Windows 7 volume shadow copying what. Windows operating system restore point
VSS creates shadow copies on a schedule or on demand. Using VSS in Windows 2003 and Vista system recovery is easy. This article shows how to set up backups using VSS in Windows 2003 and convert basic disks to dynamic disks without damaging shadow copies. As an administrator implements VSS, you may find the recommendations in the sidebar “Five VSS Tips” helpful.
How VSS works
VSS creates a snapshot of all files on the NTFS volume or source volume. Shadow copies are stored in an area called the shadow copy cache. The volume on which the shadow copy cache resides is called the shadow copy storage volume. The shadow copy cache is usually invisible to users, as it is located in the hidden System Volume Information folder.
By default, the shadow copy cache is created on the source volume, but you can create it on a separate physical disk to improve performance and fault tolerance. Before you enable VSS, you must select a location to store the shadow copy cache because the cache cannot subsequently be moved without losing the snapshots it contains. Additionally, be aware that disabling shadow copies on a volume deletes all existing shadow copies.
VSS can only be enabled on NTFS volumes. You cannot enter or exclude specific files or folders - only all or nothing. Data on mounted volumes is not included in the shadow copy on the parent volume. However, you can enable shadow copies on the mounted volumes themselves. Shadow copies retain both encryption and NTFS permissions, which can cause problems when restoring the file.
Activating VSS
To enable VSS, select My Computer, then right-click the volume on which you want to enable VSS and select Properties. On the Properties page, you need to click on the Shadow Copies tab. If this has already been done, you need to decide whether you want to store the shadow copy cache on another volume on a different disk.
Then highlight the source volume and click the Settings button. In the Settings dialog box, you can select a different volume to store the shadow copy, as Figure 1 shows. You can change the storage area size and schedule (by clicking the Schedule button) if the preset schedule is not suitable. By default, snapshots are generated from Monday to Friday at 7 a.m. and noon. Snapshots should be created as needed, not every hour.
When you have finished configuring your settings, click OK. On the Properties page, you need to click the Enable button to enable shadow copies on this volume. You will be prompted to use the default schedule and settings; You must accept this proposal and click on the Yes button, and then again on the OK button.
Command line utility enthusiasts will benefit from learning how to configure VSS using Vssadmin and Schtasks instead of the GUI. With Vssadmin you can create, delete, and resize shadow copies, among other operations. Schtasks is used to create, edit and delete assigned tasks.
Disk space requirements. When VSS is enabled, 100 MB of disk space is immediately allocated, and VSS can occupy up to 10% of the hard drive size. Snapshots only reflect changes from the previous snapshot, so they require less storage space than you might think. However, the shadow copy cache can only store 64 copies. If there is not enough disk space or a 65th snapshot is created, the oldest snapshot is deleted to make room for the new one. Due to redundancy when creating snapshots, it is recommended to enable VSS only on volumes that store user data or have the ability to archive open files.
Using Windows 2003 Shadow Copies
To provide client computers with access to previous versions of files, you need the Previous Versions Client application, included with Vista and Windows 2003. Previous Versions Client can also be installed on Windows XP Professional SP1 (the twcli32.msi file is located in the %Windir%\System32\Clients folder \Twclient\X86 on the Windows 2003 CD), and on Windows 2000 (you need to download the appropriate version from ). To install the client program on users' computers, double-click the file to run the installation, or deploy it through Group Policy or Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS).
Shadow copies are designed for use with the Common Internet File System (CIFS), an extension of the Server Message Block protocol, so you must connect through the file share to access previous versions of a file or folder on the server. Even after registering with the server, you must use the Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path. For example, to access older versions of a file on a server named UptownDC in the Sales shared folder, you need to click the Start button, select Run, and enter the command
\\Uptowndc\sales
Click OK, then right-click on the desired file and select Properties. The Previous Versions tab lists the snapshots and shows the date and time they were created (see Figure 2). There are three options for action: View, Copy and Restore. In View mode, a copy of the file is opened read-only; this is convenient for selecting the desired copy. Restore mode restores the document, its NTFS permissions, and encryption settings to its original location, and overwrites the current version. A safer option is Copy, which copies the file to a new location.
