System Restore(Blessing in disguise)

One area I’ve always felt was lacking in past Windows versions was the ability to undo changes that were made to the operating system. If you make a lot of changes, as I do, eventually your system will head south with little hope of recovery other than a full reformat and reinstall.I got to know this functionality when my PC was affected by a Virus and none of the applications were running.System Restore does Wonders.Check it Out!

This is the opening screen for System Restore, accessible by clicking [Start] [All Programs] [Accessories] [System Tools] [System Restore]. Choose from the bulleted options on the right whether you want to restore your computer to an earlier time or create a new restore point for future use.

If you have chosen to restore to a previously established restore point the screen above will open. The calendar on the left will have dates in bold. Selecting a day will show the restore points available for that date in the breakout to the right of the calendar. Select the restore point you want and click [Next].

Last chance (not really) before you start the restore process. I say not really because one of the excellent features of System Restore is the ability to undo any restore performed. The [Help and Support] option available from the [Start] menu is an excellent source of more information on the different types of restore points available. Search under “System Restore”.

When you choose to establish a new restore point rather than go back to a previous restore point the screen above will open. Simply type in a name for the restore point in the data entry box. Be descriptive in your naming to make it easier when you come back to do a restore. Click [Create] and the process will begin.

The opening screen for System Restore contains a link called [System Restore Settings]. Clicking it will open the System Properties page which is accessible from many different locations and via many methods. The property page allows you to disable System Restore on any or all drives with the one caveat that it must be enabled on C:\ if any of the other drives are enabled. Click [Settings] to open the page shown below.

The Settings Property Sheet allows you to select the percentage of the drive space allocated to restore points. The default setting is 12% of total drive size, but this can be increased or decreased depending on the number of restore points you want to have available.