It seems that lately I have run across more threads where folks are having issues after installing an update, new hardware, or new software, and since they are not using System Restore points, they cannot revert their OS back to a good operational point prior to the installation of whatever caused the issue...and I don't understand why they do not use restore points.  I know that restore points can accumulate over time and end up hogging gigabytes of valuable hardware space, but it is very easy to only have one restore point at any given time on your OS hard drive.  In Windows 7, you simply click Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Disk Cleanup - Cleanup System Files - More Options - System Restore and Shadow Copies - Clean Up - and finally "Delete all but the most recent restore point".  IMHO, it is more than worth it to have a Restore Point that is a few gigabytes in size that I can revert to in order to correct a problem, rather than wind up having to perform a clean install or an image restoration to correct the issue.

Very well said.  But sadly a good 90% of the computer users will either A reformat (if they know how) or B just trash it.
 

What I recommend is that once in a while you turn off your restore points in order to clean out all of the old restore points provided, of course, that you don't need any of the old restore points. Then turn system restore back on and make a fresh restore point.