If your computer has suddenly started misbehaving after installing a new program or after installing an update then System Restore could just save the day for you - basically it will restore the computer settings back to a previous date/time when the computer was working okay (without affecting your data)
Restore points are automatically created by Windows on a regular basis or when you make any major changes to the system such as installing updates and installing new software, but if you wish to manually create a restore point this can be done through Control Panel by clicking System and Security > System > System Protection > Create - you can also delete restore points here and choose which drives are protected by System Restore.
Below are instructions to run system restore for each version of Windows - please read the relevant section:-
System Restore can be launched in several ways depending on whether your computer will boot or not:-
IF COMPUTER BOOTS OKAY
1. To access System Restore right click on the Start Menu button in the taskbar (usually located bottom centre), choose Run, type rstrui in the box and and click OK
2. When the System Restore window appears click on Next
(N.B. If you get a message saying System protection is turned off then you will need to contact me for further advice as it means you will have no existing restore points to restore back to)
3. On the next screen you can choose which point to restore back to - choose a date/time when you knew your computer was last behaving okay and then click Next
You can also click Scan for affected programs to show what programs/drivers the restore will affect
4. Click Finish and your computer will now restart and restore back to the chosen date/time and hopefully all will be working fine again!
IF THE COMPUTER WON'T BOOT (OR YOU CAN'T LOGIN)
N.B. This method may not always work as sometimes the recovery menu is disabled by default in Windows 11 - and you may need to try several times before the menu will appear
1. Starting with your computer turned completely off, press the power button to turn on as usual and immediately start tapping the F8 key
2. You will then see one of two menus - if the menu is titled Startup Settings then follow steps 3 - 7 below, if you see a screen titled Choose an option then follow steps 8 - 11 below
3. Select Safe Mode by pressing the 4 key
4. Once booted to access System Restore right click on the Start Menu button in the taskbar (usually located bottom centre), choose Run, type rstrui in the box and and click OK
5. When the System Restore window appears click on Next
(N.B. If you get a message saying System protection is turned off then you will need to contact me for further advice as it means you will have no existing restore points to restore back to)
6. On the next screen you can choose which point to restore back to - choose a date/time when you knew your computer was last behaving okay and then click Next
You can also click Scan for affected programs to show what programs/drivers the restore will affect
7. Click Finish and your computer will now restart and restore back to the chosen date/time and hopefully all will be working fine again!
8. Click on Troubleshoot, then click on Advanced Options, next click on System Restore
9. When the System Restore window appears click on Next
10. On the next screen you can choose which point to restore back to - choose a date/time when you knew your computer was last behaving okay and then click Next
You can also click Scan for affected programs to show what programs/drivers the restore will affect
11. Click Finish and your computer will now restart and restore back to the chosen date/time and hopefully all will be working fine again!
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System Restore can be launched in several ways depending on whether your computer will boot or not:-
IF COMPUTER BOOTS OKAY
1. To access System Restore click on the Start Menu button in bottom left corner, start typing rstrui and you will see it appear at the top of the start menu, click Run command as shown circled in red below
2. When the System Restore window appears click on Next
(N.B. If you get a message saying System protection is turned off then you will need to contact me for further advice as it means you will have no existing restore points to restore back to)
3. On the next screen you can choose which point to restore back to - choose a date/time when you knew your computer was last behaving okay and then click Next
You can also click Scan for affected programs to show what programs/drivers the restore will affect
4. Click Finish and your computer will now restart and restore back to the chosen date/time and hopefully all will be working fine again!
IF THE COMPUTER WON'T BOOT (OR YOU CAN'T LOGIN)
N.B. This method may not always work as often the recovery menu is disabled by default in Windows 10 - and you may need to try several times before the menu will appear
1. Starting with your computer turned completely off, press the power button to turn on as usual and immediately start tapping the F8 key
2. You will then see one of two menus - if the menu is titled Startup Settings then follow steps 3 - 7 below, if you see a screen titled Choose an option then follow steps 8 - 11 below
3. Select Safe Mode by pressing the 4 key
4. Once booted click on the Start Menu button in bottom left corner, start typing rstrui and you will see it appear at the top of the start menu, click Run command as shown circled in red below
5. When the System Restore window appears click on Next
(N.B. If you get a message saying System protection is turned off then you will need to contact me for further advice as it means you will have no existing restore points to restore back to)
6. On the next screen you can choose which point to restore back to - choose a date/time when you knew your computer was last behaving okay and then click Next
You can also click Scan for affected programs to show what programs/drivers the restore will affect
7. Click Finish and your computer will now restart and restore back to the chosen date/time and hopefully all will be working fine again!
