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SYSTEM RESTORE (WINME)

Here is a quotation from an article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base, entitled "Description of the System Restore Utility in Windows Millenium Edition":

What is System Restore?
System Restore is designed to automatically monitor and record changes made to the core Windows system files and to the registry. System Restore can then allow you to undo (or "roll back") a change that caused instability in your system. This is accomplished by periodically recording a "Restore Point" (or System CheckPoint) that gives you the ability to roll your system back to the point in time when your computer was known to function properly.

System Restore is not intended to be an "uninstaller" or a backup program. If Windows does not function properly after installing software or drivers, you should use the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel (or use the program's uninstaller) to remove the software before using System Restore.

Monitored File Types
System Restore monitors most system files with .exe, .vxd, .dll, .com, and .sys extensions. It does not monitor user-created files (for example, files that have .txt, .doc, or .xls extensions), the My Documents folder, Temporary Internet files (including the Internet Explorer History, Cookies, or Favorites files), the Recycle Bin, or the Windows Swap (.swp) file.

There's a lot more about System Restore in the article that you can read online with your browser, if you wish. The url for this article is:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;267951
Description of the System Restore Utility in Windows Millennium Edition

It is important to note that this System Restore Utility has taken the place of a Windows 98 feature, the System File Checker. The System File Checker no longer exists in Windows ME, and I must say I very much miss it. SFC has been very useful to me in resolving cases of what many have dubbed "DLL Hell". What is DLL Hell? This is what results when you install a new program, it replaces one of the system DLL, or Dynamic Link Library, files with its own version, and the effect is that some part of Windows or another of your programs no longer properly works.