Restoring Your System from a Restore Point

Written by Barry Dysert (last updated December 15, 2014)

Sometimes, installing software or device drivers has an adverse impact on your system. Setting a Restore Point prior to an installation allows you to reset your system to its previous state in case you discover that installing the new software wasn't such a good idea. (How to set a Restore Point is covered in another tip.) Assuming you had set a Restore Point, you can revert your system back to its previous condition by doing a system restore.

To do a system restore follow these steps if you are using Windows 8:

  1. Move the mouse pointer into the very bottom-left corner of the screen and right-click. You should see a Context menu appear.
  2. Choose the System option. Windows displays the System area of the Control Panel. (See Figure 1.)
  3. Figure 1. The System dialog box.

  4. Click the System Protection link at the left of the dialog box. Windows displays the System Protection tab of the System Properties dialog box. (See Figure 2.)
  5. Figure 2. The System Protection tab of the System Properties dialog box.

  6. Click the System Restore button. You will then be taken through a wizard that allows you to select what Restore Point you wish to use and then perform the restore.

If you are using Windows 7 the steps are a bit different. (The biggest difference is how you get to the first dialog box.). Follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, right-click Computer, and select Properties from the resulting Context menu. Windows displays the System area of the Control Panel. (See Figure 3.)
  2. Figure 3. The System dialog box.

  3. Click the System Protection link at the left of the dialog box. Windows displays the System Protection tab of the System Properties dialog box. (See Figure 4.)
  4. Figure 4. The System Protection tab of the System Properties dialog box.

  5. Click the System Restore button. You will then be taken through a wizard that allows you to select what Restore Point you wish to use and then perform the restore.

 This tip (12212) applies to Windows 7 and 8.

Author Bio

Barry Dysert

Barry has been a computer professional for over 35 years, working in different positions such as technical team leader, project manager, and software developer. He is currently a software engineer with an emphasis on developing custom applications under Microsoft Windows. When not working with Windows or writing Tips, Barry is an amateur writer. His first non-fiction book is titled "A Chronological Commentary of Revelation." ...

MORE FROM BARRY

How to Encrypt a File or Folder via NTFS

Windows 10 provides two ways to password protect files and folders. One way is to use the Zip utility, as discussed in a ...

Discover More

Running a Batch File at a Scheduled Time

Once you become comfortable with batch files, chances are that you'll want to use them to perform various system ...

Discover More

Displaying the Home Button in Microsoft Edge

By default, Microsoft Edge does not display a Home button on its toolbar. If you like having the Home button visible, ...

Discover More
More WindowsTips

Differences between Hibernate and Sleep

If you want to conserve energy or preserve your laptop's battery life, you should know about hibernate and sleep. There ...

Discover More

Clearing Your Jump Lists

Ever since their introduction in Windows 7, I've found Jump lists to be great timesavers. Some people have privacy ...

Discover More

Evaluating System Performance Using the Task Manager

One of the many functions of the Windows Task Manager is to allow you to see how your system is performing. If necessary, ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is five minus 1?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


Newest Tips