I do a little technology consulting on the side, installing and configuring hardware and software. While I really don't like working on Windows variants, I have found the one thing that I think Microsoft has done right in the last five years or so.
That's the "System Restore" feature of Windows XP Home/Pro. I've been doing a roaring business of late removing spyware and installing firewalls. Before I can really secure a machine I have to make sure that I've poured the purifying waters on it.
That's where the System Restore comes in. Generally, a business or home user calls me when they have just grenaded their PC by launching a virus. Occasionally, they have been backdoored and notice the PC doing weird things in the middle of the night. Sometimes it just starts moving too slowly. With System Restore I can bring the machine back to a point where the infection is more limited and remediable.
Yesterday, I worked on one XP Pro box that had 179 pieces of spyware installed. Yes, that's 179.
Redmond has a lot to answer for.
Posted by artandscience at August 18, 2004 05:06 PM