Unlike XP, Vista uses shadow copies for system restore points. But where are these copies located?

To find out, navigate to a particular folder or file (such as a .dll in the System32 folder) in Explorer and right click it. Select Properties, then the Previous Versions tab. This will show you the shadow copies of that file and the dates on which they were created, as shown below:

To find out where a shadow copy is stored, right click it in the Folder Versions list and select Properties, then note the path in the Location field on the General tab, as shown below:

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