Return to the Past with Windows Restore

A common problem we hear from frustrated PC users is "my computer started acting strangely this week. What should I do?"

So before you throw your PC down the stairs, stay calm a try a few simple things to get your CC back up and running.

Usually we recommend a good anti-virus and spyware check. But if that's not possible or turns up nothing, then the next best thing is to use the built-in Windows Restore function.

And we always recommend that users have backups of their most precious data before anything bad happens and certainly before trying anything like a system restore.

We're using the standard advice from Microsoft knowledgebase here for the help. And they differ a bit on whether your PC's Window program will even start-up.

If Windows XP starts

1. Log on to Windows as Administrator.
2. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Restore. System Restore starts.
3. On the Welcome to System Restore page, click Restore my computer to an earlier time (if it is not already selected), and then click Next.
4. On the Select a Restore Point page, click the most recent system checkpoint in the On this list, click a restore point list, and then click Next. A System Restore message may appear that lists configuration changes that System Restore will make. Click OK.
5. On the Confirm Restore Point Selection page, click Next. System Restore restores the previous Windows XP configuration, and then restarts the computer.
6. Log on to the computer as Administrator. The System Restore Restoration Complete page appears.
7. Click OK.

If Windows will not start, do this to restore:

1. Restart your computer, and then press F8 during the initial startup to start your computer in Safe Mode with a command prompt.
   For additional information about the Safe mode with a command prompt, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 315222 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315222/) A description of the Safe mode boot options in Windows XP
2. Log on to your computer with an administrator account or with an account that has administrator credentials.
   
3. Type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER: %systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe
4. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to restore your computer to an earlier state.

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