If you need to recover a deleted file, then obviously you can't right-click on a file in a shared folder and select its properties. In this case, you need to go to the folder level. Instead of the UNC path \\Uptowndc\Sales, the connection is made to the administrative resource of drive C (where the Sales folder is located): \\Uptowndc\C$. Right-click the Sales folder, select Properties, and click the appropriate button to view, copy, or restore the entire contents of the folder. If you only need one file, you should copy the folder to a new location, then right-click on the file and work with previous versions of that file.
Vista and Shadow Copies
Vista is the first desktop operating system with built-in shadow copy functionality. Vista shadow copies are part of the system recovery mechanism; these are called restore points. By default, recovery points are enabled on volume C and shadow copies of files are created daily if the volume has at least 300 MB of free space.
The pre-scheduled SR task creates restore points and only activates when the computer has been idle for at least 10 minutes and is running on AC power. If for some reason the SR task does not run at the scheduled time, it will be executed as soon as possible. You can assign recovery points for other volumes. Vista allocates up to 15% of your hard drive space to store restore points.
To set up and manage restore points, click Start, then right-click Computer and select Properties. In the Tasks menu, go to the System protection item. Administrative privileges are required to access System protection, so when prompted by User Account Control, click Continue.
On the System Protection tab of the System Properties page (Figure 3), you can manually create a one-time recovery point by selecting the volume and clicking Create, giving the recovery point a name, and clicking Create again. The process may take several minutes, depending on the size of the volume, but once completed you will receive a success confirmation. If the creation of recovery points for a volume is automated, Vista creates a new recovery point for the volume every day and at system startup.
Accessing previous versions of files and folders in Vista is the same as accessing through a Windows 2003 file share from a client with the Previous Versions Client installed. But Vista users can access past versions of files and folders locally. Just open Windows Explorer, right-click on the file or folder, select Properties, and then click on the Previous Versions tab (Figure 4). The options are the same as previous versions of the Previous Versions Client and function in the same way.
VSS and storage area networks
Another important benefit of VSS in Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition and Datacenter Edition is the ability to quickly and easily copy and move data across a SAN. VSS can create a shadow copy of a multi-terabyte volume that can be exported from the SAN and imported onto the server in just a few minutes, moving large amounts of data very quickly. Each storage system manufacturer implements this feature differently, so please contact your vendor for details.
Setting up VSS configuration
For volumes with VSS, the recommended cluster size is at least 16 KB. VSS records are converted to 16KB files in blocks. On volumes between 2 and 4 TB, the default cluster size is 4 KB. But for clusters smaller than 16 KB, the VSS provider cannot determine whether the file has been defragmented or modified. Therefore, VSS treats a defragmented file in the same way as a modified one - it generates a new shadow copy of the file. After defragmenting a disk with small clusters, the shadow copy cache can grow very quickly and overwrite existing shadow copies. For more information on this, see the Microsoft article “Shadow copies may be lost when you defragment a volume” at .
You can find out the size of a volume's clusters by using the Fsutil command. For example, to find the cluster size of volume C, enter the command
Fsutil fsinfo ntfsinfo C:
If the cluster size is less than 16 KB and you want to increase it, you must back up the data, reformat the volume to a larger cluster size, and then restore the data. It should be noted that the file compression mechanism in NTFS only works for 4 KB clusters, so you have to choose between compression and VSS.
Interaction between NTBackup and VSS
In the past, a file that was opened or locked by a service or application during backup was not backed up, causing problems if administrators needed to restore it. Data consistency is extremely important when working with applications that open many files at once, such as databases. If you have many files open during backup, there is a good chance that changes have occurred in the last file in the time between the first and last file being copied. In this case, the data in the restored database appears inconsistent.
The Windows 2003 backup utility, NTBackup, uses VSS to ensure that backup copies are complete and consistent. VSS communicates with the recording component of the application associated with the file. The recording component protects application data and provides information, such as data location and archiving and recovery methods. Applications without a recording component cannot communicate with VSS. In the worst case, an administrator might try to restore an important file and discover that it is not there at all: it was never archived because the application cannot communicate with VSS. Windows 2003 has writing components for AD and NTFS. To find all available recording components on the server, you need to enter the command
Vssadmin list writers
When you run NTBackup on Windows 2003, the utility prompts you to enter a list of all recording components known to VSS. VSS not only lists the recording components, but also provides all known metadata about them, including the backup and recovery methods used in the recording component. VSS uses metadata to determine which applications support shadow copies. When NTBackup requests VSS to create a shadow copy, VSS sends a message to known write components to freeze all data writes, create a shadow copy, and store it in a delta file. The differential file tracks changes since the last shadow copy was created. The backup is performed using data from the differential file.
