| Author |
Message |
Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Thursday, August 16, 2012 - 9:32 am 
If you do not know what you are doing with system restore, it can do more damage than good. Again, if you have all original software, just turn it off. If you get into problems, wiping and reinstalling fresh is the best way to go. You'd be surprised how much faster things go anyways.
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Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Thursday, August 16, 2012 - 9:50 am
To each his own but I find reloading all my software extremely time consuming. The couple of times I have used restore were quick and easy. Granted I've only had two restores over probably six or seven years so it's not like I use it all the time.
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Holly
Member
07-21-2001
| Thursday, August 16, 2012 - 10:10 am
Again, HOW do you turn it off? I don't see any option to do so (not that I will--I use it when an update messes me up) I'm just curious as to why I can't see an "off" link.
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Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Thursday, August 16, 2012 - 10:51 am
If you want to turn it off follow the instructions here: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/disable-system-restore-in-windows-vista/ . I think the reason it's not right up front and relatively easy to get to is that it's not considered, by most folks, a good idea and they don't want it to happen by accident. Understand some don't feel that way.
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Thursday, August 16, 2012 - 11:26 am
ITA Mack. It's saved my bacon countless times over the years. I have the instructions typed and taped to the top of my desk so I don't panic or forget where they are. (Okay I always panic, lol, but then at least the instructions are at hand once I calm down.)
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Holly
Member
07-21-2001
| Thursday, August 16, 2012 - 1:11 pm
Thanks, Mack 
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Thursday, August 16, 2012 - 5:32 pm
The last 3 computers we've bought have NOT come with disk backups at all; there is no way I'd turn off the system restore!
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Friday, August 17, 2012 - 5:38 am
If they haven't, then you haven't bought original or OEM software. Which means you are not paying for the software you purchased. And that is illegal.
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Friday, August 17, 2012 - 6:03 am
Not necessarily. Perhaps the computers that Teach bought had a facility for making your own backup disks.
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Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Friday, August 17, 2012 - 6:12 am
I'd also say that's not necessarily true. My relatively new Dell desktop, purchased last fall, came with no software back-up discs but did include the licensing information in the manual and has the Microsoft Windows 7 license in the form of a sticker on the case. Seems to me that it's become more common not to include the various software discs than to include them. Over the months I've upgraded much of the original software and in most cases that's required validation of the existing software and have not had one issue with that.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Friday, August 17, 2012 - 7:03 am
Jimmer, that may be true. But Microsoft is pretty adamant about OEM software. If it doesn't have the "Windows Seal" in it, it's not legal. Mack's example may be more common, but it should have included information on how to create backup discs so you can reinstall or reimage the system.
And when you get a new system, that should be the first thing you do. Always.
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Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Friday, August 17, 2012 - 7:28 am
I'm so used to working with computers I don't pay much attention to the little details, some things are just automatic with me now. As I recall, when I first booted up the new Dell, it had that "nagging" reminder to create backup discs. I always do that once I've got the system up and working to my satisfaction.
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Holly
Member
07-21-2001
| Friday, August 17, 2012 - 8:20 am
I've been ignoring that message for close to 3 years now  . How long does it take to create the backup disc?
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Friday, August 17, 2012 - 8:21 am
As Mack mentioned, when you do any sort of Windows upgrade (which happens regularly) doesn't Microsoft test to see that you have a legitimate registered copy?
With respect to reinstalling everything from scratch, I'm sometimes tempted to do it (and I always make sure that I have backup disks) but it would take me hours to get everything set up again. It's a big time commitment that I'd rather avoid if possible.
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Friday, August 17, 2012 - 8:23 am
Not that long, Holly. Maybe an hour, but all you have to do is get it started and check on it occasionally to click okay and change disks. So it's not like you can't do other things.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Friday, August 17, 2012 - 9:00 am
My Mac comes built in with backup software called Time Machine. You stick an external hard drive on it, turn Time Machine on *once* and voila, you have multiple full system backups that continue to backup automatically, constantly.
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Friday, August 17, 2012 - 10:31 am
I have Mac envy. 
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Friday, August 17, 2012 - 10:34 am
By the way, in no way do I think that Teach would intentionally have illegal Windows software on her computers.
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Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Friday, August 17, 2012 - 10:44 am
Yes Jimmer, Microsoft has a self-validating routine built in to its software and would kick out most pirated versions. I upgrade all my machines to Windows 7 Ultimate but mostly because my son works for Microsoft and I have enough software to upgrade my machines for basically free or for a small cost.
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Friday, August 17, 2012 - 10:51 am
That must be a nice place to work. Is your son a programmer (I know there are many jobs other than programming at a company that size)?
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Friday, August 17, 2012 - 11:58 am
We have legal copies of everything - we just don't have CDs. We order directly from the manufacturers (my husband is in IT), and they come with the items we've ordered loaded. I use no pirated software, we just don't have CDs to restore with.
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Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Friday, August 17, 2012 - 1:52 pm
Jimmer - My son is a Microsoft global account manager. He basically is the corporate level day-to-day interface between Microsoft and a major worldwide IT company.
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Friday, August 17, 2012 - 2:29 pm
That's cool, Mack.
Teach, I still think that there must be a program for making restore disks somewhere on the hard drive.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Friday, August 17, 2012 - 3:07 pm
I am a firm believer in back up disks. When I got this computer, geek squad set it up for me and when I got it back there were all the back up disks and stuff in a nice plastic bag.
The guys that replaced my hard drive said that those disks were very handy and cut the time in half for restoring my system.
So now I believe, LOL.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Friday, August 17, 2012 - 5:11 pm
Jimmer, there probably is - I just haven't ever done it! LOL I back up my pictures, documents, videos, etc. so no matter what happens with my computer, I've got the important stuff that will work on another one.
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