Using System Restore in XP
Windows is well-known for having driver and .dll conflicts, as well as all sorts of software that causes problems with your computer. Luckily there’s a System restore feature that can return your computer back to a known working configuration, as long as you’ve created a restore point.
Note that some software installations will create restore points automatically, but you should run it manually before installing any questionable applications. (Or better yet, don’t install questionable applications!)
Creating a Restore Point Manually
To create a Restore Point click on Start \ programs\ Accessories \ System Tools \ System Restore, and you’ll be given a wizard screen.
Click on “Create a restore point” and then click the Next button. You’ll be brought to a screen where you can type in a description for your restore point. Use something memorable if possible.
Once your restore point is created (which might take a while), you will get a confirmation screen.
All done creating the restore point!
Restoring from a Restore Point
To restore from a previously created restore point, open System Restore the same as above, but this time we’ll select “Restore my computer to an earlier time”. Note that System Restore is going to reboot your computer in order to restore.
Click the next button, and you’ll be shown a calendar with bolded dates wherever there is a restore point. Click on the date, and then click a restore point in the right hand side.
You’ll get a confirmation screen asking if you really want to do this. We’ll assume that there’s a problem requiring you to restore, so go ahead.
Your system will reboot and then restore your computer back to the previous configuration.
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I keep receiving this error message that states that my computer is making unauthorized copies of my systen and internet files. How can I fix this? Thank you
I have a problem like that to, tell me if you find an answer.
Sounds like you have a trojan. Download superantispyware.com, it should fix the smithfield trojan.
My pc keeps losing power. After I boot up, weather on-line or not, the screen goes blank, by pc shuts down and the re boots itself. I then have to sign in again. It does not do this when I am using another’s sign-in, only when I am using mine.
I have Windows Xp.
I saw a PC that refresh each time we restart the machine, we can do what ever install, change settings,
but after restart the machine windows comes to previous look, Including windows partition have set this feature and another partition let to save files to users.
windows partition is like read-only CD, only little difference between it, we can save files moment we using. but after restart > previous look!
please explain me, how to do this, and how it works,
and i want to know is that something by using System Restore? Thank U.
keep getting a windows is not installed fully
can’t get into computer how can i by pass and restore
I have a hp windows xp media center edition 2005 and no restoration disk can you help
no problem.before the windows xp loading screen press F8 key.then select the option for directory services restore mode then allow it to do the magic
___________shanthosh12@gmail.com
joe i think u have a serious virus problem in ur computer.please download an antivirus utility or update ur existing antivirus utility
________________shanthosh12@gmail.com
keep getting that several applications failed to start due to COMRes.dll not been found…any help please
hey smudger
ur computer had been affected by virus.i think u already removed it,but along with it u must have deleted a critical system file.
there r 2 options available for u
1 method
1.start->run
2.type cmd
3.type sfc\scannow in the dos window
4.insert windows xp cd
5.dll cache wud be replaced by the original file
OR
2 method
1.reinstall or repair win xp
i think the above methods wud solve the problem.otherwise contact me
cheers!
_____________shanthosh12@gmail.com
I keep getting an error message after running system restore that it could not restore to that restore point. I’ve tried several times and keep getting the same error message. Help please
Hey, Jeff – Me too! I am getting totally frustrated. I’ve tried the 5 latest restore “checkpoints”/dates & times, and it keeps sending error message telling me it can’t restore to that point. Have you found an answer? Can someone out there please help us? (BTW, HP Help & Support was useless, too.)
I also can’t get system restore to work on XP. Just keep getting ” system restore incomplete ” Been trying all restore points available. HELP!!!!!
Try using recovery console. refresh your MBR and BOOTDISK.
what happens if my system restore windows comes up white as if it were “not responding” except its not frozen there is just NOTHING there
One day, when my computer was working it went to a black screen with white letters saying” can not reboot windows, use a system disk to recover. “I have a xp media 2005 Edition that did not come with a disk. I ordered one, and tryed to re-install, when the disk was in , the words.
” Can not find hard drive” can not continue restore. Can anyone tell me how to proceed? And of course HP is saying my warranty is expired. And of course they want money.
hey Tina
may be the computer might have experinced a physical shock(push,shake,kick, etc).try doing this
1. open the cpu cabinet
2. there wud be a cell in the shape of a circle on the motherboard(button cell known as CMOS battery)
3. remove this cell
4. wait for 30 seconds
5. replace cell
6. now try restarting ur pc
7. then press F2 button(load default values and continue)
I think this should solve the problem if it doesn’t just post another comment
_____________shanthosh12
Shanthosh12: I did all these and it came up: Disk Boot Failure. Enter system disk and hit enter to continue: I then entered my re-boot cd, and says no hard drive found PC Recovery can not be continued. Thank you
My Computer is frozen during the system restore process. It says windows is shutting down and the system restore window is up showing its progress, however it is stuck during the “restoring files process” for the past 4 hours. On my other laptop when I manually shutdown it screwed up my registry, are there any other options?
Hi i have never saved data from recovery CD from a HP DV6174 XP media center edition, i now need to have the original software back on the computer and dont have it and cant do a system restore either since i have instaldes onother software on computer, any idea where i can get the original softare from??
what to do when u can’t get past the black screen saying how do u want to start . I have pushed all options and it opens back to the same blck screen
someone help me
I want to restore my Window XP back to orginal setting thru start up and keying Ctrl+F11, windoe comes up to restore or reboot. It tell me to click on one or the other, but my mouse does not work. how can I continue restoring XP?