Monitoring VSS performance
Monitoring shadow copies using Performance Monitor in Windows 2003 can help prevent potential problems before they affect users. For example, Performance Monitor warns you that the disk space used for shadow copies is approaching the maximum allowed amount. By default, Performance Monitor does not contain objects or counters that track shadow copy characteristics, but administrators can enter them themselves. Instructions for creating counters are given in the Microsoft article "Add counters to System Monitor", published at .
Using the Volperf utility (with the /install switch) from the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit, you can supplement the system monitor with shadow copy objects and the following counters:
% Disk Used by Diff Area File: The percentage of disk space used by all difference files on the volume;
Allocated Space (MB): Memory space (MB) allocated to a specific volume;
Maximum Space (MB): The maximum space (MB) allocated for the shadow copy storage volume;
Nb of Diff Area Files: number of difference files;
Nb of Shadow Copies: number of shadow copies in the shadow copy cache;
Size of Diff Area Files: total size of difference files for the selected volume;
Used Space (MB): Amount of space (MB) used in the shadow copy storage volume
Converting a basic disk to dynamic and VSS
Sometimes it is useful to add an extra layer of hardware fault tolerance by creating a mirror set. Mirror sets can only be built on dynamic disks, so the basic disk must be converted to dynamic. The documentation states that converting disks from basic to dynamic does not result in data loss. However, the documentation does not say that if the conversion is incorrect, existing shadow copies may be deleted. If the source volume and the shadow copy cache are located on different volumes, then conversion may be difficult. For more information about the differences between basic and dynamic disks, see the article "Windows Server Disks - Basic or Dynamic," published in Windows IT Pro/RE No. 1, 2003.
The procedure you use to convert a VSS-compatible basic disk to a dynamic disk depends on the location of the shadow copy cache on the boot volume.
Scenario 1- The shadow copy cache is not located on the boot volume. If the shadow copy cache is not on the boot volume, you must first unmount the source volume (the volume on which the snapshot was taken) using the Mountvol command-line utility with the /P option (/P unmounts the volume). Next, you should convert the volume containing the shadow copy cache to a dynamic volume. From this moment the countdown begins: the administrator has only 20 minutes to mount the source volume using the Mountvol utility or the Disk Management snap-in of the MMC management console. If the source volume is not mounted within 20 minutes, all shadow copies will be lost. Finally, bring the source volume back online and convert it to a dynamic volume.
Scenario 2- The shadow copy cache is located on the boot volume. If the shadow copy cache is on a boot volume, you can simply convert the volume containing the shadow copy cache to dynamic. It is not necessary to dismantle it first. Then reboot the server twice and convert the source volume to a dynamic volume.
Beneficial to the end user - beneficial to the administrator
It's nice that Microsoft is releasing new tools to restore the functionality of the desktop operating system for both IT professionals and end users. The fewer backup tapes an administrator has to load, the easier his job is, and Vista's recovery points are a step in the right direction. In addition, thanks to VSS, users have the ability to control the file recovery process. But careful planning and management is essential to fully realize the benefits of VSS.
Five VSS Tips
When implementing VSS or preparing Vista restore points, we recommend that you do the following:
1...Before you enable VSS recovery points, select a storage location for your shadow copies. Remember that you cannot move them later.
2...Placing VSS on a system or boot volume is a bad decision. Operating system files change frequently, so the number of shadow copies on a boot volume is usually large.
3...The optimal cluster size for VSS is 16 KB.
4...Storing the shadow copy cache on a physical disk other than the source disk improves performance and fault tolerance.
5...Neither VSS nor recovery points can replace a complete backup solution.
The most common problem faced by file server users and administrators is the accidental deletion or overwriting of files. It is very difficult to combat this phenomenon; technical means will not help, and administrative ones often turn out to be ineffective. Very often, employees themselves accidentally overwrite the necessary files. What to do? The answer is simple - configure shadow copies of public folders.
