Solved System Restore (not about "backups")

First, please this is not about "backups" and has nothing to do with backing up. This is about using a feature for which is was designed.

So, I use "System Restore" to create manual restore points when I want to test drivers or apps. I'll create a manual restore point for the app or driver in question before installation. If something goes wrong or I decide I don't want the app or driver, I simply tell System Restore to restore the system back to before the the app or driver install. Been doing this for years without issue. And the process is relatively fast.

That said, there appears to be an issue under Windows 11 where the restore process takes forever to complete. In fact, it took so long that I thought the system crashed. It ran for at least 15 before I rebooted, thinking the system crashed. Rebooting back into Windows, I was told the system never finished the restore operation. The thing is, the operation should take no longer than 5 minutes, if that. Anyway, I tried again, and this time after about 10 minutes the operation completed.

So, for those who use the System Restore feature, are you noticing inordinate long restore times under Windows 11?

Thanks

I always force a SRP creation when I manually check for driver updates and install newer drivers via Snappy Driver Installer Origin.

I might have a new driver waiting for me, and if I do, I can force a SRP creation, install the new driver, and then try restoring that newly created SRP and see if it causes issues.

However, I also cleanly installed Win 11, now, so no upgrade to test on. So, in this case, MMMV

Jus mentioning it for others who read this thread.

@Dru2
I haven't done a restore yet. I have only created some restore points.
But I'll keep an eye on that.

Just while we are talking about System Restore in Windows 11. Yesterday I noticed that my Disk Space Usage had dropped from 15% to 2%. I have since put it back to 15%, but if you're having problems, I would check your settings. It won't have anything to do with slow restores though, but it will prevent some restore points being made.

SDIO had 3 drivers to install, so I created a SRP with a single driver installation, then created another SRP with the remaining 2 drivers.

Theoretically, I should be able to restore the first SRP and all three drivers will show as needing to be installed again, or I can restore the newest one and only 2 drivers will show needed to be installed.

I'll give the System Restore a shot in a few minutes.

Dru2 said:

First, please this is not about "backups" and has nothing to do with backing up. This is about using a feature for which is was designed.

So, I use "System Restore" to create manual restore points when I want to test drivers or apps. I'll create a manual restore point for the app or driver in question before installation. If something goes wrong or I decide I don't want the app or driver, I simply tell System Restore to restore the system back to before the the app or driver install. Been doing this for years without issue. And the process is relatively fast.

That said, there appears to be an issue under Windows 11 where the restore process takes forever to complete. In fact, it took so long that I thought the system crashed. It ran for at least 15 before I rebooted, thinking the system crashed. Rebooting back into Windows, I was told the system never finished the restore operation. The thing is, the operation should take no longer than 5 minutes, if that. Anyway, I tried again, and this time after about 10 minutes the operation completed.

So, for those who use the System Restore feature, are you noticing inordinate long restore times under Windows 11?

Thanks

Click to expand...

Well, mine took less than a minute to start rebooting. But it still failed - I had 0 interaction with it from the time I pressed restore to when I logged back in - all under 2 minutes total. But I got this:

Yeah, well mine didn't fail it just took forever. Never took this long on my Windows 10 machine, and I've been using that feature forever; even on the machine in question.

John, how much Disk Space Usage percentage is allocated in your System Restore settings?

1% of 1 TB == 10 GB.

Stigg said:

Just while we are talking about System Restore in Windows 11. Yesterday I noticed that my Disk Space Usage had dropped from 15% to 2%. I have since put it back to 15%, but if you're having problems, I would check your settings. It won't have anything to do with slow restores though, but it will prevent some restore points being made.

Click to expand...

Mine is at 2% (19.05 GB out of 952 GB (1TB drive)). That is 19gig is allocated to Restore Points. This is the same as all my other machines, but no forever and a day there.

johnlgalt said:

1% of 1 TB == 10 GB.

Click to expand...

I only have two restore points so far, and they are taking up 3.19 GB.
I guess if you have it set at 1% (10 GB), then you think it is enough.

Dru2 said:

Mine is at 2% (19.05 GB out of 952 GB (1TB drive)). That is 19gig is allocated to Restore Points. This is the same as all my other machines, but no forever and a day there.

