System Protection with its ability to make system restore points is an important tool for Windows maintenance and backup. Unfortunately, the standard way to access System Protection involves a number of steps. If you wish there was a better and quicker way to make restore points, here is a free utility that makes the whole process of creating and managing system restore points much simpler.
The application is called “Restore Point Creator” but its name does not do full justice to its range of capabilities. In addition to making it easy to create new restore points, it also provides features for management of existing restore points. The developer’s site and download link is found here. The program is actively supported and is currently in version 2.3 build 8. There is an installer version and a zipped portable version. I have tried only the portable version. It is a 423 KB ZIP file containing just the executable program file. The portable version requires no installation but it does create a log file in the folder where the executable is located. The program is said to work in Windows XP on up. However, it requires .NET Framework 4.0, which many older systems do not have. Also, not all features work in Windows XP. I have tried it in Windows 7 and 8.1, 64-bit with no problems.
Because it involves system restore, the program has to be run in an administrative account and will trigger UAC prompts. The program is well established but as a matter of routine, I checked it at VirusTotal. One out of 50 antimalware programs flagged it but this has to be considered a false positive. The program is in Gizmo’s master list of the best free security programs.
Using the program interface to create a restore point is straightforward. It also has the facility to manage the space allocated for restore points, to delete old restore points, and to schedule creation of new restore points. Some of the various functions of one of its menus are shown in the graphic on the right. The developer has provided videos showing how to use the program at this link.
More information - See this previous tip for some other ways to make creating restore points easier.
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Comments
On a Windows 7 pro x64 system this little tool revealed restore points being created for my 2 RAMdisks, an insight not readily available in the Windows GUI (right click my computer select properties, advanced system settings, system protection). So it would appear to have at least this much value
The tool provides a few options like "facility to manage the space allocated for restore points, to delete old restore points, and to schedule creation of new restore points" ... which you can do with Wins default tool. It's included in the Wins 7 software so it's like you say, why bother with this new tool ??? The only reason i see is that you can locate it on your task bar....
A tool to manage & create restore points??? But Windows does that already so why go through the hassle with another tool??? I personally don't bother to much with restore points ( but i do them anyway) and perform backups with Macrium Reflect...i thing that the backup is more secure and useful than a simple system restore. System restore is okay but i just want the guarantee that if disaster strikes i am covered.
Agree. Create a weekly image with Macrium Reflect for insurance, and use System Restore for minor rollbacks.
Not sure what this tool provides that Windows 7 doesn't already do.