Here is more on system restore as it relates to those nasty programs that we
sometimes download and wish we hadn't:



Using System Restore

Q. My son downloaded a game demo last week. The game would crash at random
times and we would have to restart the computer. I finally uninstalled the
thing, but the same thing is still happening. How can I just get my computer
back to normal? I'm using Windows ME.

A. Games, especially free games, can be of dubious quality. Some are created
by programmers as practice or a hobby. And low-quality games can come with
low-quality uninstallers. So there are probably a few traces of that game
left on your computer.

Fortunately, Windows has just the thing for these circumstances. It's a
built-in tool called System Restore. System Restore debuted in Windows Me.
It is also part of Windows XP. It takes snapshots of your system. The
snapshots are called restore points.

System Restore is useful if you run into sudden problems in Windows. You can
return your system to the way it was before problems started. By default,
System Restore may keep restore points for the last 90 days. Choose a date
and Windows will become its former self.

Restore points are made automatically every 24 hours. That's assuming the
computer is turned on. Otherwise, the restore point is created when you boot
up. Restore points also are created when you install a program or download
an unsigned driver. Drivers tell Windows how to use devices like printers.
Unsigned drivers are those not certified by Microsoft.

To find System Restore, click Start>>All Programs>> Accessories>>System
Tools>>System Restore. To choose a restore point, select "Restore my
computer to an earlier time." Then click the Next button.

System Restore will display a miniature calendar. Select any day emphasized
in bold. Look for the day that you installed the game. That day's restore
points will be listed beside the calendar. Each restore point also bears a
short description to help you choose. They typically look something like
"Windows Update" or "Installed iTunes."

Select a restore point and click the Next button. System Restore will prompt
you to confirm your choice. Click the Next button. Your computer will
automatically shut down and restart using the restore point.

System Restore does not disturb your e-mail or other documents. In fact, it
leaves the entire My Documents folder untouched. And a new restore point is
made when you use System Restore. It ensures that you can undo the restore
if you're not satisfied.

System Restore is handy, but it involves a trade-off: It uses a lot of
space. It can use up to 12 percent of your hard drive. But you can adjust
the amount of space allowed for System Restore.

In Windows Me, click Start>>Settings>>Control Panel. Double-click System.
Select the Performance tab. Click the File System button. Select the Hard
Disk tab. Under Settings, you'll find a slider to adjust System Restore's
allowed space. But don't be too stingy. System Restore requires at least 200
megabytes to continue making restore points. And the allowed space
determines how far back you can restore your computer.

In Windows XP, click Start>>Control Panel. Double-click System. Select the
System Restore tab. You'll see the slider to adjust the space reserved for
System Restore.

Do not rely on System Restore as a general backup. It won't recover old
versions of your documents. Neither will it recover documents that you've
deleted. It simply restores Windows to an earlier state



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