When doing a system restore, what gets backed up?

[Bare Foot Kid]

I have no idea what the difference is between those.

Here is what happens. I turn on the machine and it sends me to a "system recovery options" screen after I choose the OS and choose my profile and enter the password. My options are Startup Repair, System Restore, Windows Complete PC Restore, Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool, Command Prompt, and Recovery Manager. If I choose Recovery Manager it will give me the option of 'Recovery with automatic backup' or 'Full factory recovery'. None of the other options before that are working at all. I've tried startup repair and it says there isn't anything wrong. None of the restore points exist anymore, but when there were some options it wouldn't actually restore to the points I was trying to send it to. So basically my last option is to do a full on restore while trying to preserve some of the folders in the user profile.

This would be your best option!


Later Ted

It sounds like you believe that it will save my user profile files then, right? As long as I can still get access to those files then I'll be happy. For all I know it will pretend to do the full system restore and then it will end up booting on to the same screen I'm at now. lol

There are NO GUARANTEES, but it doesn't sound like you have many other options.


Later Ted

 

[ocdetails]

I just chatted with Gateway (what morons) and I finally got them to understand what the problem was to the point that they are sending me a Vista disc. So if my co-worker's disc doesn't work tomorrow, then at least I have another disc on the way.

My other option is just to take this drive out and try to find a computer that will read it. My home computer doesn't like reading portable SATA drives and I've already tried it there. My work computer doesn't work because in order to access the password protected profile folder I have to have administrator rights on the machine I'm accessing it from, so no go there. My last option is just to hand it over to a friend who is techie and see what he comes up with.

I do appreciate all the help you guys have offered. Thanks! I'm sure I'll be back. lol

 

[rive0108]

Recovery with Automatic Data Backup AKA Repair
This option preserves your existing data files and Installs a new copy of Vista

This option moves the C: drive contents to the "C:\Backup" directory and installs a new copy of Windows Vista. This option preserves your existing data files; however, since files are just copied to a different folder for backup, all applications and settings need to be reinstalled. This option requires enough free hard drive space to reinstall Windows Vista from the recovery partition. This amount of free space varies between models (depending on drivers and number of applications installed from the recovery partition) but is typically around 10-20 GB
http://assets.gateway.com/s/software/microsof/vista/7515418/7515418su532.shtml
Good Luck!

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Yes, please come back and let us know how this turns out ...











Later Ted

 

[ocdetails]

Alrighty. In the name of education I am going to try it. I am going to scream really loud if it doesn't work, but it seems like this is the solution. The user profile I'm concerned about is on the C:/ drive, so I really shouldn't have anything to worry about. So here it goes... I'll post back with the outcome (if there is one).

 

[rtt_77388]

They don't have a disc!










Later Ted

Maybe a recovery partiton? Whoops, I guess I am behind...

 

[ocdetails]

I'm not as ballsy as I thought I was I guess. I held off until I was able to connect my drive through a USB caddy to a co-worker's computer and pull the files off before I did the system restore with the backup. It was just about 4 GB that I had to retreive, so this was just a little too risky to leave to the unknown. So, now that I have all my files safe and secure on a thumb drive, I pulled the trigger on the restore.

IT WORKED!! AND IT KEPT ALL OF MY OLD PROFILE FILES IN A BACKUP FOLDER SAFE AND SOUND!!

Such a relief!! There is a backup folder on the C:/ drive that has all of the previous C:/ drive files backed up on it. It is just like I was reading the files from an external drive. So now I can just transfer the files from the backup to my new profile and then go about deleting the backup folder.

Thanks again for all of your help. If I would have followed your advice then I would have been perfectly fine. I waited a little longer just to be on the safe side, but kudos to all of you for giving me the good information that you did. I have spent a lot of time online in my day working on detailing forums and have tried to be as helpful as people were to me when I got started. I haven't been a newbie on a forum for an awful long time, but it is nice to know that there are people out there with the same helpful spirit that I have tried to be for newbies on other forums. Thanks a ton!!

 

[rive0108]

I'm not as ballsy as I thought I was I guess. I held off until I was able to connect my drive through a USB caddy to a co-worker's computer and pull the files off before I did the system restore with the backup. It was just about 4 GB that I had to retreive, so this was just a little too risky to leave to the unknown. So, now that I have all my files safe and secure on a thumb drive, I pulled the trigger on the restore.

IT WORKED!! AND IT KEPT ALL OF MY OLD PROFILE FILES IN A BACKUP FOLDER SAFE AND SOUND!!

Such a relief!! There is a backup folder on the C:/ drive that has all of the previous C:/ drive files backed up on it. It is just like I was reading the files from an external drive. So now I can just transfer the files from the backup to my new profile and then go about deleting the backup folder.

Thanks again for all of your help. If I would have followed your advice then I would have been perfectly fine. I waited a little longer just to be on the safe side, but kudos to all of you for giving me the good information that you did. I have spent a lot of time online in my day working on detailing forums and have tried to be as helpful as people were to me when I got started. I haven't been a newbie on a forum for an awful long time, but it is nice to know that there are people out there with the same helpful spirit that I have tried to be for newbies on other forums. Thanks a ton!!

I am very happy that it worked out well for you.
Thank you for the rep.:D

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello again, I'm very glad it all turned out well for you.

Thank you for coming back to let us know!
Always remember we are here to help you if you need us.
You are encouraged to visit the Vista forums tutorial section whenever you like,
at the link below.

Tutorials - Vista Forums

There's lots of very good information at your disposal.


Later Ted