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Create a Restore Point for Windows Vista's System Restore

If you are thinking of installing an application but aren't quite sure what it's going to do to your computer, I would absolutely recommend creating a restore point before you install that application, and here are the steps to do so. Note that most application installs automatically create a restore point, but you can do this if you are really worried.

Open up the Start Menu and right-click on "Computer", and then select "Properties".

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This will take you into the System area of Control Panel. Click on the "Advanced system settings" on the left hand side.

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Now select the "System Protection" tab to get to the System Restore section.

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Click the "Create" button to create a new restore point. You'll be prompted for a name, and you might want to give it a useful name that you'll be able to easily identify later.

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Click the Create button, and then the system will create the restore point.

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When it's all finished, you'll get a message saying it's completed successfully.

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Now if your application blows up Vista, you can restore your computer using System Restore.

The Geek is the founder of How-To Geek and a geek enthusiast. When he's not coming up with great how-to articles, he's probably writing at his personal blog. This article was written on 06/20/07 and tagged with: Windows Vista, System Administration

Comments (11)

  1. DARRELL BALLARD

    My computer suddenly decided it would no longer display the color "Red"
    (all the other colors are in place)
    I went to the system controls to adjust the color and there is a list of availible colors… however the color "RED" happens to be "BLACK".
    How can I get the color "RED" back?

  2. Vijay Magdum

    Hello,
    I am unable to create restore for my Windows Vista Operating System.
    Procedure I am following is the same as given on your website.
    I am getting following error:
    The restore point could not be created for the following reason:
    Shadow Copying the specified volume is not supported.(0×8004230C)
    Please help me out.
    thanking you in advance.

  3. D A Wilson

    Where this article says "click Advanced system settings," the "System Protection" link is immediately above that link, and the user saves a step by using that, instead of clicking "Advanced …" and then clicking the "System Protection" tab.

    The trick is to set up a shortcut to "System", then when you use it, just click "System Protection" and then Create and type the name and hit Create again.

  4. Les

    In Windows Mail cannot get Contact Group to appear on toolbar.

  5. Ciao

    These three posts are the same questions/problems I have with my new Dell w/ Vista. Wherre can I find the replies to them??

    """#
    Vijay Magdum

    Hello,
    I am unable to create restore for my Windows Vista Operating System.
    Procedure I am following is the same as given on your website.
    I am getting following error:
    The restore point could not be created for the following reason:
    Shadow Copying the specified volume is not supported.(0×8004230C)
    Please help me out.
    thanking you in advance.
    #
    December 14, 2007 11:13 am
    D A Wilson

    Where this article says "click Advanced system settings," the "System Protection" link is immediately above that link, and the user saves a step by using that, instead of clicking "Advanced …" and then clicking the "System Protection" tab.

    The trick is to set up a shortcut to "System", then when you use it, just click "System Protection" and then Create and type the name and hit Create again.
    #
    January 14, 2008 12:48 pm
    Les

    In Windows Mail cannot get Contact Group to appear on toolbar."""

  6. Zuri

    i cannot rename my folder after create a new one. it said:

    'The file or folder does not exist'

    what is going on?? how i can fix this?
    one more thing is why my vista (ultimate) don't have disk defragmenter? when i go to tools then my disfragmenter was disable. my system retore also didn't show up in accessories..plz help..thanks

  7. sunny

    Can any one advise since I had never created a restore point manually. I have been given to understad that system does it automatically everyday. Now the problem is that I guess I have got a virus in my laptop as it shuts down abruptly after almost every 6-8 hours and the options that I am getting in the restore option is just for the last 3-4 days. which is after the problem started, so no point in retoring when the virus was already there.
    Unfortunately I did not create recovery CD when I bought the new laptop about 4 months ago. So, this new Laptop is worth scrap for me.
    Grateful, if any one can advice if can still fix my laptop or is it that once you have the virus your system is dead.

    At the same time I really dont undertand that instead of having Norton, Macafee, Spyware Doctor how did the virus got in. Does it mean that all these softwares are useless.

    Appreciate for you advice as I am a novice in IT.

    Cheers ! Sunny

  8. Liverbird

    For all those looking for help (not sure this site provides answers to your queries so I apologise if you do) try the computeractive forums: Readers to the Rescue, there is a Vista section so post there.

    To Sunny, your pc can be restored, the factory/recovery image is still on a partitioned part of your hard drive, post on site above where we will try to help you.

  9. The Geek

    @Liverbird

    We have a forum here on this site where many of the readers help answer questions.

    In fact there's a link to our forum right above the comments box, but I'll include it again: http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/

  10. Liverbird

    Yeah sorry, I noticed that as I hit the "submit comment", but I wondered why nobody had mentioned it here.
    Great site btw ;)

  11. Wayne

    Thank you for your help.


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