Shadow copying is a special mechanism that allows you to make copies of files corresponding to a certain point in time, even if they are open or locked by the system. Shadow copies allow you to view the contents of public folders as of a particular point in time in the past.
Shadow copies can be used to recover accidentally deleted and accidentally overwritten files, and also allows you to compare multiple versions of the same file. It should be remembered that shadow copies cannot serve as a replacement for backup due to a number of limitations and features that we will discuss below.
Shadow copying is supported by server operating systems starting from Windows Server 2003; client software for working with shadow copies is available starting from Windows XP SP2.
The following limitations should be considered when using shadow copies:
- If the allocated disk space limit is exceeded, old shadow copies will be permanently deleted.
- There can be a maximum of 64 shadow copies per file on a single volume.
- Shadow copying is enabled at the volume level, i.e. You cannot select shared folders and files for which shadow copies will or will not be performed.
- On dual-OS computers, if you boot an older system or if you connect a volume to another PC, shadow copies may become corrupted.
Before you set up shadow copying, you should consider your schedule. To do this, you need to analyze user activity and data criticality, finding a compromise between the frequency of creating shadow copies and the period of time that shadow copying should cover. In this case, you should start from the loss of what period of working time can be considered acceptable, and then calculate over what period of time the limit of 64 copies will be reached. It is not recommended to make shadow copies more than once per hour. Also, plan your schedule so that copies are made only during business hours.
To enable shadow copies, go to the snap-in Computer management on the menu Administration.
On the left side of the window, find the item Shared folders and by right clicking select All tasks - Set up shadow copies.
In the window that opens, select the volume on which you will enable shadow copying for shared folders and click Turn on, the first shadow copy will be created immediately.
Then click on the button Options and specify the amount of disk space allocated for storing shadow copies.
The next step is to set a schedule.
Now is the time to test the operation of shadow copies in action. For training purposes, we set a short interval between creating shadow copies and carried out several typical actions with files in a shared folder.
The most common and difficult problem to solve is that the file has been overwritten.
Open the file properties, go to the bookmark Previous versions and select one of the available shadow copies (in our case, only one).
We can open, restore or copy the file. Let's just open it first.
Having made sure that we have the required version of the file, we can restore it or copy it if we need both versions of the files.
To recover deleted files, open the folder properties and select one of its shadow copies, then you can view the files it contains and restore the ones you need. Remember that files from a shadow copy can only be opened as read-only.
As you can see, shadow copying gives users and administrators rich opportunities to work with previous versions of files and folders. This technology, in combination with properly configured backup, allows you to ensure high data availability and reduce the risk of data loss to a reasonable minimum.
It is not always necessary to install additional third-party programs in Windows 7 in order to recover deleted data or data that has been overwritten. Seven allows you to do this using your own means. If you have carelessly deleted or overwritten files, say Microsoft Office documents or family photos, and want to restore them or return them to their original state, then do not rush to install special software for this procedure.
Windows 7 data recovery is possible using the system itself; for this, Microsoft developers have added a convenient and easy-to-use tool to this version of the operating system - volume shadow copies (VVS for short). Using shadow copies, you can quickly, with just a couple of mouse clicks, revive deleted or overwritten files stored on your computer’s hard drive.
Do not confuse shadow copies with a full backup of Windows 7. This tool does not replace a full backup, but simply stores duplicates of those files that have been changed or deleted. In the “seven” this tool works on the principle of recovery points. You all probably know about these points, with the help of which you can roll back the system to a certain point. So, the VVS function creates shadow copies of data, for example, before updating the OS. This is a very handy Windows 7 data recovery tool, but only if you accidentally deleted and overwrote files. Volume Shadow Copy Service can restore up to sixty-four previous copies of each deleted or modified file.
Recovering Files Using Shadow Copies of Windows 7
To begin restoring files from shadow copies, follow these steps: Right-click on the desired file or directory in which the data to be recovered is located. Then, in the context menu that opens, select “Properties”, then go to the “Previous Versions” tab. If there are shadow copies for a file or folder on the system, you will see a list of them. Unfortunately, we could not find shadow copies of files in our system, since it is practically fresh, that is, installed specifically for the site.
