the memory stick, it will get you straight to Macrium and a restore is done in only 20 minutes. ( I've got around 100 GB of files and programs and it might take 28 minutes).

 

    It's an easy and straightforward process. 

 

   P.S. I've just checked on it and Macrium has changed its policy. A week ago, you could type in an e-mail address, even a non-existing and it worked. All you need to do now is register with your e-mail address and it's still free. If you go the registered way, they'll send you a link and you can download it from there. 

 

Or you download it virus free from here: https://download.cnet.com/Macrium-Reflect-Free/3001-2242_4-10845728.html 

 

    It works for any versions of Windows and will even figure out what OS you're running. Macrium has saved my arse many times, without going for a new set up, or fresh install that keeps you busy for the most part of the day. 

 

     

 

     

 

  

 

    

[wgdanson]

9 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

Nope, there is and always was a free version for "Home users". If you're on their website and they ask you for an e-mail address would be the worst part. Of course, do they want to sell their product and I've just found out that they've changed their homepage. 

 

   it's around 70 MB file and the best currently on the market. It beats Acronis because it's free and much easier to handle.

 

    Don't worry, just download it, make the setup and don't forget to create a bootable medium, I prefer a memory stick because you can have other files on it that you're using on daily basis and it's much handier than a CD. Some notebooks do not have a CD drive, so it makes it easy to go for a memory stick. 

 

   You can also set your PC/notebook in a way that it gives you the choice of booting into OS 10, or Macrium, which would straight bring you to the point where you can easily find your back up and restore it. 

 

   After installing it from here, without registration  https://download.cnet.com/Macrium-Reflect-Free/3001-2242_4-10845728.html start the program and create a back up on an external drive ( depending on your programs at least 60 GB) I've got around 100 GB of files and programs as my backup, but I've got countless programs running. 

 

     Once you've created your back up and your bootable memory stick and you're having problems, just boot your system from/with the memory stick, it will get you straight to Macrium and a restore is done in only 20 minutes. ( I've got around 100 GB of files and programs and it might take 28 minutes).

 

    It's an easy and straightforward process. 

 

   P.S. I've just checked on it and Macrium has changed its policy. A week ago, you could type in an e-mail address, even a non-existing and it worked. All you need to do now is register with your e-mail address and it's still free. If you go the registered way, they'll send you a link and you can download it from there. 

 

Or you download it virus free from here: https://download.cnet.com/Macrium-Reflect-Free/3001-2242_4-10845728.html 

 

    It works for any versions of Windows and will even figure out what OS you're running. Macrium has saved my arse many times, without going for a new set up, or fresh install that keeps you busy for the most part of the day. 

 

     

 

     

 

  

 

    

Thanks for this. Installed and backed up two PCs to One Drive. Great.

[Isaanbiker]

8 hours ago, wgdanson said:

Thanks for this. Installed and backed up two PCs to One Drive. Great.

You're welcome. It's so easy even when you've got more images on an external drive. The weird thing is that you can update any other brand with a back up on an external and the worst thing that can happen is that you have to activate Windows 10. Works like a charm and I've done that a couple of times. 

 

      Let's say you've got a creepy PC with XP, or anything else on it. Download Macrium on it, then boot with Macrium bootable media and put a back up with all your programs on. Windows will sort drivers etc for you out. 

 

  P.S. I'd also back them up on an external drive, not just a cloud-based service. And don't forget to create a bootable media. 

 

       Have a nice one,

 

  

 

   

[wpcoe]

If you're not inclined to follow the OP's advice to make a System Restore point after Windows Update, please at least check to make sure that System Restore is still turned on.  Seems like several of the past major updates turned WU totally off on my computer.  At least if it's on, Windows will continue to make periodic restore points in the background.  It can't if WU is turned off.

[chrisinth]

21 hours ago, wpcoe said:

If you're not inclined to follow the OP's advice to make a System Restore point after Windows Update, please at least check to make sure that System Restore is still turned on.  Seems like several of the past major updates turned WU totally off on my computer.  At least if it's on, Windows will continue to make periodic restore points in the background.  It can't if WU is turned off.

I agree with what you are saying from the point of view that if you have the tools available, the physical space for the restore points, make use of it.

 

However system restore is restricted as to what it copies/snapshots to the restore point. Actually more like a registry backup along with the system files. It should be pointed out the the restore tool does not, or cannot help you restore your personal files, such as email, documents, videos, photos, etc.

 

In this day and age simply relying on System restore isn't the best protocol IMO. I always say to people that if an item is only in one place then it is not backed up. Cutting and pasting from your hard drive to an external (or the cloud) is not a backup. Copying on the other hand makes it so.

 

Also advise them to use 3rd party software and backup by image of the entire partition rather than only doing a dedicated backup of certain areas of your drive, unless you are sure all the linked information is in that place. Imaging takes away the guesswork, again IMO.

