Stilly -

Unless you put programs on the D:\ drive, System Restore may not do much of anything there.

From (Vista) Windows Help, System Restore:

"System Restore can make changes to Windows system files, registry settings, and programs installed on your computer. It also can make changes to scripts, batch files, and other types of executable files on your computer. Personal files, such as documents, e‑mail, photos, and music files, are not changed.

"For example, if you download a personal file, such as a photo from a digital camera, on a Friday and then restore your computer to the state it was in two days earlier on Wednesday, the photo will still be on your computer.

"However, if you install a photo viewing program on a Friday and then restore your computer to the state it was in two days earlier on Wednesday, System Restore will uninstall the program, and you won't be able to use that program to view photos."

This does suggest that "install" is used in what is an unusual sense for Microsoft. The inclusion of "scripts, batch files, and other types of executable files" implies a more inclusive meaning than was found in descriptions of the older versions of System Restore. One still wonders if links embedded in documents, or .docm files that include macros, and .docx files with "active content" will be included(?). The "it can make changes ..." is also disturbing, since they don't say what "it WILL make changes to ..."

The concern, so far as I can see, is what might be deleted by restoring than with what might be missed in the backup. Your documents, photos, music files, etc., still require another separate backup method, so you'd likely include the questionable ones there anyway.

(Those still using WinXP or earlier should note that the System Restore there doesn't do nearly as much as is described above.)

John