To restore a file from the desired copy, simply double-click on it with the left mouse button, and it will be restored.
It is worth noting that the user can customize this tool. For example, you can determine where shadow copies of files are stored on your hard drive. In addition, by pressing the “Win+Pause” key combination and going to the “System Protection” section, you can tell Windows 7 to protect disks or hard drive partitions and determine for each of them the amount of memory that the OS can use for this.
This article is designed to clarify service processes and also serve as a guide to Windows settings to resolve problems.
We receive a large number of requests from users having problems with the Volume Shadow Copy Service when using Paragon products. Most products are equipped with Paragon Hot Core technology, which is in no way inferior to Microsoft VSS. Paragon Hot Core has proven itself to be reliable and safe to use. We highly recommend using it instead of VSS.
Enabling Paragon HotCore (HDM15 or earlier only)
This service is not enabled by default during installation, so you must add it manually. Open Control Panel – Programs and Features. Find the product in the list. Select “Edit” in the installation wizard.
Then you need to change the archiving settings as shown in the figure.
The instructions below will help you quickly back up or create a backup copy of locked partitions and drives, even when they are in use.
Volume Shadow Copy Service
The first sign that services have not started is a “reboot required” notification, which means that the program cannot access files that are currently in use. The operation can be carried out after restarting Windows, it will be performed before Windows starts. This scenario is caused by the following two reasons:
Sometimes errors like
This error occurs due to file system or disk errors. This is usually the result of small errors in the file system data. Windows successfully ignores them, but some programs cannot do this. These errors must be corrected using a Windows utility.
1. Check the VSS infrastructure
1.1 Checking VSS providers
Some applications integrate their own VSS providers, causing Microsoft VSS to be disabled entirely. To check providers for activity, enter the following at the command line:
vssadmin list providers
This command displays the name, type, ID, and version of each installed shadow copy service provider.
If more than one provider is installed, you must perform a registry check.
1.2 Checking VSS writers (writers):
There are various VSS writers that create a shadow copy. Incompatibility between them can lead to various problems. To check the writers for problems/errors, enter the following command at the command prompt:
vssadmin list writers
This command displays installed VSS writers and many of the errors reported by them.
1.3 Checking the distribution of shadow copy storage
The partition (selected for shadow copy operations) requires approximately 300 MB of free space and must also be formatted in NTFS. To get information about the shadow copy partition and the used/allocated/maximum available space, enter the following command at the command prompt:
vssadmin list shadowstorage
This command lists all shadow copy storage locations
You can see that partition C: is designated as a shadow copy partition.
1.4 Other VSS commands
delete shadows – deletes shadow copies of a volume;
list shadows – displays existing shadow copies of a volume;
list volumes – displays volumes suitable for creating shadow copies;
resize shadowstorage – allows you to change the size of the shadow copy.
2. Simultaneous archiving:
The MS VSS provider cannot work with multiple shadow copies at the same time. Check if another program is accessing VSS at the same time as it.
3. VSS is supposedly used:
It looks like VSS is in use and is not available. Try checking:
Open the Registry Editor ( regedit.exe) and go to the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE – SYSTEM – Setup
Check if the following items have the value “ 0 “:
SystemSetupInProgress
UpgradeInProgress
4. Some VSS dynamic libraries are corrupted
Make sure all VSS dynamic libraries are installed and registered properly.