8. Click on Troubleshoot, then click on Advanced Options, next click on System Restore
9. When the System Restore window appears click on Next
10. On the next screen you can choose which point to restore back to - choose a date/time when you knew your computer was last behaving okay and then click Next
You can also click Scan for affected programs to show what programs/drivers the restore will affect
11. Click Finish and your computer will now restart and restore back to the chosen date/time and hopefully all will be working fine again!
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System Restore can be launched in several ways depending on whether your computer will boot or not:-
IF COMPUTER BOOTS OKAY
1.To access System Restore right mouse click on the Start Menu button in bottom left corner and click on System - next click System Protection in the left hand column and finally click on System Restore
(N.B. If the System Restore button is greyed out then this means for some reason it has been turned off - you will need to contact me for further advice)
2.On the System Restore initial screen you can choose which point to restore back to (click Show more restore points to show older points) - choose a date/time when you knew your computer was last behaving okay and then click Next
You can also click Scan for affected programs to show what programs/drivers the restore will affect
3.Click Finish and your computer will now restart and restore back to the chosen date/time and hopefully all will be working fine again!
IF THE COMPUTER WON'T BOOT (OR YOU CAN'T LOGIN)
N.B. This method may not always work as often the recovery menu is disabled by default in Windows 8/8.1 - and you may need to try several times before the menu will appear
1.Starting with your computer turned completely off, press the power button to turn on as usual and immediately start tapping the F8 key
2.You will then see one of two menus - if the menu is titled Startup Settings then follow steps 3 - 6 below, if you see a screen titled Choose an option then follow steps 7 - 9 below
3.Select Safe Mode by pressing the 4 key
4.Once booted open Control Panel (easiest way to do this is by right mouse clicking on the Start button in bottom left corner and selecting Control Panel) - next click System and Security > System - next click System Protection in the left hand column and finally click on System Restore
(N.B. If the System Restore button is greyed out then this means for some reason it has been turned off - you will need to contact me for further advice)
5.On the System Restore initial screen you can choose which point to restore back too (click Show more restore points to show older points) - choose a date/time when you knew your computer was last behaving okay and then click Next
You can also click Scan for affected programs to show what programs/drivers the restore will affect
6.Click Finish and your computer will now restart and restore back to the chosen date/time and hopefully all will be working fine again!
7.Click on Troubleshoot, then click on Advanced Options, next click on System Restore (N.B. Do not choose Refresh your PC or Reset your PC without reading warnings here - this is a last ditch option if all other repair methods fail)
8.On the System Restore initial screen you can choose which point to restore back to (click Show more restore points to show older points) - choose a date/time when you knew your computer was last behaving okay and then click Next
You can also click Scan for affected programs to show what programs/drivers the restore will affect
9.Click Finish and your computer will now restart and restore back to the chosen date/time and hopefully all will be working fine again!
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System Restore can be launched in several ways depending on whether your computer will boot or not:-
IF COMPUTER BOOTS OKAY
1.Next click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore
2.On the System Restore initial screen you can choose which point to restore back too (click Show more restore points to show older points) - choose a date/time when you knew your computer was last behaving okay and then click Next
You can also click Scan for affected programs to show what programs/drivers the restore will affect
3.Click Finish and your computer will now restart and restore back to the chosen date/time and hopefully all will be working fine again!
 IF THE COMPUTER WON'T BOOT (OR YOU CAN'T LOGIN)
1.Starting with your computer turned completely off, press the power button to turn on as usual and immediately start tapping the F8 key
2.You should then see a menu titled Advanced Boot Options
3.If the menu gives the option Repair your computer then select it using the arrow keys on your keyboard and next select System Restore
4.If Repair your computer is not shown (or you cannot login with this option) then instead select Safe Mode from the menu and once booted click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore
5.Once you have accessed System Restore either accept the option to restore to the recommended date/time or choose a date/time from the list when you knew your PC was behaving okay
6.Click Finish and your computer will now restart and restore back to the chosen date/time and hopefully all will be working fine again!
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