How to Disable the System Restore Configuration User Interface (283073)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
This article was previously published under Q283073
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SUMMARY

This article describes how to locally disable the System Restore Configuration user interface to prevent users from modifying System Restore settings, or from turning this feature on or off for the system and non-system drives. This is the only way to disable configuration changes and leave the filter and the service on. It may be particularly useful for computers with multiple users or for multiple-partition computers.

Note You must be an administrator or owner, or have administrative privileges to perform these tasks.

MORE INFORMATION

Use one of the following three methods to perform this task:

Method 1: Use Group Policy Editor

  1. Click Start, click Run, type gpedit.msc, and then click OK.
  2. Expand Computer Configuration, expand Administrative Templates, expand System, and then click System Restore.
  3. Double-click Turn off System Restore, and then on the Setting tab, select Enable.
  4. Double-click Turn off Configuration, and then on the Setting tab, select Enable.

    For more information about what these settings do, click the Explain tab on the Properties dialog box.
  5. Click Apply, and then click OK.
If users try to access System Restore Configuration, the System Properties dialog box is present, but the System Restore tab is not present.

Method 2: Create a Customized Microsoft Management Console

  1. Click Start, click Run, type mmc, and then click OK.
  2. In Microsoft Management Console (MMC), on the Console menu, click Add/Remove Snap-in.
  3. On the Standalone tab, click Add, click Group Policy under Available Standalone Snap-ins, and then click Add.
  4. Accept the default of Local Computer in the Group Policy Object box, and then click Finish.
  5. Close the Add Standalone Snap-in dialog box, and then click OK on the Add/Remove Snap-in dialog box.
  6. Under Console Root, expand Local Computer Policy, expand Computer Configuration, expand Administrative Templates, expand System, and then click System Restore.
  7. Double-click Turn off System Restore, and then on the Setting tab, select Enable.
  8. Double-click Turn off Configuration, and then on the Setting tab, select Enable.
  9. Click Apply, and then click OK.
  10. On the Console menu, click Save as, type the name of the new console, and accept the Administrative Tools folder as the default location in which to save this file.

    To access the new console, click Start, click More Programs, and then click Administrative Tools.
If users try to access System Restore Configuration, the System Properties dialog box is present, but the System Restore tab is not present.

Method 3: Use Registry Editor to Disable System Restore

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
  1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
  2. In Registry Editor, locate the following registry key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT

  3. Under Windows NT, create a new key:
    1. On the Edit menu, click New, and then click Key.
    2. For the name of the new key, type SystemRestore.
  4. Create a new DWORD value:
    1. On the Edit menu, click New, and then click DWORD Value.
    2. Double-click the new key to open the Edit DWORD Value dialog box.
    3. Under Value name, type DisableConfig, under Value data, type 1, and then click OK.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/30/2003
Keywords:kbenv kbhowto KB283073
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.