Get Back to Where You Were

Have you ever made a change to your computer, such as installing a new game or program, that caused it to become unstable? Do you wish you could go back to the way the system was prior to installing the program? Well, this is possible with system restore.

System restore is a built-in utility for Windows XP and Windows Vista. It allows you to revert your system back to a previous recorded state, known as a restore point. It automatically tracks major changes to your computer and creates a "restore point" when these changes occur. These changes can include things such as a new program installation or an uninstall of a program or system update. This way, if your system becomes unstable, you can restore it back to a point where it was working properly.

System restore will only revert the system and program files on the machine, so all of your personal data such as your documents, music and pictures will not be deleted.

To revert your computer to an earlier state, follow these steps:

    1. Click Start, select All Programs, select Accessories, System Tools, and then click System Restore.
    2. On the Welcome screen, click Restore my computer to an earlier time, and then click Next.
    3. On the Select a Restore Point page, select the date from the calendar that shows the point you'd like to restore to and then click Next. Dates with restore points are marked in bold.
    4. On the Confirm Restore Point Selection page, verify that the correct restore point is chosen. Make sure to close any programs that are running, as system restore will need to reboot the machine.
    5. Click Next if you are ready to proceed or click Back to change the restore point.
    6. The computer will shut down automatically and reboot. On reboot, you'll see the Restoration Complete page, and then click OK.

After the system completes the restoration, make sure that the system is stable. If it is not, then you can use another restore point or undo the current restoration. To undo the current restoration, go back to System restore and choose the Undo my last restoration option.

* Note that any programs installed or removed after the restore point will need to be reinstalled or uninstalled after a successful restoration.

If system restore is enabled on your machine, then Windows will create restore points automatically, but you can also create restore points manually. To manually create a system restore point, follow the steps below:

    1. Click Start, select All Programs, select Accessories, System Tools, and then click System Restore.
    2. On the Welcome page, click Create a Restore Point.
    3. On the Create a Restore Point page, enter a name for your restore point and then click Create.

The Restore Point Created page will confirm that the new restore point has been created. It may be a good idea to create a restore point prior to installing any new applications.

System restore doesn't replace a full system backup, but it provides a fast way to restore the system if it becomes unstable due to problems with operating system files or software corruptions. Since system restore doesn't protect the system if your hardware becomes unstable, a full system backup is essential.

System restore -- a relatively simple way to recover from a potential major problem!