Why is system restore disabled by default?

Sayjimwoo said:

System Restore has always been enabled for me on Windows 7-10 and I always manually disable it.
I find that I have to disable it at least 3 times as it re-enables itself without telling you. Eventually it takes the hint and stays off.
I would rather re-format than ever use System Restore that causes more problems than it fixes. The feature should be removed from Windows completely.

I could never see myself re-formatting my system every time I need to fix something System Restore would be able to fix. When I first installed W10 I did a couple things to see what they did. Three times in one week System Restore fixed it. Each one took only 15 minutes max, and I didn't lose my stuff. I just carried on to try the next thing. I can't see re-formatting, re-setting up everything, installing all programs, and getting everything back to where they were before three times in that week. I decided to let the system do it's thing after the third time, and haven't needed to use restore again. I've never had issues with System Restore even on 7. It saved me more than I'd like to admit.

I am also in favour of having Restore set on. I don't use it very often but it certainly can fix the odd niggly thing with little disruption.

I do service work for others and they don't have good backup regimes in place so perhaps those who take the sledge hammer approach to fixing minor things may like to reconsider leaving Restore on if they were in my position.

And, like Barry, it is not good to see upgrades switching restore off. I can remember to switch mine back on but my clients will have it off.

Hi,

When first upgrading from a previous OS with "System Restore" disabled it's likely to follow you on all subsequent installs together with other settings that have been manipulated by the user.

That and a lack of storage space on the install partition are plausible explanations IMHO.

Cheers,

I have not seen restore points created when installing MS updates- at least since the Nov. upgrade.
That begins to smack of MS removing this feature..??
But a restore point is still triggered by some installs (other than MS updates).

SR was
a. disabled after an upgrade from win 8.1 (in which it was on)
b. disabled after a clean install

I've set up new laptops here in UK for several friends/relatives since W10 came out and don't recall seeing SR switched on as default. I always make sure I turn it on and put a direct link to it on the desktop. I sure hope this function is never deprecated by MS. Just today an elderly relative rang me in total panic after her lappy went into a scam lock-down after she had clicked on a link on Facebook. Thankfully the taskbar with W10's start menu was still visible on screen so I was able to get her to the 'Desktop' folder to click on my SR link icon and SR saved the day!!

Hi,

The only advantage of having SR in the ON state is that it will do its thing without user interference unlike a backup/image which requires a brain to know when one is wise to make one.

That said, it would be a good idea to make people aware of the value of spending a few minutes to image their stuff and systems to an external drive or other reliable media.

Having MR Free installed and scheduled to run makes life soooo much easier.

Cheers,