Skip navigation, view page content (access key = C)

Begin OSU masthead and toolbar

The Ohio State University
www.osu.edu
  1. Help
  2. Campus map
  3. Find people
  4. Webmail

Ohio State University logo Office of Information Technology Technology Support Center (8help)

Vista: Creating a System Restore point



System Restore is a feature of Windows Vista that enables you to undo certain changes made to your system. If you installed a new program or updated driver and your system becomes unstable, System Restore will allow you to "undo" that change and go back to the previous stable state.

How System Restore Works

When System Restore is created, it takes a "picture" or snapshot of your computer. This is referred to as a restore point. In addition, when a major system event occurs (such as installing a program or updating a driver) System Restore creates a restore point prior to this event. System restore also allows you to create your own restore points. If you installed a program that makes your computer unstable, you can launch System Restore and choose a restore point that is prior to that event, to restore it to its previous stable state.

Creating a Restore Point Manually

To create a restore point manually,
  1. Click Start
  2. Right click on My Computer
  3. Select Properties
  4. From the tasks pane on the left, click System Protection
  5. Select a disk (place check mark in box if it is not already checked) from the list, usually C:, and click on the Create button.
  6. Type a name to describe this restore point (ex. "Before driver update")
  7. Click Create button
When finished, Windows opens a window stating that the restore point was created successfully.

Using System Restore to Undo Changes

To be safe, backup any important files before restoring to a previous point. To restore your system back to a previous restore point:
  1. Click Start
  2. Point to All Programs
  3. Point to Accessories
  4. Point to System Tools
  5. Click System Restore and click on Next button
  6. Select "Choose a different restore point" and click on Next button
  7. Select the desired date time and description of the restore point.
  8. Click on Next button.
  9. Click on Next button to begin the restore process.
  10. Click on Yes in the confirmation message box that opens.
The computer should shut down and turn back on automatically after the restoration completes.

Additional Information:
  • System Restore does not backup or delete your personal documents. This means that a document created and saved today will not be removed if you use the System Restore. Only certain system files and settings are changed when performing a system restore.
  • System Restore is not a replacement for un-installing a program. Although it serves much the same function, the Add/Remove Programs control panel is the best method for un-installing an application.


Current Record: 3312

Create Date: 03-07-2007
Last Reviewed: 01-23-2009
Please give us your feedback!
Was this document helpful?  




Home

 

return to top