How to Make a "Create System Restore Point" Shortcut in XP, Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
Information
This tutorial will provide you with a create a manual system restore point shortcut that will instantly create a restore point with an optional description and success message in XP, Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.
Note
Restore points contain information about registry settings and other system information that Windows uses. System Restore points do not include personal user files in the C:\Users\(user-name) folders.
Warning
For this shortcut to work, you must have System Protection turned on for the C: (Windows) drive. If you do not have it on, then you will get the error below when you try to use the shortcut.
EXAMPLE: Create System Restore Point with description and message shortcut NOTE:When you click on the Create System Restore Point shortcut, you will see this window. Just type in a name for the restore point, and click on OK to create the restore point.
OPTION ONE
To Create the "Create Restore Point" Shortcut
1. Do step 2, 3, or 4 below for what type of shortcut you would like to use to create a restore point with.
2. For an Instant Create Restore Point Shortcut NOTE:This shortcut will instantly create a restore point named Instant Restore Point in System Restorewithout prompting for a description or giving you any type of success message. If you didn't get an error, then the restore point was created successfully after a few moments.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
Instant_Restore_Point.zip
3. For a Create Restore Point with Description Prompt Shortcut NOTE:This shortcut will prompt you to enter a description name for the restore point, then create the restore point. If you didn't get an error, then the restore point was created successfully after a few moments.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
Restore_Point_Shortcut.zip
4. For a Create Restore Point with Description and Success Message Shortcut NOTE: This shortcut will prompt you to enter a description for the restore point, create the restore point, and give you a successfully completed message when it's finished.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
Restore_Point_Message_Shortcut.zip
5. Save the downloaded .zip file to your desktop.
6. Open the downloaded .zip file, and extract (drag and drop) all of the contents to your desktop.
7. Right click on the VBS file inside the extracted Instant_Restore_Point (step 2), or Restore Point Shortcut (step 3), or Restore Point Message Shortcut (step 4) folder, click on Properties, General tab, and click on the Unblock button if available. (see screenshot below) NOTE:If you do not have a Unblock button under the General tab, then the file is already unblocked and you can continue on.
8. Right click on the extracted Instant_Restore_Point (step 2), or Restore Point Shortcut (step 3), or Restore Point Message Shortcut (step 4) folder, and click/tap on Cut.
9. Navigate to and open the C:\Program Files folder in Windows Explorer, then right click or press and hold on an empty area in the folder window, and click/tap on Paste. (see screenshot below step 11)
10. If prompted by UAC, then click on Continue and Yes.
11. You should now see the Instant_Restore_Point (step 2), or Restore Point Shortcut (step 3), or Restore Point Message Shortcut (step 4) folder in the C:\Program Files window now. (see screenshot below)
12. Right click on the Create System Restore Point or Instant Restore Point shortcut on the desktop, click/tap on Properties, General tab, and click/tap on the Unblock button if available. (see screenshot below) NOTE:If you do not have an Unblock button under the General tab, then the file is already unblocked and you can continue on.
13. You can now leave the Create System Restore Point (left screenshot below) or Instant Restore Point (right screenshot below) shortcut on the desktop or move it to where you like for easy use of it.
OPTION TWO
To Remove the "Create Restore Point" Shortcut
1. Navigate to C:\Program Files in Windows Explorer, then right click on either the Instant_Restore_Point (step 2 above), or Restore Point Shortcut (step 3 above), or Restore Point Message Shortcut (step 4 above) folder, and click on Delete. (see screenshot below)
2. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes (Windows 7/8) or Continue (Vista).
3. Right click or press and hold on the Create System Restore Point (left screenshot below) or Instant Restore Point (right screenshot below) shortcut, and click/tap on Delete.
System Manufacturer/Model Number HP Compaq Presario/SR5113WM OS Windows 7 Ultimate x64/ Windows Vista Ultimate x64 CPU AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+ 1.9Ghz Motherboard Asus M2N68-LA Memory PNY Optima Memory DDR2 2GB 2x1 kit Graphics Card PNY Nvidia 8400 GS 256MB Sound Card On board RealTek Monitor(s) Displays Acer X163W LCD Screen Resolution 1366x768
Keyboard Standard 102 key with volume and sleep buttons Mouse Wireless Logitech LX7 PSU Dynex 400w Case Nothin Special Cooling Stock Hard Drives Western Digital 160 GB SATA 3G (3.0Gb/sec)
7200 rpm
Western Digital 160 GB IDE Internet Speed Comcrap 10mb cable Other Info Insignia 2.1 speakers, wireless Xbox 360 controller w/plug n play charger, Belkin wireless G + mimo usb network adapter.
System Manufacturer/Model Number myself OS SEVEN x64 CPU Q9450 @ 3.6GHZ 1.34v Motherboard ASUS P5K PREMIUM P35 Memory 8GB 1066 buffalo firestix @ 1152mhz CL5 Graphics Card Sapphire HD 5970 + GTX260 (physX) Sound Card Creative X-FI Xtreme Gamer Monitor(s) Displays SAMSUNG 20'' & SAMSUNG 23'' (dual screens) Screen Resolution 2048x1152 & 1680x1050
Keyboard LOGITECH E110 Mouse logitech NX5 PSU XCILIO 850w (78A) Case CM590 1x 120x38mm & 2x92x38mm / 4x 120x25mm Cooling AC7 PRO @ 92x38mm blower, Lamptron military bus bay controll Hard Drives 1x seagate 160gb IDE & 1x seagate 160gb SATA Internet Speed 2MB Other Info its a continual ''work in progress''....
These are shots of my SR since the reinstall yesterday. I've done at least a dozen restarts and at least one boot from "off" in that time and SR has not created one restore point.
System Manufacturer/Model Number Thinkpad T60 OS Windows 7 build 6956 CPU Core Duo 2Ghz Memory 2GB Graphics Card ATI Mobility x1400 Monitor(s) Displays 15''
Since Windows 7 automatically creates restore points on it's own from a task in Task Scheduler, this shortcut was made to help make creating manual restore points easier. The entering of a description is there to allow you to make it easier to know which on to use if you needed to do a System Restore. For example, use a description of "Before a program installation" or "Before a driver installation". Otherwise you would get just a date and time and that's it.
I would recommend to use a description. It only takes a few extra seconds.