XP system restore points

[CSULB71]

I'm getting ready to install Win XP/SP2 on a new hard drive. I will be creating two partitions, one for the OS and program app's (drive C) and one for data files (drive D). I understand XP will reserve a portion of the C drive for "System Restore" points, but does XP also do that with drive D? Can I configure the system so that the restore points files for drive C are located only on drive D?

[piano632]

System Restore does include all drives in the restore function, but only program installations, system settings, registry entries, etc. are included in System Restore. Plain data files cannot be restored so if drive D has only regular data that does not affect the OS (such as audio, video, photos, etc.) there is no benefit to having it included in System Restore. I don't think there is a way to put the System Restore files on a different drive, but maybe someone else knows for sure.

[Bjs]

You'll find all you need to know answered at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsxp/bb264753.aspx

System restore supports other available partitions, no matter if on a single or multiple drive system.

In your case

A: Disable it for the partition holding only user data
B: Answer to moving it to another location is no

[Midzuki]

or...

C: Do without the damn System Restore.
My Pentium IV works very well without it.

[steptoe]

or

D:

Use something that actually works and doesn't 'forget' to set restore points, delete them when it feels like it, and even better doesn't restore from a restore point when you need it to or corrupts files as it does a restore forcing you to install Windoze once again

The best part is you can only do a system restore once you have booted into Windoze, this is a great idea if you can't boot windows due to a corrupt system file


Have a look at RollBackRX, this takes a very small snapshot of your root drive and more importantly it works plus as it runs before Windoze gets a chance to boot you can restore your system to exactly what it was when you took the snapshot, even if a system file is corrupt and you can't get your system to start

Its saved me having to reinstall more than once, and in less than 10 minutes from starting the restore

[CSULB71]

Bjs: Thanks for the link -- it answered several other questions I had. And your "answer B" is what I figured. I'd just hoped I could have the restore files for Drive C physically located on drive D (and treated like any other user data) to help keep drive C fragmentation to a minimum due to frequent re-writes.

steptoe: Yes, I will be using a "real" backup utility, and will not rely on System Restore. I've used Acronis True Image for several years with Win 98SE, and it has saved my butt MANY times! Excellent program. It's now available for free under the guise of "MaxBlast5" (former Maxtor hard drive utility) on Seagate's website, and I think Seagate has a similar version with their name on it.