I am unable to sytem restore to earlier point-it won’ t even allow me to click on earlier date. I tried F8 at startup with same results. What do you mean by going to recovery console and refresh MBR and BOOTDISC? Thanks.
i have windows xp when i try to restore it lets me choose the restore point but then when i click on next to continue it doesn’t do anything, the computer is not frozen but the next button does’t respond to clicks.
My computer is not restoing on up to the perivious date after selcting the restoring date it is not going to next and remain the same window. some time it is going hang.
Problem resembles Kate’s “next” button doesn’t respond to click. Is there a way to run restore from command with a parameter to indicate restore date?
Terry MBR is Master Boot Record,it saves infio abt ur hard disk,cd/dvd rom, etc etc.
boot disc is ur windows xp disc thats all.try using a better antivirus such as Kaspersky or NOD 32.
and for restoring why not try Norton GO BACK
To concerned:
e-mailing items from incredimail to my documents. Sometimes, the item in my document will open up; other times, message is invalid. When that happens, the address is junk made up of words and numbers. If I try desktop or other venues, same problem. Someone suggested that my settings for my documents is kaput. Any suggestions?
Hi
I want ask u . about my computer . my system on computer it;s linux .
I want all drive for the linux
any way think very much
I’m having the same issue as Kate, where the next button on my systen restore window is not responding…
I’ll also say that the only reason I was gonna restore, was because I think I had/have a trojan, and it messed up my drivers somehow. I also think this trojan came while installing the newest version of explorer
My c drive is turned off how do i turn it back on
My wife has a toshiba laptop and recently she has been having problems with it, like it tends to restart itself without her doing anything, and even now she can not access anything without it hanging and causing her to have to hold the power button down to shut off the laptop is there anything she can do to get the laptop back to factory settings without formating it. I heard she could do the f8 way but she needs more information on how that works, this is our main way of communicating with each other as she is in the Philippines and I am in the US.
I try to bring up my system restore but all that comes up is a blank screen? I have windows xp. I need to bring it up. I’m having problems with java and other things. Don’t know why.
Hey. I have a question too. Well, one day after i decided to shut off my desktop, svchost.exe error would appear when my system was booting up. Not only that, but my task bar switched to a classic view, and if i ever tired to change it the error would pop up again. So then i decided to do a system restore because i might have touched something, and it made my computer mad… When i tried to do a system restore, the system restore just didnt do anything so it just let it sit at the confirmation screen for about 5 hours.(My computer isn’t frozen though, i can still press the back button and close the program).
No matter what i did, the system restore wouldnt restore my system to that previous date
.
i even did “start>>run>>cmd>>net start” to see if my system restore was working and it was….
oh and i have a Dell Demesion 9100 with windows XP
Hi,
I have a problem with the spell check on Word 2007 on my home computer.
I have two profiles on my computer and the spell check does not work on my one. If I open the other profile then it works. If I look at a document that I created on my side in the second profile it does not work but if I copy and paste it into a new document on the second profile it does work. If I create a new document on the second profile (where it works) and then open it in my profile the spell check can be seen for a brief second and then disappears.
I have checked the Internet and it seems that other people have had the same problem. I have followed various suggestions all to no avail. Someone did suggest restoring the settings on the computer to a previous point and that would not harm any of the files that I have recently created. So, any ideas on solving the problem and would the restore option work?
Many thanks,
Anne
I have an HP laptop. The Operating system thats running on it is XP pro. The problem that I’m having is when I try to sign in using my user name and account, the laptop would restart itself. I tried using the guest account and try to log in but the samething happens. Before this incident had occur, it was working fine. Now everytime I tried to log in using my user name and account, and even the guest account the laptop would just restarts itself from the user screen name. Any ideas on how to fix this?
I had a computer serviced, the tech cleared the hard drive and put all applications in a backup folder on the desk top. They are currently unusable. How do I restore to usable state.
Thanks
I too am having the same problem as Kate and many others. I click next once I’ve selected a date and NOTHING happens. It doesn’t bring up another window, in fact, I could select the back button to choose a different date. Please help me, I need my system restored ASAP.
As for the creating a restore point, everytime I select that option, it tells me I need to close all windows and restart my computer….after doing that, the same thing occurs.
wow, still no response, if anyone has found an answer to Elisha’s question please email me antix990@yahoo.com
My system restore for windows xp wont load, I need to download it. Is there anyway I can download a copy of system restore for xp?
I love all the off-topic questions, and the really cryptic ones like “my computer won’t turn on, can you fix it?”
Anyway, I was looking for help for System Restore coming up to an unpopulated (white) window, and never getting past that. No error message, no events generated. There are some similar problem descriptions listed here, with no answer. I’m guessing this may be a dead thread, no longer being checked.
I know what caused it. I installed the multiple IE pack to check it out for web development. I made a restore point manually before I installed, and yep, it screwed me up. Now System Restore won’t start up properly. Even clicking No from the Safe Mode pop-up message. It thinks for a second, then just opens Safe Mode as if I had clicked Yes instead.
Question: Is there a manual way to restore a restore point? Command line option? Anyway, there are not many helpful replies since October of last year, so I doubt I’ll get an answer here. But if anyone else finds an answer, feel free to email it to me: basswhite -at- gmail -dot- com