Vista's System Restore points format.

It looks like Vista packages each of its restore points up into large single
files. Does anybody know how to get into this file and poke around?

With XP, I could take registry hives from a restore point folder to replace
bad/corrupt copies. It's looking like this won't be possible with Vista.

"Carl Farrington" <> wrote in message
news:...
> It looks like Vista packages each of its restore points up into large
> single files. Does anybody know how to get into this file and poke around?
>
> With XP, I could take registry hives from a restore point folder to
> replace bad/corrupt copies. It's looking like this won't be possible with
> Vista.

Ah, I gather Vista uses volume snapshots rather than just copying files.
Hmmm.

Hi,

This may help explain how it works:
http://technet2.microsoft.com/Window....mspx?mfr=true

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

"Carl Farrington" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> "Carl Farrington" <> wrote in
> message news:...
>> It looks like Vista packages each of its restore points up into large
>> single files. Does anybody know how to get into this file and poke
>> around?
>>
>> With XP, I could take registry hives from a restore point folder to
>> replace bad/corrupt copies. It's looking like this won't be possible with
>> Vista.
>
> Ah, I gather Vista uses volume snapshots rather than just copying files.
> Hmmm.

"Rick Rogers" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Hi,
>
> This may help explain how it works:
> http://technet2.microsoft.com/Window....mspx?mfr=true

Thanks Rick. I have bookmarked that for later reading. It will be nice if I
can browse these VSS files and restore individual files from them.

One or two registry backups, not restore points, are available to you :

The current registry files are located in \Windows\System32\config. There
are six files which are named COMPONENTS, DEFAULT, SAM, SECURITY, SOFTWARE
AND SYSTEM. During the boot process they are created from a ’fallback’
registry taken at the previous boot, located at
\Windows\System32\config\RegBack (Last Known Good Configuration). This set of
files form the registry that is loaded when the computer is booted.

Also in the \RegBack folder is the previous set of files, which are
recognised by having an extension of OLD.

"Carl Farrington" wrote:

> It looks like Vista packages each of its restore points up into large single
> files. Does anybody know how to get into this file and poke around?
>
> With XP, I could take registry hives from a restore point folder to replace
> bad/corrupt copies. It's looking like this won't be possible with Vista.
>
>

"Carl Farrington" <> wrote in message
news:...
> It looks like Vista packages each of its restore points up into large single files. Does
> anybody know how to get into this file and poke around?
>
> With XP, I could take registry hives from a restore point folder to replace bad/corrupt
> copies. It's looking like this won't be possible with Vista.

Carl,

Check out the links below, very informative. Especially, scroll down
to where it says "Restore a File from Complete PC Backup"

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tec...007/09/Backup/
A Guide to Windows Vista Backup Technologies

http://community.bartdesmet.net/blog...9/02/4385.aspx
Offline VHD file mounting

http://blogs.msdn.com/virtual_pc_guy...01/734435.aspx
Double clicking on a VHD to mount it


-Michael

"BurrWalnut" <> wrote in message
news:BCACC65B-9FD1-4F76-A726-...
> One or two registry backups, not restore points, are available to you :
>
> The current registry files are located in \Windows\System32\config. There
> are six files which are named COMPONENTS, DEFAULT, SAM, SECURITY, SOFTWARE
> AND SYSTEM. During the boot process they are created from a ’fallback’
> registry taken at the previous boot, located at
> \Windows\System32\config\RegBack (Last Known Good Configuration). This set
> of
> files form the registry that is loaded when the computer is booted.
>
> Also in the \RegBack folder is the previous set of files, which are
> recognised by having an extension of OLD.

That's good info, thanks Burr.