If you have a system restore checkpoint dated May 2005 and the PC has been
used since then rather than sitting switched off, this could suggest that
system restore is fubared and my advice would be to reset system restore
and clear the archive.

To reset system resto
System | Performance | File System | Troubleshooting and check "Disable
System Restore", Apply and IMMEDIATELY reboot. This will flush you
restore folder and erase all checkpoints, then,
System | Performance | File System | Troubleshooting and uncheck "Disable
System Restore", Apply and again IMMEDIATELY reboot. This should now
automatically create a new checkpoint immediately following the restart.
Finally adjust the space allocated to the restore folder,
System | Performance | File System | Hard Disk and adjust the restore
slider to your preferred setting. A figure of 2-300MB is normally more
than adequate for day to day use allowing perhaps a week of checkpoints to
be available although increasing this to perhaps 400-500MB for a few days
during periods of large installs such Microsoft Office is advisable.

Finally I would suggest that you carry out the following quick test to
confirm that all is now in order.
a) Create a shortcut on your desktop to a file.
b) Create a manual checkpoint
Could you create a checkpoint?
c) Delete the shortcut
d) Restore your PC to the checkpoint you created.
Was the shortcut restored? Did you see any error messages?
e) Reboot your PC
Was the checkpoint retained?
--
Mike Maltby



ms wrote:

This is a used computer with unknown history.

Can I delete System Restore files from May, 2005?

How to disable System Restore?

Is this desireable to save system resoures?