Carroll County Times Articles
System Restore to the Rescue
by Jeannine Morber– July 1, 2007
If you own a computer, then there probably has been at least one time when you've done something to it that you wish you hadn't. Whether it was installing new software that wasn't what you had hoped or clicking yes to a prompt when you should have clicked no, we've all managed to do something to our computers that we wish we could undo.
With the System Restore feature included with Windows XP and Vista, undoing the above is not only possible, but also very easy. The System Restore process reverts your system back to the settings of a previous time; a time prior to the event you are trying to undo. For instance, if recently installed software is not what you had in mind or seems to have corrupted your system, and you've tried to uninstall software through Control Panel's Add/Remove Programs without any luck, then it's System Restore to the Rescue!
Windows creates 'restore points' for your computer which consist of system files and registry settings, and not personal files. This allows System Restore to revert your computer back to a previous time without a loss of personal files and email. You are also capable of creating your own restore point as will be discussed below.
To use System Restore, first close all programs. Then do the following to open the System Restore window. Click Start, and then highlight the menu options in the following order: All Programs, Accessories, System Tools. Then click System Restore to open the window.
The option 'Restore my computer to an earlier time' will be checked', click Next. In this window, you will see a calendar with some dates in bold. These dates are when restore points were created by Windows. Choose a date from the calendar that is prior to the date of when your computer began acting strangely or when you installed the application you want to uninstall. Click Next. You will see a warning to save all data and close all programs because Windows will need to restart. Click Next and let System Restore do the rest.
Once the process is complete, you should notice that your computer functions as smoothly as it did on the date of the restore point.
It is a good idea to periodically create your own restore points. I do this before installing any new software or making any major changes to my computer. That way, if something goes awry, I can 'turn back time' with a few mouse clicks.
To create a restore point, open the System Restore window as described above, but click the 'Create a restore point' option, then click Next. Enter a name for your restore point; select a name that will remind you of why you created the restore point. For instance, if you are about to install new software, name the restore point 'before' followed by the name of the software as in 'before_Photoscan'. Click Next and Windows will create your restore point.
It is important to remember that System Restore is not the same as the Backup utility which backs up personal files, nor will System Restore undelete personal files you've deleted. For more information on System Restore, go to Microsoft's Technet site and enter 'System Restore' in the search feature.
About the Author
Jeannine Morber is the Director of the Carroll Technology Council. Questions are welcome and may be addressed in future articles. Email mail@carrolltechcouncil.org or go to www.carrolltechcouncil.org to learn more.
