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[ralphw]

What initiates a system restore, and can I set up to create one, say on a daily basis?
 I've looked into the settings but there does not seem to be anything there...

[dave.m]

Hi Ralph,
If you're running Windows XP, your system is automatically set up to create a new restore point every day, and every time you make a significant system or application change. You can also create your own restore point any time you like.
dave

[UncleUB]

Hi,Ralph,I'm using Vista and it automatically sets a restore point when you switch on your computer.Like dave said you can also set it up to do a restore point any time you like.

[ralphw]

Thanks guys, Yes I realise that you can manually create a restore point but I did not know that the PC does it on a daily basis. That is what I was thinking about so problem solved...

[dave.m]

Ralph,
Just had a look at my restore points and there are a few days with no points but on most days there is one marked 'Software Distribution Services 3.0'
I also have one for everytime I installed some new software or hardware for the past 60 days.
Using XP Home SP2
dave

[dave.m]

Ralph,
I hate to pinch someone elses ideas but I have copied this from across the road:

It is a piece by Jack Hackett and is very informative....

By default Windows keeps System Restore Points for 90 days, that's 7776000 seconds you know , even if you leave lots of room for restore points, Windows still purges old restore points once they age beyond a set value, as I said 90 days by default.
You can change this setting, so, lets choice a time scale of 30 days, that's 2592000 seconds.
.
Here's how:
Open up the registry editor - Start > Run and type in regedit > OK
Navigate to this key
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore
in the right hand pane you will find a value named RPLifeInterval , which by default is 7776000 . this is a decimal value NOT the Hex value.
Right click on RPLifeInterval > select Modify > Decimal > change the value to 2592000
click OK and exit the registry editor
.
If you have plenty of disk space, I suppose you could increase the time too.
here's some values to save you working them out
1 day = 86400
7 days = 604800
14 days = 1209600
30 days = 2592000
90 days = 7776000
120 days = 10368000
.
.
Enjoy
Jack
.
Here's some more info on some of the registry keys and values for System Restore
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;295659

dave

[ralphw]

I've found the records of auto restores and it gives the time and, System Checkpoint, the strange thing I also noticed is that they seem to come at approximately 25 hour intervals?  Spybot also creates one before deleting anything it finds.
Thanks for that Dave, I find that mine keeps them for 28 days. As far as I'm concerned this is enough because the only times I have needed to use it has just been 1 or 2 days previous at the most.
Sometimes my modem seems to lose its settings and refuses to connect so a restore to the previous day sorts it out.

[exo]

What initiates a system restore, and can I set up to create one, say on a daily basis?
 I've looked into the settings but there does not seem to be anything there...

If using XP, good article here on what initiates a system restore.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/getstarted/ballew_03may19.mspx

As the modem is frequently losing its settings, perhaps reinstalling the drivers may help resolve the issue.

exo

[ralphw]

Exo, thanks for the link, I will read it when I have a bit of spare tiem.  The modem does not lose the settings to often, it has only done it I think about 3 times this year. I used to reinstal the driver but it did not appear to alter the frequence of failures. Reinstallng also loses the connection settings to a second PC using mine as master to connect to the internet.  Don't ask me how, a local expert set it up for me.  So restore is the easiest way to get back to normal operation...
Thanks again for the assistance..

[oldfogy]

Not being one for delving into registries (whenever I can help it) what I do is to check and reduce the amount of space reserved for System Restore in "Control Panel - System"

Currently on a 20GB HDD with approximately 5GB of programs and data my reserved space is set at 5%, this gives me somewhere in the region of 10-15 restore points (cant be too sure of the number, as I have recently cleared all previous points)
This I find adequate and far less than the 12% set by default.
Obviously the larger the drive, the more restore points will be created.
(And do we really need them all) ?

As previously said, usually going back one or two days (or point) is all thats needed.

[ralphw]

Oldfogy,
I've just had a look at my settings, it's on 5% and with a 40Gb drive this equates to some 25-30 restore points which ties in with you findings.  As you say, do you really need any more than the last half dozen??  May well reduce it to 3% and see what that gives me.

[DrTeeth]

What initiates a system restore, and can I set up to create one, say on a daily basis?
 I've looked into the settings but there does not seem to be anything there...

Set up a script to run every 24 hours. If you PM me I can send you the one that I use or you can Google for them.

I create a restore point every day at 23:00 hrs.

[ralphw]

Now working, thanks Dr T.

[DrTeeth]

Well done. Do test System Restore from time to time. It has a habit of making restore points that cannot be restored. Easily fixed though - turn off System restore and then turn it on again.

[ralphw]

Yes will do, Thanks again. Sorry it took so long to get back to you but I've been a bit busy recently..