Windows XP System Restore

One of the less used but a handy feature of Windows XP is the System Restore. When you are installing a new software, updating the drivers or updating your copy of XP, a new restore point is automatically generated by XP. But you should also know how to use the System Restore function manually, just in case if it is needed.


It is advised to create a manual system restore point before doing a virus cleanup of your hard disk or making changes in the registry. This would help you to get your computer back to working mode, if something goes wrong in the process. Here is how you create a system restore point

Creating a System Restore Point

  1. Log into the Administrator account.
  2. Go to Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore.
  3. In the main menu, select Create a restore point and press next.
  4. Write any description that you want in the Restore Point Description field. It would be better if you keep the date and/or the action taken. Eg:- "23rd May - Before registry cleanup"
  5. Press Create.

Now, you have a system restore point.

Let us assume that something went wrong during the task you were doing. Now there are two possibilities
1. You can log into windows and some programs are not working as they should.
2. The operating system ( Windows XP ) is not working.

Restoring a point when windows works

  1. Find your way to the System Restore application i.e. Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore
  2. In the menu select Restore my computer to an earlier time and press next.
  3. Now you have a page where you need to select which restore point you want to use to restore. Select the date in the calender and click on the restore point name. After that press next.
  4. Your computer will now restore from the restore point and should reboot itself. After this, log back into your administrator account and a Restore Complete page should open up. Press Ok, and you are done.

Restoring a point when windows does not work

  1. As soon as you start your computer (during the booting phase) press F8 continuously. A Windows Advanced Options Menu would open up with many different choices as to how you wish to start your computer. With your arrow keys select Safe Mode with command prompt and press enter.
  2. Log in as an Administrator and press enter.
  3. Enter the following into the command prompt
    %systemroot%system32restorerstrui.exe
    Press enter.
  4. Now you have a page where you need to select which restore point you want to use to restore. Select the date in the calender and click on the restore point name. After that press next.
  5. Your computer will now restore from the restore point and should reboot itself. After this, log back into your administrator account and a Restore Complete page should open up. Press Ok, and you are done.

Now that you have learned how to use Windows XP System Restore utility, do not forget to use it. You should do it before anything which involves change of configuration files, or registry changes of your system. Windows XP System Restore utility can solve many of your problems if used adequately.