Take this simple precaution in case the installation goes bad.
As a lead programmer at PC Experts I get to tinker with the latest software, not necessarily a blessing when a program installation trashes my computer. I use Norton Ghost to keep a backup of my drive ready in case the worst happens, but restoring my harddrive this way can take several hours, thus leaving me with no computer when I might need it the most.
System Restore To The Rescue (XP Only)
Windows comes with a great feature called System Restore. Many installation packages will use it to "backup" the registry and other key components before they install themselves, but not all do. It allows you to "roll back" the changes to Windows prior to the installation.
Here's How:
I don't take any changes and I do my own System Restore Points before installing any software on my computer. To do so, just click on Start, and then "Help and Support". The Help and Support Center will come up. Under "Pick a task" click on "Undo changes to youir computer with System Restore". Another window will pop up, Welcome to System Restore. Click on "Create a Restore Point" and then click the "Next" button. Enter a name, usually I will type in the name of the program I'm installing followed by "before installation", and click on the "Create" button.
The system will proceed to backup your settings, quickly mind you, and come back with a confirmation message that everything was completed sucessfully. If you ever need to restore your system, just follow the same procedure but select "Restore my computer to an earlier time" instead.
What Happens if Windows does not boot?
In many cases you still can restore from a stored point using the original setup CD or a DOS prompt. For more information please click here.
As a lead programmer at PC Experts I get to tinker with the latest software, not necessarily a blessing when a program installation trashes my computer. I use Norton Ghost to keep a backup of my drive ready in case the worst happens, but restoring my harddrive this way can take several hours, thus leaving me with no computer when I might need it the most.
System Restore To The Rescue (XP Only)
Windows comes with a great feature called System Restore. Many installation packages will use it to "backup" the registry and other key components before they install themselves, but not all do. It allows you to "roll back" the changes to Windows prior to the installation.
Here's How:
I don't take any changes and I do my own System Restore Points before installing any software on my computer. To do so, just click on Start, and then "Help and Support". The Help and Support Center will come up. Under "Pick a task" click on "Undo changes to youir computer with System Restore". Another window will pop up, Welcome to System Restore. Click on "Create a Restore Point" and then click the "Next" button. Enter a name, usually I will type in the name of the program I'm installing followed by "before installation", and click on the "Create" button.
The system will proceed to backup your settings, quickly mind you, and come back with a confirmation message that everything was completed sucessfully. If you ever need to restore your system, just follow the same procedure but select "Restore my computer to an earlier time" instead.
What Happens if Windows does not boot?
In many cases you still can restore from a stored point using the original setup CD or a DOS prompt. For more information please click here.
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