Roll back changes with System Restore ~ Hard and Software Plus

If your computer's gone odd and you don't know why - try System Restore

Sometimes computers can start having problems almost out of the blue. They are such complicated machines, these 'computer' things, that even the smallest change can cause the hardware to stop working properly. Thankfully, ever since the launch of Windows XP, Microsoft has included an extremely useful safety net as part of its operating systems - a tool called System Restore.

This brilliant program works in the background, periodically creating snapshots of your settings, which are known as System Restore Points. If you start to experience problems with your PC, then you can choose a System Restore Point that was created before the issues started. Selecting a previous Restore Point will roll back your computer's settings to before the problem arose, which will let your computer run normally again.

REQUIRES
Reliability Monitor
Find it in 'Start > System and Security > Action Center > Maintenance’

Step-by-step: Roll back system settings

How to un-do anything that might have placed your PC in peril

1. Launch System Restore

Before you can roll back your system, youll need to launch the System Restore program. If you're using either Vista or Windows 7, you can do this by clicking 'Start' then typing system restore into the search box and pressing (Enter]. If you're using Windows XP, go to Start > All programs > Accessories > System tools > System Restore!

2. Scan for affected programs

Using System Restore doesn t affect any documents or files you've created. Recently installed programs and drivers might be uninstalled, however, because they might be what’s causing the problem. Click 'Next' then select a Restore Point and click Scan for affected programs' to find out what will be removed when you restore.

3. Select a Restore Point

Choosing the right Restore Point to roll back to is vitally important. Go too far and you might lose settings and programs that haven't caused any problems. To help you select the correct point, you can see when and why each one was created. Click Show more restore points' to see older points.

4. Confirm your Restore Point

Select the Restore Point and click Next'. Now confirm your selection and create a password reset disc if you regularly change your password - System Restore might roll back to a time when you had a different password. Click 'Create a password reset disc' or dick 'Finish' to begin the roll back.

5. Check your system

Once the System Restore process is underway you won't be able to stop it. Windows will apply the changes and restart. You'll then see a dialogue box letting you know that System Restore has completed successfully. Take time to make sure that the problem you were experiencing has been fixed.

6. Undo any changes

If that hasn't fixed the problem - or if it's made things worse - then you can undo all the changes. Open System Restore as shown in Step 1 and just select 'Undo System Restore'. If you can't see that option, click 'Next! The description should be 'Restore Operation', and the Type should be 'Undo! Select that and click 'Next' and then 'Finish!

7. Create a System Restore Point

If you're about to attempt something complicated with your PC, it's good to create a System Restore Point that you can roll back to if you encounter any future problems. Click ‘Start! then right-click on ’Computer > Properties'. Click 'System Protection' and then 'Create! Type a description into the text box, then click 'Create' again.

8. Enjoy your problem-free PC!

Now your PC should be running without problems again, just as it was before, and your files and photos will be unaffected. Windows will continue to create System Restore Points in the background whenever you make changes so you don't have to worry if things go wrong and you start experiencing problems - just use it again!

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