How to turn on and turn off System Restore in Windows XP (310405)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
This article was previously published under Q310405

INTRODUCTION

This article describes how to turn on and turn off System Restore in Microsoft Windows XP.

Caution When you turn off System Restore, all existing restore points are removed, and you are no longer able to track or undo changes to your computer. To continue to use System Restore to restore your computer to a previous state, do not turn off System Restore.

MORE INFORMATION

ACW

Guided Help to turn on or turn off System Restore

Guided Help is available to turn on or to turn off System Restore. Guided Help can guide you through the steps or Guided Help can automatically perform the steps for you.

The actions that this Guided Help performs cannot be undone after Guided Help is finished.

For more information about Guided Help, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

915092 Description of Guided Help for Microsoft Knowledge Base articles

Requirements to install and to use this Guided Help

  • You must be logged on to Windows by using a computer administrator account to install and to use this Guided Help.
  • You must be running Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Media Center Edition, or Windows XP Tablet PC Edition to install and to use this Guided Help.
You must first download Guided Help. To start, click the following link. Download Guided Help
By using the System Restore feature, a computer system can be restored (rolled back) to a time before certain events occurred. For example, the computer may be restored to a time before specific software or hardware installations. System Restore monitors changes to the computer and to some program files, and automatically creates restore points. You can also create your own restore points whenever you want to.

By default, System Restore is turned on in Windows XP. It is a powerful tool that generally should not be turned off.

Manual steps to turn on or turn off System Restore

Manual steps to turn off System Restore

To manually turn off System Restore, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
  2. Click the System Restore tab.
  3. Click to select the Turn off System Restore check box (or the Turn off System Restore on all drives check box), and then click OK.
  4. Click Yes when you receive the prompt to the turn off System Restore.

Manual steps to turn on System Restore

To turn on System Restore, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
  2. Click the System Restore tab.
  3. Click to clear the Turn off System Restore check box (or the Turn off System Restore on all drives check box), and then click OK.

REFERENCES

To view a Support WebCast for more information about how to use System Restore in Windows XP, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/servicedesks/webcasts/seminar/shared/asp/view.asp?url=/servicedesks/webcasts/en/wc092701/manifest.xml

For more information about System Restore, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

306084 How to restore the operating system to a previous state in Windows XP

304449 How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP

283073 How to disable the System Restore configuration user interface

For more information about how to troubleshoot System Restore, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

302796 How to troubleshoot the System Restore tool in Windows XP

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:6/13/2006
Keywords:kbACW kbHowTo kbACWsurvey kbNoLoc kbNoMT kbenv kbinfo KB310405
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