Windows System Restore: A Step-By-Step Guide 2023

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Windows System Restore

Windows System Restore

System Restore is a built-in recovery tool in Windows that allows you to restore your computer to an earlier point in time, called a restore point. It can help fix problems caused by recently installed apps, drivers, and updates by reversing any changes made to the system after that point. System Restore is available in Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10.

What is System Restore?

System Restore monitors changes to Windows system files and settings and saves this information as restore points. If a problem occurs, you can revert back to the previous restore point to undo any problematic changes and hopefully fix the issue.

  • Some key things to know about System Restore:
  •  This does NOT affect your personal files like documents, photos, etc. It only affects Windows system files.
  •  It automatically creates restore points daily and before major events like software installations, Windows updates, etc.
  •  You can also manually create restore points at any time.
  •  By default, System Restore keeps restore points for only a limited number of days before deleting the oldest ones. This setting can be adjusted.
  •  System Restore requires a certain amount of free disk space on the system drive (usually C:) to save restore points. At least 300MB is recommended.
  •  System Restore is configured on a per-drive basis. You can have it enabled or disabled for different drives.

When to Use System Restore

  • Some common situations where System Restore can be useful include:
  •  You notice problems like crashes or weird behaviors right after installing a new software, driver, Windows update, etc.
  •  Your computer suddenly has issues booting up properly or running normally.
  •  You suspect your computer has a virus or other malware infection. System Restore can help revert the system to a clean state.
  •  Critical Windows system files have become corrupted or gone missing after a failed update or other issue.
  •  If you want to undo recent changes made to Windows, like UI tweaks or driver updates.

System Restore is most helpful if you create a restore point before installing new software or making major system changes in case something goes wrong.

How to Create a System Restore Point

It’s easy to manually create a new restore point in Windows whenever you want to have a restore reference in the future. Here’s how:

 On Windows 10:

  1. Type “Create a restore point” in the Windows search bar and select it.
  2. In the System Protection dialog box, click the “Create” button.
  3. Enter a name to identify this restore point and click Create.

 On Windows 8/8.1:

  1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen to open the Charms menu. Click Search.
  2. Type “create a restore point” and select it from the results.
  3. Click the Create button and give the restore point a name.

On Windows 7:

  1. Click Start and type “System Restore” in the search box.
  2. In the System Protection tab, click the Create button.
  3. Give the restore point a name and click Create.

That’s all there is to it! Windows will now create a restore point, allowing your system to revert to its current state in the future if needed. Make a habit of creating restore points before making major system changes.

How to Restore Your System to an Earlier Point

If you’re having problems with your computer, reverting back to an earlier restore point can potentially fix the issue by undoing problematic changes. Here are the steps to roll back using System Restore:

On Windows 10:

  1. Type “System Restore” in the Windows search bar and select it.
  2. In the System Protection tab, click System Restore.
  3. Choose a restore point from the list by date. Click Scan for affected programs to see what will change.
  4. To begin the restore, click Next, then Finish. Confirm again in the popup.
  5. Restart your computer when prompted. The restore will now run and revert the system to the restore point.

On Windows 8/8.1:

  1. Swipe in from the right edge and click Search. Type “System Restore” and select it.
  2. Click Next on the Welcome screen, choose a restore point, and click Scan for affected programs.
  3. Click Close > Next to start the restore. Confirm again in the popup and let the system restart.

On Windows 7:

  1. Click Start, type “System Restore” and select it from the list.
  2. In the System Protection tab, click System Restore.
  3. Choose a restore point and click Next. You can view the affected programs by clicking Scan for affected programs.
  4. Click Next to confirm the restore point and restart your PC.

Once the restore is complete, your system will be returned to the state it was in at the selected restore point. Hopefully the problems you were experiencing will now be gone.

How to Configure System Restore Settings

You can tweak some settings related to System Restore if needed. Here’s how:

Adjust Disk Space Usage

System Restore requires disk space to store restore points. You can change the max space allotted to it:

Windows 10/8/7:

  1. Right-click the System Protection tab and select System Protection Settings.
  2. Adjust the Max Usage slider higher or lower as needed.
  3. Click OK to save.

Windows Vista:

  1. Open the System Protection tab and click Configure.
  2. Adjust the disk space slider and click OK.

Change Restore Point Deletion Behavior

By default, older restore points are deleted after a certain number of days to free up space. You can modify when restore points are deleted:

Windows 10/8/7:

  1. Right-click the System Protection tab and click System Protection Settings.
  2. Change Restore points to be deleted in however many days you want.
  3. Or, enable the option to never delete restore points. Click OK.

Windows Vista:

  1. Open the System Protection tab and click Configure.
  2. Adjust the restore point storage duration or disable automatic deletion.
  3. Click OK to save changes.

Disable System Restore on Specific Drives

If you want to exclude a particular drive from having System Restore enabled:

Windows 10/8/7:

  1. Right-click the drive in the System Protection tab and uncheck Turn on system protection.

Windows Vista:

  1. Click Configure under the drive and uncheck Turn on system restore.
  2. Click OK to disable it for that drive.

How to Manually Delete Restore Points

If your computer is running low on disk space, you may want to manually delete the unneeded restore points:

Windows 10/8/7:

  1. Right-click the System Protection tab and select Delete.
  2. Check the restore points you want to delete.
  3. Click Delete. Confirm again in the popup.

Windows Vista:

  1. Open the System Protection tab and click Configure.
  2. Click Delete in the dialog box.
  3. Select the restore points to remove and click Delete.
  4. Confirm again in the popup dialog.

This will immediately free up space by removing the selected restore points. Keep in mind you won’t be able to revert to deleted points in the future.

Common Questions and Issues about System Restore

Here are some frequently asked questions and troubleshooting tips for System Restore:

How can I recover individual files using System Restore?

System Restore only affects Windows system files – it does not restore your personal data or individual files and folders. To recover older versions of files/folders, you will need to use Windows Backup, File History, or a third party backup program that includes file versioning.

What should I do if my computer won’t boot properly after a System Restore?

In some cases, System Restore may fail or make things worse. If your PC fails to boot correctly after a restore, you can revert back to the restore point you just used by booting into Safe Mode and running System Restore again. If that doesn’t work, your only option may be to reinstall Windows.

Does the System Restore completely remove malicious programs like viruses?

While System Restore can help revert malware changes by restoring to an earlier point, it does not directly remove or delete any infected files. After restoring, you should run a full virus scan to check for and clean up any remaining threats.

Can I pick individual programs or drivers to restore?

No, System Restore cannot restore only certain software or drivers. It will revert the entire system state back to the selected restore point.

I have System Restore enabled but it’s not creating any restore points automatically. How can I fix this?

Check that you have adequate free disk space on the system drive (usually C:). System Restore requires 300 MB or more to store restore points. If the disk space is full it will stop automatically creating restore points.

What gets deleted when System Restore removes old restore points?

Only the actual System Restore data is deleted to free up disk space. It does not delete any of your personal files, programs, etc. However, you won’t be able to revert to deleted restore points.

Conclusion

Windows System Restore is an invaluable feature that can save you from a lot of headaches down the road. Setting restore points before major system changes gives you an important “safety net” and recovery option if things go wrong. Keeping on top of System Restore settings like disk usage, retention policies, and drive configurations helps ensure it’s working properly when you really need it. While not a full backup solution, using System Restore’s capabilities alongside regular file backups provides comprehensive protection against system problems. With some practice, you’ll master the ins and outs of restoring your PC and have peace of mind knowing you can easily undo unwanted changes.

READ MORE:https://ifixmywindows.com/how-to-fix-blue-screen-of-death-windows-10/

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