PING: Kate in MI

This is why it's SO important to do a regular back up. I've also had to do this several times, and nearly lost 8 years of family photos because of a laptop crash. Weekly....I back up weekly, unless I have uploaded a bunch of photos or done a lot of document creation, then I do it more often. I just use an external drive we bought for that purpose.

Hmmmm I don't get this. System restore doesn't affect documents so the tax *file* should still be there even if the tax *program* itself may be removed. So reinstall the tax program after doing system restore. As an added precaution you could always back up the tax file but I don't think it's necessary. Allison

That has always been my understanding as well.... application files and system files are changed/removed. Registry settings are changed.

But any and all "document" files are not modified. I have an ask in to my MS gurus -- we'll see what they say, too.

I'm with Allison on this one. Last month I had to do a system restore on my mom's computer, and the program specifically said it takes the programs back to where they were at that restore point (along with registry entries, etc.), but doesn't affect documents.

Drag>> Wanted to make sure you saw this in case you didn't go back to the thread

Let me be more clear. The document is not changed because it is Deletedd. It no longer exists. The computer is reverted to a time before it was created as if you had Never created the document. The program, in this discussion the tax program, will still be there because it was already installed. Its date of installation was prior to the restore point, so it will be there.

Example:

Monday: Tax program installed Tuesday: Usual work Wednesday: Taxes done Thursday: Computer problem Friday: Computer restore to Tuesday

Thus, taxes gone, but program remains.

Hope this helps more.

UNLESS - a restore point, depending on the system and program, restores the system and doesn't affect the files, unlike a GOBack in Norton which does revert everything.

Clear as mud again.

Steven Alaska

That is NOT what the people at the Microsoft Newsgroup are telling me... and not what I have personally experienced.

I had uploaded more than 200 photos -- and then tried to install a new app that hiccoughed. Did a System restore to what I was 100% certain was before the pictures were uploaded (the restore date was before the event date where the pictures were taken). The app was completely removed -- and my photos were just fine.

I'm not sure what you've experienced... but that is my experience.

Thanks Steven!

Michelle in Nevada

Well, now it's my turn to be confused because it has happened just the opposite for me. Who knows with computers. They always keep you guessing don't they? I wish that I could have had your experience since I could have saved myself a lot of trouble and gotten rid of the yicky program and kept those photos and emails.

Glad it has worked that way for you. I apologize if you or anyone thought I was yelling. I really wasn't. I'm sorry.

Steven Alaska

I am watching this discussion with very limited understanding and appreciate the opportunity to see what you young folks are trying to resolve. Stay with it; you're doing good. Every day I read Dr. Billy Graham's newspaper column. Bless his heart (as we say in the South), recently he said "computers can only do what you tell them". Dr. Graham is about 90 years old. Little does that dear gentleman know that we only wish. Polly

I had the same experience as Kate - no documents lost just programs removed. I would freak out completely if I had lost photos and other files. No wonder you're so cautious.

Allis> Well, now it's my turn to be confused because it has happened just the