Should I turn on System Restore?

[unplanned bacon]

If I remember right this was turned on in 8.1 and 10 has permanently turned it off. I go to system restore in Control Panel and the option to activate system restore for secondary drives (D and E) is grey. C works.

I'm pretty sure it was working for all 3, or am I imagining things since I pretty much haven't used this feature in over a year (my computer works now )

Should I have this feature turned on?
How would I turn it on for the secondary drives?

 

[SkyNetRising]

System restore is useful on windows drive only.
On other drives - not so much.

Main function of system restore is to allow you to restore windows operation when some driver software or some malware/virus has made your computer unusable.

 

[Colif]

Sounds like you should use backup for the alternate drives, if you want to make sure they are safe. Or put everything you want to keep onto Onedrive or Google Drive or external drive. Or all of these like I do... can never be too safe.

 

[cleef13]

It also depends on whether you put your computer at risk of breaking down. I've never used it. I'd rather have them off for some added performance.

 

[LukeFatwalker]

I'll say disable it as it's trash (it really is) but if you do, realize that you're losing a proprietary backup solution. As others have mentioned, WSR only applies to your primary drive.

You don't mention an alternative backup solution. Not a big deal but you'll want to pick up either a disk imager, even a free one like Macrium Reflect Free; or pickup a snapshot tool like Rollback rx. A snapshot tool is more akin to WSR in terms of core functionality and performance.

 

[Colif]

Its pretty useless if you know what not to do. If you one of these people who lets friends use pc and install random things, then system restore can save your butt. But if you past that stage and don't download random exe files and run them, then you don't really need it. I had my collect 500 themes and Screensaver stage about 20 years ago... my pc hardly gets any new software now, I have found the programs I want to use and are happy.

Most times i think to use it I have already done too much damage to computer to feel it will rescue me. It only fixes windows, not all your apps. I don't trust it honestly.

 

[unplanned bacon]

I'll say disable it as it's trash (it really is) but if you do, realize that you're losing a proprietary backup solution. As others have mentioned, WSR only applies to your primary drive.

You don't mention an alternative backup solution. Not a big deal but you'll want to pick up either a disk imager, even a free one like Macrium Reflect Free; or pickup a snapshot tool like Rollback rx. A snapshot tool is more akin to WSR in terms of core functionality and performance.

I do have alternative backup. Most things are in cloud storage and/or removable hard drive (in a number of cases x2 because Time Machine is backing up my Mac which until recently had exactly the same files my PC has)

 

[unplanned bacon]

Its pretty useless if you know what not to do. If you one of these people who lets friends use pc and install random things, then system restore can save your butt. But if you past that stage and don't download random exe files and run them, then you don't really need it. I had my collect 500 themes and Screensaver stage about 20 years ago... my pc hardly gets any new software now, I have found the programs I want to use and are happy.

Most times i think to use it I have already done too much damage to computer to feel it will rescue me. It only fixes windows, not all your apps. I don't trust it honestly.

Only person who uses my computers is me

 

[SkyNetRising]

Its pretty useless if you know what not to do. But if you past that stage and don't download random exe files and run them, then you don't really need it.

It's not random exes that mainly cause problems. Windows itself regularly tries to update drivers and downloads security updates. There are times, when this can cause problems. System restore is really useful then.

 

[LukeFatwalker]

I'll say disable it as it's trash (it really is) but if you do, realize that you're losing a proprietary backup solution. As others have mentioned, WSR only applies to your primary drive.

You don't mention an alternative backup solution. Not a big deal but you'll want to pick up either a disk imager, even a free one like Macrium Reflect Free; or pickup a snapshot tool like Rollback rx. A snapshot tool is more akin to WSR in terms of core functionality and performance.

I do have alternative backup. Most things are in cloud storage and/or removable hard drive (in a number of cases x2 because Time Machine is backing up my Mac which until recently had exactly the same files my PC has)

Sounds like you have a decent backup solution. My personal opinion is to add a snapshot tool which is a bit faster in terms of recovery times. It cuts down recovery times considerably. Disk imaging is great but it's rather time consuming.

 

[razzell2]

Its pretty useless if you know what not to do. But if you past that stage and don't download random exe files and run them, then you don't really need it.

It's not random exes that mainly cause problems. Windows itself regularly tries to update drivers and downloads security updates. There are times, when this can cause problems. System restore is really useful then.

I so agree with this comment.
There are many more things that can happen with your laptop or pc that would cause one to restore it to an earlier time when it was working properly. Windows is notorious for mis-loading certain functions or having some random thing go wrong at start up. It just happens. Often it has nothing to do with downloading and executing new apps or programs.
In these situations system restore can truly help. Having a restore point set to a time when you know your computer is working great, and having the ability to reset your computer to that time is a life saver.
I recommend keeping system restore turned on, and I recommend setting a new restore point every few months or so. You can set system restore to do this automatically I think... set a restore point.... but I leave nothing to chance, or to windows.