Click to expand...

It wouldn't cause slowness.

Stigg said:

It wouldn't cause slowness.

Click to expand...

Yeah, that's my point

I gave up using unreliable restore points years ago.

I use Macrium Reflect (paid version) and create incremental image backups and then I can revert to previous state far morevreliably.

cereberus said:

I gave up using unreliable restore points years ago.

I use Macrium Reflect (paid version) and create incremental image backups and then I can revert to previous state far morevreliably.

Click to expand...

1. Once again, Macrium has NOTHING to do with the issue. Backups have NOTHING to do with the issue.
2. The "Macrium backup" comments only come from those who don't understand the purpose of restore points. If they did, they'd know "backups" have nothing to with the purpose of them
3. The last time I checked NO app on planet Earth worked 100% all the time. Even the famed "Macruim" has a forum full of people complaining about issues

Thanks

Dru2 said:

1. The "backup" comments only come from those who don't understand the purpose of restore points. If they did, they'd know "backups" have nothing to with the purpose of them

Click to expand...

Yes, the two are quite different. A restore point reverts the system to the state at the time of the restore point without affecting any user files created later, while restoring a backup reverts everything back to a point in time, loosing any subsequent new or changed user files.

I use both as appropriate, and TBH even in Windows 10 I'm finding a restore point painfully slow. It seems to take forever (well, 15 minutes or more) just 'preparing to restore' before it even starts restoring the registry.

Wherever possible I try to avoid having to use a restore point. With a paid for version of Macrium Reflect it is far faster to make a backup immediately before installing 'potentially dodgy' drivers or software, then restore the backup if it goes badly. The Premium features of Changed Block Tracking and Incremental backups mean that (provided you already have a recent Full image) the backup takes a few minutes. And for the restore the Premium feature Rapid Delta Restore means that it only restores sectors that have changed, meaning the restore takes a matter of minutes too.

With a backup made just before the 'potentially risky' install there's no worries about user files. It's just that sometimes I forget (or think 'this can't possibly go wrong, I'll risk it') and have to fall back on using a restore point to undo the damage

The trick is... planning ahead. Keep the total data on the Windows drive, down to a minimum.
Then... backups and restores are... fast.

System Restore "merges" the SRP with the current state of the system.
This allows room for error.

Backup software completely "overwrites" the current state of the Windows drive, with the backup.
In other words, it "erases" mistakes, errors, infection, corruption, etc.

I know this topic is specifically about System Restore, but... System Restore is an old, outmoded solution.



I post this for YOUR peace of mind. ^^

System restore has been hit or miss for me in Windows 10 all the way back to its beta testing days. This is not on one machine either. I have four. I repair computers for a living and have tried system restore in customer computers as well and it was never reliable since Windows 7. I got burned really bad a couple of times so just resigned myself that I can't depend on it any more. Since Windows 11 is nothing more than a glorified Windows 10, I don't expect it to work any better.

Works fine here... from creation of restore point, to installation of Nordvpn (as sample install) to system restoration is about 2mins.

Bree said

Yes, the two are quite different. A restore point reverts the system to the state at the time of the restore point without affecting any user files created later, while restoring a backup reverts everything back to a point in time, loosing any subsequent new or changed user files.

Click to expand...

I know that perhaps some others need to learn it

And I've heard that from you before on how you feel Restore Points are slow. But that's not been "my" experience using it, and I've been using it for years under both Windows 10 and 7. Typical time from creation to restore including reboot is usually less than 5 minutes.

Today, the experience under Windows 11 was the exception, and thus my post. I'm asking those who "actually use the program" what their experience is with System Restore under Windows 11. Not why I should invest in Macrium or a lesson in backup strategy.

I'd appreciate those sticking to the first post question dealing with System Restore. Anything else is simply ignoring my post.

Thanks

badrobot said:

Works fine here... from creation of restore point, to installation of Nordvpn (as sample install) to system restoration is about 2mins.

View attachment 5847

Click to expand...

Thank you!!!

Yeah, mine took about 15 minutes before I cancelled. Trying again, took about 10, but did complete without issue. I'm also running .132

I might have to look at doing a clean install of 11 since Win 10 was starting to act up on this machine before the upgrade.

Thanks.