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Windows XP System Restore

With threats like viruses, spyware and other malicious programs, the probability of your computer failing and needing to have the operating system restored is high. Microsoft includes an application called System Restore to help us fix this problem.

What is System Restore

XP System Restore is a program included in the windows operating system that lets you restore your computer’s operating system to a previous known working state in the event of a serious problem. Unlike a complete re-installation of the operating system, using this tool will allow you to keep your personal files in the event of a total system crash. System Restore is enabled by default, runs in the background and creates backups after specific events occur. Only an system administrator can access this program.

Triggering Events

By creating system backups of critical system configurations and files before certain events are allowed to happen, System Restore protects your computer. These backups are called restore points and let you recreate your system if a serious problem occurs. The following events are trigger events will create a new restore point:

Installing a new application that is compliant with the Windows XP System Restore API.
Installing Microsoft security and operating system updates
Using system restore to restore to a previous restore point
When system restore is disabled and then re-enabled because disabling will delete all existing restore points

A new restore point will also be created before the following events are allowed to take place:

Before a Microsoft Backup Utility Recovery operation.
Before installing an unsigned hardware device driver
Before manually creating a new restore point.
Created by default every 24 hours

Restore Points

Contents

Restore points contain all of the following information:

The entire Registry
All files in the dllscache folder
The COM+ Database
The Windows Management Instrumentation Database
The IIS Metabase
Files with extensions that are listed in the Monitored File Extensions list in the System Restore section of the Platform SDK
All Local Profiles

Items not included

Restore points do not contain any of the following information:

Windows XP passwords and hints
Microsoft Internet Explorer and Content Advisor passwords
Any file types not monitored by System Restore
Items listed in both Filesnottobackup and KeysnottoRestore
User-created data and files
Contents of redirected folders

Disk Space Needed

If your hard disk partition is greater than 4 GB, the operating system will allocate 12% of the useable space for System Restore points. Otherwise it will use up to a maximum of 400 MB. You can change the allocation size by going to Control Panel -> System -> System Restore -> Settings. The dialogue box below will open. You can also disable System Restore by checking the Turn off System Restore on all drives box and click on the OK button. To enable System Restore just uncheck the box and click on the OK button.

Manually Creating Restore Points

You can manually create restore points using the System Restore utility. The most common reason to do this is because you are happy with the way the system is configured and you want to save that configuration in case something happens in the future.

To open the utility, go to Accessories -> System Tools -> System Restore. The window below will open.

Click on the Create a Restore Point radio button. The window below will open. Type in a name for your restore point in the box provided.

The current date and time will automatically be appended to the name you choose. Click on the Create button. The system will send you a confirmation message. You can then click on the Close button.

Restoring Your System

To open the System Restore utility, go to Accessories -> System Tools -> System Restore. Make sure the Restore my computer to an earlier time radio button is selected. Then click on Next. The window below will open.

Select a restore point that you would like to restore from the right hand pane. At this point you will be prompted to confirm whether you want to continue. If yes, click on the Next button. System restore will shut down all open applications and reboot the computer.

After the computer is rebooted, you will get a message that the restoration to the selected restore point is complete.

If the restored system doesn’t work properly, open System Restore again and select the Undo my last restoration radio button.

Summary

System Restore is a useful application that can help to prevent needing to do a complete operating system restore, which would require you to reinstall all software applications and could result in losing all of your user created data.