System Restore - How to

INFO: System Restore helps you restore your computer's system files, programs, and registry settings to an earlier point in time. It will not affect your personal files, such as e‑mail, documents, or photos, so it cannot help you restore a deleted file.

NOTE:
A) Be sure to use a restore point dated before the problem started or it will not help you.
B) If this System Restore did not help or made things worse and you need or want to undo it, then see: How to Undo the Last System Restore in Vista

SERVICE: Volume Shadow Copy
This service is set to Manual by default. See: How to Disable or Enable Vista Services With a Advice Guide

WARNING: If you dual boot with Windows XP, then everytime you start in XP the System Restore Points and all except the most recent Complete PC Backup files in Vista get deleted.
See: How to Stop System Restore Points from being Deleted in Vista when Dual Booting with XP


RELATED LINKS:
1. How to Create a System Restore Shortcut in Vista

2. How to Create a Create System Restore Point Shortcut in Vista

3. How to Create a System Restore Point in Vista

4. How to Undo the Last System Restore in Vista

5. How to Change the System Restore Disk Space Usage in Vista

6. How to Turn System Restore On or Off in Vista

7. How to Restore the Complete Computer from a Complete Backup and Restore Image in Vista

8. How to Restore Backup Files in Vista

9. How to Restore Previous Versions of a File and Folder in Vista

10. How to Start Vista in Safe Mode

11. How to Perform a Repair Installation for Vista

12. How to Stop System Restore Points from being Deleted in Vista when Dual Booting with XP

13. How to Create a Vista Recovery Disc

14. How to Restore Missing Default Start Menu Shortcuts in Vista

15. How to Restore TrustedInstaller as Owner of a File in Vista


METHOD ONE:
From within Vista :
NOTE:
A) If you have not done a system restore before, you will not have the two options below in the first screen of the video below. Just click Next to see your restore point choices.
B) If the System Restore was unsuccessfully completed, then you can try to do a System Restore in Safe Mode or use Method Two below instead. For Safe Mode, see: How to Start Vista in Safe Mode

1. Open the Start Menu.
2. Click All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - System Restore.

OR

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type rstrui and press Enter.
NOTE: rsrui is the EXE file for System Restore. C:\Windows\System32\rstrui.exe
A) Click Continue for UAC prompt.

3. Click on the Click to play Tutorial Video link below.
A) Click the play triangle button in the middle of the black screen.
B) Quickly click the pause (ll) button at the very bottom left, then click on the Click to Play button in the video to play it smoothly.
NOTE: After you click Choose a different restore point, make sure you check Show Restore points older than 5 days, if this is displayed, to see your older restore points.



METHOD TWO:
From System Recovery Options at Startup :
1. Boot from the Vista installation DVD to the System Recovery Options screen.
NOTE: For how, see: How to Do a Startup Repair in Vista

2. In step 6, at the above link, click on System Restore instead. (See screenshot below)

System_Restore.jpg

3. Follow the instructions in the video in step 3 in METHOD ONE above for how to do the rest.


That's it,
Shawn