Windows Vista Tip: Shadow Copy with ShadowExplorer
Windows Vista features an option called Shadow Copy, its purpose is to help you recover a file if you accidentally delete it or accidentally saved over a file you were working on.
Unlike the auto save, in MS Office, which only saves the latest change; the Shadow Copy feature automatically creates several point-in-time copies of files as you work, so you can quickly and easily retrieve previous versions of a document you may have accidentally deleted.
Shadow copy is automatically turned on in Windows Vista and creates copies on a scheduled basis of files that have changed. Since only incremental changes are saved, minimal disk space is used for shadow copies.
Easily access this feature by right-clicking a file or folder and selecting “Restore previous versions.” It enables you to go back in time and access your files and folders as they were on previous dates. You can preview each file in a read-only version to determine which file to restore. Then, to fully restore it, you can just drag the file to a folder, or select it and click “Restore” to restore it to its original location.
While the Shadow service is turned on automatically on all Vista versions. only the Ultimate, Business, and Enterprise editions are allowed.
But here is the tip for Vista Home edition users: Download ShadowExplorer, a freeware that allows you to browse the shadow copies created by the Windows® VistaTM Volume Shadow Copy Service. It’s especially thought for users of the home editions, who don’t have access to the shadow copies by default, but it’s also useful for users of the other editions.
Since the Volume Shadow Copy Service is included, and turned on by default, in all editions of Windows® Vista, why not take advantage of it? All it takes is an additional tool like ShadowExplorer, that can access the shadow storage and make the point-in-time copies accessible to the user.
See usage screenshot for the retrieval process HERE! Download SE HERE!
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