System Restore - Restore Points

Restore Points

Restore points are created:

• When software is installed using the Windows Installer, Package Installer or other installers which are aware of System Restore.
• When Windows Update installs new updates to Windows.
• When the user installs a driver that is not digitally signed by Windows Hardware Quality Labs.
• On Windows XP or Windows Vista, every 24 hours of computer use or when the operating system starts after being off for more than 24 hours (10 hours in Windows Me), or every 24 hours of calendar time, whichever happens first. This setting is configurable through the registry or using the deployment tools on Windows XP. Such a restore point is known as a system checkpoint. System Restore requires Task Scheduler to create system checkpoints. Moreover, system checkpoints are only created if the system is idle for a certain amount of time. In Windows 7, automatic Restore Points are created only once every seven days, however a script can be used to silently create Restore Points more frequently.
• When the user manually creates a Restore Point.

On Windows Vista, because System Restore uses shadow copies, individual files or folders can also be restored, through the Previous Versions tab from Properties.

In Windows XP, restore point files are stored in a hidden folder named System Volume Information on the root of every drive, partition or volume, including most external drives, and some USB flash drives. On drives or partitions that are not monitored by System Restore this folder will be very small in size or completely empty, unless Encrypting File System is in use or the Indexing Service is turned on. Note: If the System Volume Information folder is deleted, it will be recreated automatically.

Older restore points are deleted as per the configured space constraint on a First In, First Out basis.