CatBoxBackFan
Hall of Famer
Found this article in a newsetter I get and thought you might be interested:
1) Erased "Tracks" Come Back
Fred, Enjoy Langalist Plus and rely on it to help me maintain a
healthy and safe computer. I have used System Restore a number
of times to fix problems. It's a great tool.
I used Microsoft Antispyware (Advance Tools - Tracks Eraser)
to eliminate some files. I then used System Restore to see if
it would restore them. It did! Does this mean that spyware can
be reinstalled by anyone who gains access to System Restore on
your computer? If so, what value does the Antispyware erase
feature really have?
Also, with System Restore enabled, are all files "backed up" or
do I need to use the Windows Backup feature as well? Will
appreciate your help, John Caggiano
Your history files, cookies, "most recently viewed" and other lists are
just files, John, so yes: If they're backed up and then restored, the
history, cookie, tracks, etc. will also come back. What's more, if your
backups contain a virus, worm, trojan, spyware, or other malware, and you
then restore the infected backup, you'll also be restoring the infection.
This seems to be more of a problem with tools like GoBack and System
Restore, which are always on, and so may store bad or infected copies of
important files. In contrast, with full-blown backups, you can schedule
them to run only after the system's been cleaned, scanned, and proven
itself malware-free. That way, your backups will be clean, and you can
restore without worrying about bring back something you thought you'd
gotten rid of!
Tools like GoBack and System Restore are lightweight forms of protection
anyway; they are *not meant* to function as your mainline backup app.
They're really more like a form of glorified unerase--- very useful in
their own way, but also very limited in what they can do. So, in answer
to your second question, yes, you really need a full-blown backup too.
Please see "What About 'Go Back' and 'Restore' Tools?" (
http://langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-12-03.htm#1 ; and our standard
reference on optimal backup strategies: http://langa.com/backups/backups.htm
1) Erased "Tracks" Come Back
Fred, Enjoy Langalist Plus and rely on it to help me maintain a
healthy and safe computer. I have used System Restore a number
of times to fix problems. It's a great tool.
I used Microsoft Antispyware (Advance Tools - Tracks Eraser)
to eliminate some files. I then used System Restore to see if
it would restore them. It did! Does this mean that spyware can
be reinstalled by anyone who gains access to System Restore on
your computer? If so, what value does the Antispyware erase
feature really have?
Also, with System Restore enabled, are all files "backed up" or
do I need to use the Windows Backup feature as well? Will
appreciate your help, John Caggiano
Your history files, cookies, "most recently viewed" and other lists are
just files, John, so yes: If they're backed up and then restored, the
history, cookie, tracks, etc. will also come back. What's more, if your
backups contain a virus, worm, trojan, spyware, or other malware, and you
then restore the infected backup, you'll also be restoring the infection.
This seems to be more of a problem with tools like GoBack and System
Restore, which are always on, and so may store bad or infected copies of
important files. In contrast, with full-blown backups, you can schedule
them to run only after the system's been cleaned, scanned, and proven
itself malware-free. That way, your backups will be clean, and you can
restore without worrying about bring back something you thought you'd
gotten rid of!
Tools like GoBack and System Restore are lightweight forms of protection
anyway; they are *not meant* to function as your mainline backup app.
They're really more like a form of glorified unerase--- very useful in
their own way, but also very limited in what they can do. So, in answer
to your second question, yes, you really need a full-blown backup too.
Please see "What About 'Go Back' and 'Restore' Tools?" (
http://langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-12-03.htm#1 ; and our standard
reference on optimal backup strategies: http://langa.com/backups/backups.htm
