Re: On-line registry backup
"300GigLoss" <300GigLoss@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:94C69FCD-BE13-407B-A4F5-D09E0E641453@microsoft.com...
> Today I had the pleasure to wiggle my mouse to bring my 3 month old PC
> alive,
> only to see a blue screen: hive corrupted.
>
> After three hours of trying to get the PC to repair, I finally settled on
> a
> re-install of Windows Ultimate. During the re-install, I was prompted to
> load
> my RAID drivers (so I could select the disk I want to install on). Once
> the
> drivers were loaded, I selected my disk and was informed that Windows
> Setup
> couldn't access the disk. Tried a few things, and finally - after a long
> sigh
> - decided to hit the "new" link - which created a new partition on the
> drive.
> Once that was done, Windows all of the sudden could access the disk, the
> install began, and I lost over 300 gigs of personal data, software,
> photos,
> and images (i.e. everything installed on the PC).
>
> Smartly, I keep important things on a device that has its own operating
> system (i.e. Network access drive system) - and luckly this OS is not
> windows
> (haha). The point being, I just cannot believe that a corrupted registry
> would cause sooo much damage and lost time.
>
> So, here is my recomendataions:
>
> 1) The windows repair/restore features on the install disk are pretty much
> useless when windows screws up its own database and files. So I would
> recommend you put together a way of making sure windows can recover files
> when it screws them up. First thought that comes to mind is a backup of
> the
> registry and other such data files (a backup that is better than the one
> you
> currently do, as that thing was corrupted as well...). Then provide QUICK
> (your restore tools load like snails...) restore tools that will allow me
> to
> browse my disks (ALL OF THEM), and grab that backup and restore it. Its
> really a simple idea - wonder when you guys will get that.
>
> 2) Give me an option of getting these critical files backed up,
> automaticly,
> to a location YOU host to protect your users from windows update screw
> ups.
> Then build great tools that get on-line, pull down the backups, and
> restore
> the system.
>
> 3) How about a way for me to snap shot the OS in one click? I want the
> registry, settings, drivers, everything that makes WINDOWS run (don't care
> about my applications, these I can fix easily). Then give me the option of
> putting that in various places - network drives, webservice, DVD. It needs
> to
> be small enough, packaged, and damnnit - you need a tool that launches
> from
> your install CD that can easily restore this. You guys know what Windows
> needs to run, so package it up, and put it on a disk. Give me the option
> to
> do it when windows is validated for the first time, give me the option
> once a
> month and after each application install. Remined me once a month.
>
> In any event, you need to start thinking about system repair and restore
> in
> a different way. Simply restoring the PC to its initial install state just
> isn't going to cut it - ever. System restore is a somewhat good idea, but
> hell, in my case that didn't even work (is it because the windows logic is
> so
> un-intelligent that it can't find or do anythign wihtout the registry).
>
> If you can't build a stable system, you should at least build something
> that
> is easily recoverable. Your pushing me back to XP (of which I use 98% of
> the
> time via virutal PC on my windows vista system because vista just can't
> handle anything right...). I'm am seriously going to look at alternative
> operating systems when I'm shopping for my next PC. Be it Apple, an open
> source solution, or an older windows OS. My experence so far with Windows
> Vista has been so poor it makes me think the OS was built by your
> entry-level
> engineers. Did you base any of this on working code?
>
> I assume Microsoft has heard all of this before, but Microsoft needs to
> move
> about 1000X faster in getting fixes out, driver companies to move on their
> drivers and fix the problems, and putting in features that actually help
> me
> keep my PC running (instead of blue screen of useless information). Oh
> another suggestion: Tell me what freakin' driver is causing the blue
> scree -
> it would have saved my 2 days of trial-and-error before I figured out it
> was
> Creative.
>
> Finally I would just like to say I was almost ready to say to family (who
> are waiting) that Vista is undercontrol now, I understand how it reacts,
> what
> it does very poorly, what it has lots of trouble with, and what it does
> well
> (not much btw). Then I could give them the "warm fuzzy" that will allow
> them
> to upgrade their computers. But after my 300GB loss, I'll be recommending
> they keep waiting. Only problem is, over half of my family (parents,
> brother)
> have given up waiting and instead bought new Apply machines and making the
> statements "screw windows... this is much better". Thanks for that...and
> hey...what is the deal that Vista runs faster ona Mac than on any other
> laptop? You guys really screwed up this time....
>
> Hello memories of the Windows ME disaster. I hope you guys lose your jobs
> over this.
What you're looking for already exists, just not in anything from Microsoft.
It's called Mac OSX
http://www.apple.com/macosx/guidedtour/