XP restore to a point in time

[Lex]

Anyone know exactly how this clicking back to a point in time works on XP? AS I understand it, you can set it back to the prior day, or two days etc... and restore any files that were deleted unless the file space was written over since then, maybe it's protected anyway. I hope her settings were such it allows her to do it. (daughter)

I started looking at lunch on my laptop at home and didn't really find it

Help...

thanks.

[Kevin P]

System Restore takes images of critical system files (e.g. registry, installed programs etc.) periodically and saves them as "restore points", which you can restore back to at any point. You can set how much space is reserved for these restore points, and it'll delete old ones to make space as needed. It doesn't save data files, however.

What sort of thing are you trying to recover?

Check the recycle bin too, if something was deleted by accident from explorer.

If it's a deleted file or folder that isn't in the recycle bin, you might be able to get it back with a data recovery utility. Just be careful not to do too much with the PC in the meantime as the space will eventually be overwritten and then it's hasta la vista, data.

[Lex]

Yeah, I thought of checking the recycle bin and told her to do that. Apparently one of my daughter's (roommates?) deleted all her songs. I have no idea what all she had on there, I have no idea what happened, other than she calls me at lunch all upset about it.

I thought XP had it's own unique ability to back up. I guess that's System Restore? I don't think it sounds like that will help.

I am not sure how they deleted them, it may have been malicious even, who knows.

Lex

[Kevin P]

Well, it could have been one of three things:

1) They deleted the songs by accident...
2) They deleted the songs on purpose (I'd find another roommate in this case)...
3) She got a virus which in turn deleted the songs... I'd check the machine for this.

Does she have a CD burner? Tell her to get a spindle of CDs and burn her stuff on them as a backup. And keep them out of her roommates' reach.

[Lex]

Yeah, she has a CD burner on the laptop. Virus is a possibility. I thought I installed protection on it, but then with kids anything could happen...

I told her somewhat firmly that she needs to put her/my laptop up. It is not my problem that her 2 roommates don't have computers. I didn't take them to raise first off, second off, it's not Kimberly's responsibility to provide the apartment computing equipment. If they don't know better how to protect a computer than this, then I wouldn't want them using mine.

I'll have to investigate the virus protection for one thing, but I thought I installed it, surely...

Lex

[Patt]

If it's the same, I could give you the steps for Windows 98' w/ Gateway Go-Back. :unsure: