• Components
• Troubleshooting
• Terms
• Network
• Virus




• Computer buying guide
• Choosing the components
• Build your own computer
• Speed up your computer
• Watch TV on your computer

Windows System Restore

---

The windows system restore is designed to help you go to a previous system state while keeping your personal files, it is enabled by default but it can also be turned off which is NOT recommended, this is one of the best tools the computer has to recover from a unbootable computer or a hard to get rid of virus.

Restore points are created whenever you make changes to important files in your Windows like installing a driver, installing a Windows update or installing an application.

However, if you've installed an application after the system restore date, you will lose the application because it restores the registry to the date specified and applications adds information to the registry when installed, so you will need to install them again.

The registry is like a file cabinet with all of your Windows information, especially installed applications.

Turn ON/OFF the system restore

1. Right click on the My Computer icon on your desktop or on the start menu
2. Click on Properties on the menu that appears
3. Click on the System Restore or System Protection tab and you'll get the System Properties panel
4. Click on the configure button. (Windows 7)
5. Uncheck (if it's checked) the Turn off System Restore box

How to Create a System Restore Point

It is recommended to set a Restore Point before doing any activity involving your Registry, like doing a scan or repair job. So let’s learn to create one.

1. Access the System Restore Wizard through Help and Support Center
2. Click on Create a Restore Point
3. Give it a name, a name you can identify later on, like the date
4. Click OK

If you are using Windows 7, follow these steps:

1. Click on
2. Click on Control Panel
3. At the left side click on System Protection
4. Click the System Protection tab, and then click Create.
5. In the System Protection dialog box, type a description, and then click Create.

Excellent, you just created a Restore Point. To restore your system from the point you just created, see below.

Using the windows system restore

Now let’s say because of a single mistake you’ve done, your computer got crash. No need to hesitate. Just use system restore to turn your computer back to a point when it works perfectly the Restore Point you have created.

There are several ways to do this:

1. Remove any disks, CDs or DVDs from your computer
2. Restart/turn on the computer
3. Repeatedly press the F6 or F8 key (depending on your motherboard)

If you have doubts just keep pressing both keys as your computer restarts. You have to do this BEFORE the Windows logo appears.

4. Highlight Last Known Good Configuration and press the Enter

Finished, now all you have to do is wait for the computer to do the rest

If your computer is acting weird but it can manage to load to Windows, you can run the System Restore Wizard to have more restore points you can choose.

1. Click on Start
2. Click on All Programs
3. Click on Accesories
4. Click on System Tools
5. Click on System Restore
6. Click on the Restore my computer to an earlier time option

Remember to do this as your last option, when all has failed.

<- Back to computer troubleshooting