Windows XP only
- Open a command prompt
- Enter cd %windir%system32 and press Enter
net stop vss
net stop swprv
regsvr32 ole32.dll
regsvr32 vss_ps.dll
vssvc/Register
regsvr32 /i swprv.dll
regsvr32 /i eventcls.dll
regsvr32 es.dll
regsvr32 stdprov.dll
regsvr32 vssui.dll
regsvr32 msxml.dll
regsvr32 msxml3.dll
regsvr32 msxml4.dll- Restart your computer
Only for Windows 7, Windows 8, Server 2008/R2, Server 2012
- Open a command prompt
- Enter cd %windir%/system32 and press Enter
- Run the following commands in the order listed:
net stop “System Event Notification Service”
net stop “Background Intelligent Transfer Service”
net stop “COM+ Event System”
net stop “Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider”
net stop “Volume Shadow Copy”
cd /d %windir%/system32
net stop vss
net stop swprv
regsvr32 /s ATL.DLL
regsvr32 /s comsvcs.DLL
regsvr32 /s credui.DLL
regsvr32 /s CRYPTNET.DLL
regsvr32 /s CRYPTUI.DLL
regsvr32 /s dhcpqec.DLL
regsvr32 /s dssenh.DLL
regsvr32 /s eapqec.DLL
regsvr32 /s esscli.DLL
regsvr32 /s FastProx.DLL
regsvr32 /s FirewallAPI.DLL
regsvr32 /s kmsvc.DLL
regsvr32 /s lsmproxy.DLL
regsvr32 /s MSCTF.DLL
regsvr32 /s msi.DLL
regsvr32 /s msxml3.DLL
regsvr32 /s ncprov.DLL
regsvr32 /s ole32.DLL
regsvr32 /s OLEACC.DLL
regsvr32 /s OLEAUT32.DLL
regsvr32 /s PROPSYS.DLL
regsvr32 /s QAgent.DLL
regsvr32 /s qagentrt.DLL
regsvr32 /s QUtil.DLL
regsvr32 /s raschap.DLL
regsvr32 /s RASQEC.DLL
regsvr32 /s rastls.DLL
regsvr32 /s repdrvfs.DLL
regsvr32 /s RPCRT4.DLL
regsvr32 /s rsaenh.DLL
regsvr32 /s SHELL32.DLL
regsvr32 /s shsvcs.DLL
regsvr32 /s /i swprv.DLL
regsvr32 /s tschannel.DLL
regsvr32 /s USERENV.DLL
regsvr32 /s vss_ps.DLL
regsvr32 /s wbemcons.DLL
regsvr32 /s wbemcore.DLL
regsvr32 /s wbemess.DLL
regsvr32 /s wbemsvc.DLL
regsvr32 /s WINHTTP.DLL
regsvr32 /s WINTRUST.DLL
regsvr32 /s wmiprvsd.DLL
regsvr32 /s wmisvc.DLL
regsvr32 /s wmiutils.DLL
regsvr32 /s wuaueng.DLL
sfc /SCANFILE=%windir%/system32/catsrv.DLL
sfc /SCANFILE=%windir%/system32/catsrvut.DLL
sfc /SCANFILE=%windir%/system32/CLBCatQ.DLL
net start “COM+ Event System” - Restart your computer
5. It also makes sense to check the status of VSS services.
- Open Start, enter Services, press Enter.
- Make sure the following services are installed accordingly:
- Click Services right click, select Properties.
Volume Shadow Copy – “ Manually“;
Microsoft Shadow Copy Software Provider – “ Manually“;
Remote Procedure Call – “ Automatically“;
COM+ Event System – “ Manually" And " Automatically“;
System Event Notification Service – “ Automatically“;
Windows Backup – “ Manually“. - Restart your computer and check if the problem persists.
6. Check if you can create a VSS snapshot directly from Windows
Server OS:
- Open My computer– Right click on any internal partition – Set up shadow copies
- Select the partitions you want to archive and click Create a shadow copy to confirm that there is enough free space on each partition. Otherwise, set the allocation size for the volume.
- You can also use the vssadmin utility to run this check and create, increase, and reallocate space for the shadow copy.
Windows Vista and later workstation operating systems:
- Go to Control Panel –System –System protection
- Select the sections you would like to archive and click the button Create. If necessary, configure volume protection, volume protection, and increase the storage space size.
7. Check Windows Events
Open Start – Execute... – eventvwr.msc. Go to Windows logs – Application and check for error messages related to the VSS service.
Search the articles for solutions Microsoft support, For example, .
8. Virtual machine
If the PC or server you are using is a virtual machine hosting platform, you need to install the latest version VMware Tools(for VMware), Virtual Machine Additions(Virtual Server) on each virtual machine.
9. Windows Updates
Install the latest version Update Packs by using Windows Update.
Check Microsoft support site for patches and other updates to VSS.
10. Archiving exceptions
VSS has pre-selected exceptions that can be modified in the registry to add or remove exceptions and customize the contents of the final archive. Cm. .
