A system restore query

[BP]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize (More info?)

I think I'm asking the obvious here, but I want to check my facts and
knowledge regarding System Restore before I go and do something I will later
regret.
I had to replace a bad mainboard with another brand. Now I have a lot of
phantom devices from the old board still on the HDD. I have, for instance, a
video card device and a duplicate phantom video card. I've learned how to
"see" the phantom devices and I want to uninstall them. I've taken the time
to document all the hidden devices that are not really phantoms, so I feel
fairly sure of myself, but I want to know how much System Restore will help
me if I delete a device that causes big problems. If I've got this right, SR
backs up only the registry but it will not replace and actual driver files
that would be deleted from the System32 folder or other locations. Or would
it?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize (More info?)

Hi BP,

System Restore will restore the system to a previous state undoing
damage caused by faulty driver installations. I suggest creating a
restore point prior to the changes you plan to make just in case one
is not automatically created. You should also try restore back to it
to test that SR is functioning properly.

Description of System Restore:
http://home.earthlink.net/~mvp_bert/html/description.html

--
Regards,
Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User
http://dts-l.org/


BP wrote:
> I think I'm asking the obvious here, but I want to check
> my facts and knowledge regarding System Restore before I
> go and do something I will later regret.
> I had to replace a bad mainboard with another brand. Now
> I have a lot of phantom devices from the old board still
> on the HDD. I have, for instance, a video card device and
> a duplicate phantom video card. I've learned how to "see"
> the phantom devices and I want to uninstall them. I've
> taken the time to document all the hidden devices that
> are not really phantoms, so I feel fairly sure of myself,
> but I want to know how much System Restore will help me
> if I delete a device that causes big problems. If I've
> got this right, SR backs up only the registry but it will
> not replace and actual driver files that would be deleted
> from the System32 folder or other locations. Or would it?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize (More info?)

To remove the unwanted drivers boot to Safe Mode, and in Device
Manager remove them from there.

How To Use the Roll Back Driver Feature in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;283657

HOW TO: Use the Driver Roll Back Feature to Restore a Previous Version
of a Device Driver in WinXP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306546

--
Regards,
Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User
http://dts-l.org/


BP wrote:
> I think I'm asking the obvious here, but I want to check
> my facts and knowledge regarding System Restore before I
> go and do something I will later regret.
> I had to replace a bad mainboard with another brand. Now
> I have a lot of phantom devices from the old board still
> on the HDD. I have, for instance, a video card device and
> a duplicate phantom video card. I've learned how to "see"
> the phantom devices and I want to uninstall them. I've
> taken the time to document all the hidden devices that
> are not really phantoms, so I feel fairly sure of myself,
> but I want to know how much System Restore will help me
> if I delete a device that causes big problems. If I've
> got this right, SR backs up only the registry but it will
> not replace and actual driver files that would be deleted
> from the System32 folder or other locations. Or would it?

 

[BP]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize (More info?)

I don't think I want to roll back, do I? The old motherboard fried - blip,
black screen, end of story. The new board was installed and a repair install
of XP was performed. The phantom devices are the on-the-motherboard devices
that no longer exist in the physical world.
I'm thinking I should not ever use System Restore to restore back to a point
before the new MB was installed either.

"Bert Kinney" <bert@NSmvps.org> wrote in message
news:udA%23p8BVFHA.2172@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> To remove the unwanted drivers boot to Safe Mode, and in Device Manager
> remove them from there.
>
> How To Use the Roll Back Driver Feature in Windows XP
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;283657
>
> HOW TO: Use the Driver Roll Back Feature to Restore a Previous Version of
> a Device Driver in WinXP
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306546
>
> --
> Regards,
> Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User
> http://dts-l.org/
>
>
> BP wrote:
>> I think I'm asking the obvious here, but I want to check
>> my facts and knowledge regarding System Restore before I
>> go and do something I will later regret.
>> I had to replace a bad mainboard with another brand. Now
>> I have a lot of phantom devices from the old board still
>> on the HDD. I have, for instance, a video card device and
>> a duplicate phantom video card. I've learned how to "see"
>> the phantom devices and I want to uninstall them. I've
>> taken the time to document all the hidden devices that
>> are not really phantoms, so I feel fairly sure of myself,
>> but I want to know how much System Restore will help me
>> if I delete a device that causes big problems. If I've
>> got this right, SR backs up only the registry but it will
>> not replace and actual driver files that would be deleted
>> from the System32 folder or other locations. Or would it?
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize (More info?)

That's correct. I offered the roll back suggestion in case something
goes wrong from this point. And no, you would not want to restore back
before the MB install. Sorry for any confusion I may have caused.

--
Regards,
Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User
http://dts-l.org/

BP wrote:
> I don't think I want to roll back, do I? The old
> motherboard fried - blip, black screen, end of story. The
> new board was installed and a repair install of XP was
> performed. The phantom devices are the on-the-motherboard
> devices that no longer exist in the physical world. I'm thinking I
> should not ever use System Restore to
> restore back to a point before the new MB was installed
> either.
> "Bert Kinney" <bert@NSmvps.org> wrote in message
> news:udA%23p8BVFHA.2172@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
>> To remove the unwanted drivers boot to Safe Mode, and in
>> Device Manager remove them from there.
>>
>> How To Use the Roll Back Driver Feature in Windows XP
>> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;283657
>>
>> HOW TO: Use the Driver Roll Back Feature to Restore a
>> Previous Version of a Device Driver in WinXP
>> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306546
>>
>> --
>> Regards,
>> Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User
>> http://dts-l.org/
>>
>>
>> BP wrote:
>>> I think I'm asking the obvious here, but I want to check
>>> my facts and knowledge regarding System Restore before I
>>> go and do something I will later regret.
>>> I had to replace a bad mainboard with another brand. Now
>>> I have a lot of phantom devices from the old board still
>>> on the HDD. I have, for instance, a video card device
>>> and a duplicate phantom video card. I've learned how to
>>> "see" the phantom devices and I want to uninstall them.
>>> I've taken the time to document all the hidden devices
>>> that are not really phantoms, so I feel fairly sure of
>>> myself, but I want to know how much System Restore will
>>> help me if I delete a device that causes big problems.
>>> If I've got this right, SR backs up only the registry
>>> but it will not replace and actual driver files that
>>> would be deleted from the System32 folder or other
>>> locations. Or would it?