Question about restore points

[TheSuspect]

Let's say this:

 

You create restore point A on July 1st.

You create restore point B on July 13th. You've installed After effects for example.

You create restore point C on August 2nd. You've installed Premiere for example.

 

If you were to activate restore point A, would you loose the B and C points as well? Or can you activate A, then activate C, then B, and so on, so forth. Aaand, would you loose any installed drivers/software?

[dalekphalm]

1 minute ago, TheSuspect said:

Let's say this:

 

You create restore point A on July 1st.

You create restore point B on July 13th. You've installed After effects for example.

You create restore point C on August 2nd. You've installed Premiere for example.

 

If you were to activate restore point A, would you loose the B and C points as well? Or can you activate A, then activate C, then B, and so on, so forth. Aaand, would you loose any installed drivers/software?

I do not believe it will actually erase the Restore Point created at B and C, even if you restore to point A, but then, I've never tried that.

 

You should restore to the latest point you think is working, not really restoring 1, then the 2nd, and so on.

 

You CAN lose drivers and software when restoring a point. Restore Points are a strange system, as they aren't true backups. They only store information/files/settings for certain things, and only as HDD space available for restore points allows.

[TheSuspect]

2 minutes ago, dalekphalm said:

I do not believe it will actually erase the Restore Point created at B and C, even if you restore to point A, but then, I've never tried that.

 

You should restore to the latest point you think is working, not really restoring 1, then the 2nd, and so on.

 

You CAN lose drivers and software when restoring a point. Restore Points are a strange system, as they aren't true backups. They only store information/files/settings for certain things, and only as HDD space available for restore points allows.

Okay. Another scenario (which I'm kinda in)

 

You have installed software and files that you need. But there's a driver that's giving you issues and you want to go back to the drivers on A. Will the 3rd party software and files you've created be erased? If so, how do you recommend I go about things? I need the 3rd party software and files from C, and the drivers from A.

[dalekphalm]

1 minute ago, TheSuspect said:

Okay. Another scenario (which I'm kinda in)

 

You have installed software and files that you need. But there's a driver that's giving you issues and you want to go back to the drivers on A. Will the 3rd party software and files you've created be erased? If so, how do you recommend I go about things? I need the 3rd party software and files from C, and the drivers from A.

Basically, you have no way of knowing whether Third Party Software and Files will be erased or not.

 

Generally speaking, personal files saved on the desktop or in Documents (or a custom folder on C:\) should all be safe. The software itself, is at risk of being uninstalled (or rather, deleted, and registry entries removed).

 

I would simply do the following:

-Backup the files you mentioned

-Restore to point A

-Check to see if 3rd party program is there

-If not, reinstall program, replace any files that are needed

 

The problem with restoring to A, then to C, is that when you restore to C, it will simply overwrite any drivers that you had on point A with the ones on Point C.