Using System Restore in Windows XP

Get to know System Restore before you actually need to use it

Windows XP periodically takes a snapshot of your computer and these are called restore points. Windows XP also creates restore points at times of significant system events (such as when you install a new application) or you can create your own restore points. If you do anything that makes your computer unstable, you can choose a restore point and return your computer to its previous state.

When you run System Restore, a calendar is displayed so you can choose which date you want to restore too. If you don't use your computer every day, some days might not have any restore points. If you use your computer regularly, you may find it has several restore points, even for the same day.

If you install a new program or do something you shouldn't, and your computer throws a wobbler and stops working as it should, providing you have some restore points created, you can go back to a previous date when it was working ok.

You can create as many restore points as you want, even for the same day if you wish. Say you installed 3 programs that day, you could create a restore point before installing each of the programs. You can't rely on any program doing it for you, as some programs don't create a restore point automatically.

Also System Restore doesn't affect any personal data files you may have created (such as text documents, photos, favorites or e-mails etc.) so no changes will be made to these files. What it will do though, is remove any programs you have installed that are after the date you are restoring to. Example: if you installed 3 programs and restored to an earlier date, they will ALL be removed.

Before you use System Restore, save any work you have in hand and close any programs you are using, as System Restore needs to restart your computer (if you choose to restore to a date).

You can look at the restore points without actually using any

To use System Restore:

Click the main Start button.
Select All Programs.
From next menu, select Accessories.
From next menu, select System Tools.
From next menu, click System Restore.
The "Restore my computer to an earlier time" will already be selected.
Click Next (don't worry, you won't alter any settings doing this).
You should now see the calendar with any restore points in Bold text.
If there are no dates in Bold text, you haven't got any restore points yet!
Click on a few dates just to check (you can move back and forth through the months).
Click Cancel and the box will close (and nothing is altered).
Now you've seen the restore points, you should feel a little more confident.

Creating a restore point can be useful if you anticipate altering settings to your computer that may be risky. If something goes wrong, you select the restore point you just created and Windows XP undoes any changes you made.

To Create a Restore Point

Open System Restore (as instructions above).
Click Create a restore point and then click Next.
In the Restore point description box, type a name to identify this restore point. It can be any thing you want e.g. "Before installing Apache".
To finish creating this restore point, click Create.
To cancel the restore point creation and exit, click Cancel.

All restore points that are created on a selected date are listed by name in the list box to the right of the calendar.

Restoring to a Restore Point date

Open System Restore (as instructions above).
The "Restore my computer to an earlier time" will already be selected.
Click Next.
You should now see the calendar with any restore points in Bold text.
Select a date to restore to.
Click Next.
Click Next on the next page.
If this is doesn't rectify the problem, you can repeat the process and try another date.

You can restore as many times as you want until you get to a point where your computer is working ok. After restoring back to a date and it's not what you want, you can restore forward to the original date (or any other date) and do this as many times as you like.