after using system restore I have to reinstall mcafee, any idea why system restore is causing damage to mcafee? also sometimes the address bar will not respond. thanx I know just enuff 2 know I don't know anything!

Windows XP System Restore (SR) does not cause damage to McAfee or any programs you installed. As an FYI, SR monitors only Windows XP system files including the registry. It does not monitor programs you installed or files you created on your own. You need to read this to better understand the workings and limitation of what SR does and does not do. i_XpUser

"As an FYI, SR monitors only Windows XP system files including the registry." No, it monitors by file extension/location and does not check to see if files belong to windows or not. The 'program files' directory is one of the locations covered by default.

PepperJack... System Restore doesn't cover data files. Just a guess but it could be a conflict between the old registry data that was restored and information in the data files that was not changed by the restore.

No, it monitors by file extension/location and does not check to see if files belong to windows or not I went by my nontechnical explanation of what SR monitors. The exact explanation is this: System Restore monitors only a core set of specified system and application file types (e.g. .exe, .dll etc), archiving the states of these files before system changes are made. System Restore does not monitor any user/personal data files. To view the included files specified in System Restore, see Monitored File Extensions in the System Restore section of the Platform SDK. Modifications to this list from sources other than Microsoft are not supported. Just a guess but it could be a conflict between the old registry data that was restored and information in the data files that was not changed by the restore Yes this is exactly what happens when one restore to a date before you installed something. i_XpUser

"System Restore monitors only a core set of specified system and application file types (e.g. .exe, .dll etc)," Not sure how you got from that that only Windows files were covered. It only states that certain system file types are included as well as application ones. I've seen it affect non-Windows files numerous times if their file types were in the 'covered list'.

Not sure how you got from that that only Windows files were covered Straight from the link I gave in response number 1. I will quote this for your convenience: Question: What files are monitored by System Restore? Answer: System Restore monitors only a core set of specified system and application file types (e.g. .exe, .dll etc), archiving the states of these files before system changes are made. System Restore does not monitor any user/personal data files. To view the included files specified in System Restore, see Monitored File Extensions in the System Restore section of the Platform SDK. Modifications to this list from sources other than Microsoft are not supported Need I say more? Why don't you read the SR FAQ to better familiar yourself with this utility- the article is located at MS Site. Good day! i_XpUser