[steven100]

just to add ....  System restore has saved my butt on many occassions .... especially when your PC starts acting strange following a new program download or errors have started to develop within windows or within the registry.

[MJCM]

One thing about Macrium Reflect.

 

After a New Version comes out, it OFTEN is necessary to create NEW Rescue Media.

 

You do that via - Other Tasks - Create Rescue Media (select your options there, and I create an Iso File which I then save to my NAS ) and select BUILD

[moontang]

Windows is for time wasters.  I did a factory refresh power scrub on a 6 year old chromebook and it took less than ten minutes.  Ever hear of the Cloud?

[Pib]

Keep in mind what chrisinth said above....Create Restore Point is very limited it what it backs up...pretty much just key system files/drivers/settings...."not your data."

 

Use something like Macrium Reflect Free to do frequent backups/images.  I got two external USB drives that I use to do periodic image backup of my computers....and boy, that has indeed saved me a couple of times over the years.  I use two backup drives to alternate my backup images between in case one drive decides to die one day (and it will decide that one day)....then I will still have another backup on the other drive.

[MJCM]

36 minutes ago, moontang said:

Windows is for time wasters.  I did a factory refresh power scrub on a 6 year old chromebook and it took less than ten minutes.  Ever hear of the Cloud?

What if your internet is down or if you have BAD internet, I wouldn't consider putting up 30Gb images on the Cloud with my upload/download speed.

 

Would take me 1,5 days just to upload 1 image 555555555

[Isaanbiker]

20 hours ago, trap said:

I always create after updating windows. Luckily never had an opportunity to use it

Sorry, but I've experienced that on more than one occasion that an existing System Restore Point just didn't work, which might be a good reason to create a few. You're basically waiting a long time, just to see a message that the Restore Point didn't work. 

[Isaanbiker]

On 4/29/2019 at 5:09 PM, wpcoe said:

If you're not inclined to follow the OP's advice to make a System Restore point after Windows Update, please at least check to make sure that System Restore is still turned on.  Seems like several of the past major updates turned WU totally off on my computer.  At least if it's on, Windows will continue to make periodic restore points in the background.  It can't if WU is turned off.

IMO, you should switch all other programs off when creating a New System Restore Point. I could be wrong, but that's what I've figured out after some years of using W 10 Pro now. 

[Isaanbiker]

5 hours ago, Pib said:

Keep in mind what chrisinth said above....Create Restore Point is very limited it what it backs up...pretty much just key system files/drivers/settings...."not your data."

 

Use something like Macrium Reflect Free to do frequent backups/images.  I got two external USB drives that I use to do periodic image backup of my computers....and boy, that has indeed saved me a couple of times over the years.  I use two backup drives to alternate my backup images between in case one drive decides to die one day (and it will decide that one day)....then I will still have another backup on the other drive.

Thanks a lot! I've four PCs and a notebook backed up on two different external drives. The reason for: They also break down after a while. I always check for updates on Macrium, the create a new bootable media. Macrium is pretty cool in fixing bugs pretty fast. And it's free. When I was still messing around with the paid version of Acronis and had more back ups on an external drive, it was so irritating, because the drive letters change in a way that it's hard to find the back up you want to use. Macrium is easy to handle. 

 

     I always clean all junk, delete files that the PC doesn't need, empty folders, etc. and then I've got a perfect backup. 

[david555]

Nobody of all above posters use the system image backup option build in Win 10 ??

[Isaanbiker]

5 minutes ago, david555 said:

Nobody of all above posters use the system image backup option build in Win 10 ??

I do, but I usually rely on Macrium and have my startup that I can choose to boot with Macrium, or W 10. 

[moontang]

6 hours ago, MJCM said:

What if your internet is down or if you have BAD internet, I wouldn't consider putting up 30Gb images on the Cloud with my upload/download speed.

 

Would take me 1,5 days just to upload 1 image 555555555

you set the files to be available offline.  A 40 kb photo is often more effective than a 2 MB photo...especially if the receiver is unable to view the larger file.  Windows is a fat client failure.  Microsoft missed the browser revolution, as well as the smart phone revolution, and is kind of like fixing an electrical problem on a chevy.

[Pib]

10 hours ago, david555 said:

Nobody of all above posters use the system image backup option build in Win 10 ??

Way too slow and can be unreliable.  It's still the same image backup system from Win 7.  

[david555]

2 hours ago, Pib said:

Way too slow and can be unreliable.  It's still the same image backup system from Win 7.  

Works fine for me , BTW win 7 one of the best O.S. from windows , 

I have 2 ext. disks for win 10 , and 1 makes it in 40 minutes and te other one need few hours to make  so must be different disk different speed …, setting up a total new system image on my laptop takes for both half hour and all set again .

Ideal in case of heavy intrusion or virus or ransome case