System Restore - Discussion

Please leave any feedback about the System Restore article in this thread.

Really helpful info, thanks a lot.

System Restore has saved my butt many times (especially with XP Pro), it's a fine tool that was introduced with XP. At least a dozen times, my DVD ROM would act up, especially when installing drivers with those tiny CD's. Why this happened, I don't know, but I was glad that I had System Restore to bail me out.

You mention booting from the Windows 7 installation DVD as a methd of getting into System Restore. But computers are often sold without this DVD. If you do not have this Installation DVD, is there any other method of starting up your computer so that it will go into System Restore or is ther a method of making an Instalation DVD?

Yes, there is a method. Just go to Windows 7 ISO – Official Direct Download Links

Save whichever version you need to a folder you'll remember and then burn the ISO image file to a quality blank DVD using ImgBurn. Enable the "Verify" feature in ImgBurn and burn no faster than 8X burning speed.

You'll have a legitimate Windows 7 installation DVD disc.

Use W7 to create a Repair disc

Using the installation DVD is far better than the "repair disk". It has been shown to have some issues with it.

Now not all users will experience problems, but a lot do.

If you want to create a repair disk here are the steps to do it:

I would suggest you to create the system image in C drive itself and try to create a startup disk. You may follow the steps mentioned below to Create System Repair Disk in Windows 7.

Step 1: Press the Start button on your keyboard (the one that bears the Microsoft logo) or click the Start button from the bottom left hand corner of the screen.

Step 2: In the search box type in System Repair.

Step 3: Select Create a System Repair disk

Step 4: Take a blank DVD and put in the burning drive (DVD writer). You could also use a CD, just make sure it is large enough to store the System Repair Disc.

Step 5: Select the burning drive from the drop down menu.

Step 6: Click Create disc. Wait for the burn process to complete.

Here is how you can replace steps 1, 2 and 3 in the tutorial presented above: Start -> All Programs -> Maintenance -> Create a System Repair Disc.

If you have a Windows 7 DVD you can use that to boot to the Windows Recovery Environment. If you bought a PC with Windows 7 preinstalled (OEM license) then you do not have a DVD. Use System Repair Disc to create a system image -> use the disc when something goes wrong and you cannot boot Windows 7.

Be careful where you store the System Repair Disc. Keep it somewhere safe, but not so safe that you forget where you put it.

For more information on creating system repair disk in Windows 7, refer to the link below:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...em-repair-disc

I created a repair disc immediately after getting W7 64 bit and have used it 2 or more times with no problems. I would say less than 1% of users have a problem using a repair disc not every software/hardware combo can be fully tested.

Nibs, this is the first I heard of there being "issues" with the restore disk. I have used it myself and suggested it to guests here many times so if you have a link to the issues, like times to avoid it or whatever please post it.

Thank you Nibiru2012. I have followed your instructions to create a Windows 7 Installation DVD.