This article will discuss the built-in recovery capability of the Windows operating system. It is not uncommon that after installing a program or game, the system stops starting or does not work correctly. In this case, Windows provides recovery by returning to the previous state.
System restore is a component of the Windows operating system designed to restore the functionality of the OS by rolling back system files, registry keys, and installed programs.
Windows optimization myth
Most users believe that not doing a system restore can save system resources, such as RAM and hard drive space. Alas, this belief was true until progress reached its current scale, for example, the Windows 7 operating system will no longer notice much of a difference “before and after” disabling the services responsible for recovery. It's all about the amount of RAM and hard drives used.
- A system recovery checkpoint is data that stores information about the state and all settings of the operating system, as well as the programs installed on it. A point-in-time recovery checkpoint is created.
In Windows 7, restore points are created automatically: - according to a schedule; - when installing compatible applications and drivers; - when installing Windows Updates; - when restoring the system to one of the previous points. You can also create a restore point manually at any time.
Note ! The amount of disk space allocated for Volume Shadow Copy Service and recovery point storage depends on the capacity of the hard drive partition.
- Volume Shadow Copy is a Windows operating system service that allows you to copy system and locked files that you are currently working with. This service monitors changes across the entire hard drive partition.
Volume Shadow Copy Service keeps 3 percent of the hard drive partition's capacity if it is less than 64 GB and 5 percent or 10 GB if it is larger than 64 GB. When the disk space allocated for the Volume Shadow Copy service runs out, the old points are deleted and replaced with new ones.
You can go to system protection settings by right-clicking on the “Computer” icon on the desktop and selecting “Properties” and “System Protection” in sequence.
In the window that opens, you can configure the protection of previous versions of files together with system settings or separately, the disk space allocated for storing recovery points, or delete recovery points.
Note ! Even if you deleted a file in the Recycle Bin and then emptied it, you have a good chance of restoring it by returning the computer to a previous state. And all this thanks to the volume shadow copy service.
Note! Windows 7 has the ability to control the space allocated for system protection, that is, you can set the maximum amount of disk space for shadow copy storage. Which significantly increases your chances of system recovery.
System Restore can be started in several ways:
- In the Start menu, expand the All Programs list. After that, you need to open the “Standard” folder, and then opening the “System” folder, execute the “System Restore” command
- In the “Backup and Restore” section of the control panel, click “Restore system settings”;
- Open Control Panel - System - System Protection and click the "System Restore" button.
In the “System Restore” window, you can return to the last created restore point or select any other one from the available ones. Here you can find out which programs will be affected by the changes during recovery. To do this, select a restore point and click the “Search for affected programs” button. - You can also run System Restore from the Windows RE (Recovery Environment), which is created automatically during Windows 7 installation and provides the following features: - Automatic Startup Repair fixes problems that prevent Windows 7 from loading. You can use this tool if your boot files are damaged or overwritten by the boot loader of another operating system; - System Restore allows you to return to the point created before the problem occurred. Sometimes this tool also allows you to restore the system startup; System Image Restore is a wizard that walks you through the steps of restoring your system from an image previously created by Windows Backup; - Windows Memory Diagnostic checks your RAM for errors. Typically, a visible manifestation of errors in RAM is a blue screen (BSOD).
- To launch the Windows Recovery Environment after turning on the computer, use the F8 key to enter the menu of additional operating system boot options. By selecting the “Troubleshoot your computer” menu item, we launch the recovery environment, where the first thing we will be asked to do is select a keyboard layout. Select the language in which the administrator password is set. After entering the password, we are taken to a window with recovery options, where we are interested in the second item “System Restore”.
- You can also boot into the recovery environment from the Windows 7 installation disk or a system recovery disk, which you must first create.
- In addition to the above options for accessing recovery functions, there are a number of other options. One of which is the CCleaner program from the Piriform developer company. After installing this universal system optimization and configuration tool, go to the “Service” section in which you will find the “System Restore” item. The latest restore points will be displayed in this area. The table will indicate the name of the point, as well as the date and time. Depending on the version of the program, the event during which the point was created is also possible.
Instead of an afterword
As you can see, standard operating system recovery tools are a good option for constantly monitoring the safety of data. This service is also the key to stable operation. Windows, you shouldn't give up this feature.