What does System Restore back up?

What ho one and all,

Although i am still using XP Pro, my question more of less applies to any MS os.

On my computer, I also have a program called ConFigSafe (https://download.cnet.com/ConfigSafe...-10042379.html). This is like SysRestore, but it takes considerably longer to do its job, and lists the folder names as it goes. Seems to back up everything in Doc & Settings, and I assume, the entire registry.

But SysRestore works so quickly, I cannot imagine it it backing up the reg and D&S, or is it?

What does System Restore actually back up?

Toodle pip and thanks

Rex

Mostly system files/settings, the registry and snapshots of the operating system before a Microsoft update (which of course has not been done in XP for a very long time).. no personal files like pics, email, browsing etc.

https://petri.com/windows-xp-system-restore

Useful but not nearly as good as a disk imaging program like Acronis True Image or other similar progs.
Macrium Reflect, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard .. both of which have free versions.

Agree that an image is better and I do have an ATI image for when it all goes AWOL. And I know that SysRestore does not back-up personal files, just wondered why it works so fast when ConfigSafe takes quite some time.

Whenever I do try something new, I do create a SysRestore point or run ConfigSafe, which usually gives me an option to do so by default.

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and lists the folder names as it goes

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that's part of the reason it's slower... detailing what it does as it does it where system restore does so in the background.