I have used many towers of different makes and models. Currently I am using a DELL 8100 and 2400. The issue is that at some point the little things unknown to me add up and the tower suffers performance loss. Since I am not a tech my first thought is to use SR. Most of the time I get the "INCOMPLETE" at the end. I have no idea as how or if SR can be repaied independently of the rest of the system. At that point I give it to my tech friend to reload the OS, that seems to be the only solution. I need to do this on another 81. As a precaution for the next time I installed a RESTORE program from COMODO that is as similar to SR as I could find in a FREE program. I refuse to pay for stuff. I will use that program if SR does not work the next time I need it. I do not use it on a regular basis. In my ,ind it is only a tool to get the bugs out. After this next tower is fixed, yet again, I will install this RESTORE immediately after I set it up. In that case I will have a CLEAN point to restore to if SR fails. I do not store many files so whatever I lose is not important. Why is SR apparently so succeptiple to failure? Is there an OFFICIAL SR I can download to replace the first one? Is there a better more closer to SR than the COMODO product that is of course FREE? Is my approach appropriate? Tipicly the issues I come across do not seem to be important enough to warrant an OS reload to get of them. If I could do it myself I would. No cd, no $s, no knowledge. Opinions please.
I have not much knowledge of SR as I haven't had it enabled in years but my experience with it was similar to yours. Look into an imaging program, Macrium Reflect has an excellent free version and there are many more, both freeware and shareware. Make an image of your fresh format and another with your programs installed and you're set. Whatever problem, even if your computer won't boot and you're back up in 5 minutes; good for deleting trials too. I use Acronis True Image (not sure on newer versions and support seems lacking) and I couldn't compute without it now. SR takes up a lot of space too.
Ahhhh yes microsofts "System no restore" i have fond memories of it,misty pretty much answered you,there is also another option if your game & that's run linux,well you mention you want speed,so what would be a good test run you could try,puppy should do it apart from loading off a cd into RAM there are other larger distributions like ubuntu,sabayon however unless you install them they are not that fast when run as a live cd untill installed to the hdd,so google distro watch then use their search,download puppy it's not a large download burn it to cd-rom then place in drive & reboot,depending on your hardware you can run xorg or if that don't work then xvesa & yep it's free like most linux operating systems