System Restore

How to Do a System Restore in Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to do a System Restore to restore your Windows 7 system files to an earlier point in time. It's a way to undo system changes to your computer without affecting your personal user files, such as e‑mail, documents, or photos.

   Note

System Restore uses a feature called System Protection to regularly create and save restore points of selected hard disks in your computer. These restore points contain information about registry settings and other system information that Windows 7 uses. You can also create restore points manually.

   Warning

A System Restore will uninstall programs and drivers (step 8 in Option One below) that were installed after the date of the selected restore point.

A System Restore will replace the password of all local user accounts to what they were at the time of the selected restore point.

If you do a System Restore when the computer is in safe mode or Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), then you will not be able to undo the restore operation. However, you are able to still run System Restore again and choose a different restore point if available.

   Tip

System Restore points are deleted after you restart your Windows 7-based computer

CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Do a System Restore in Windows 7 using System Protection
• Option Two: To Do a System Restore at Boot using System Recovery Options

OPTION ONE

To Do a System Restore in Windows 7 using System Protection

NOTE: Be sure to temporarily disable your antivirus program first to prevent it from possibly preventing you from doing a system restore.
1. Do step 2, step 3, step 4, or step 5 below for how you would like to open System Restore.

2. Open the Start Menu, type rstrui.exe in the search box, press Enter, and go to step 6 below.

3. Open the Start Menu.
A) Click on All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and System Restore, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)

4. Open the Control Panel (icons view).
A) Click on the Recovery icon.

B) Click on the Open System Restore button. (see screenshot below)

C) Go to step 7 or step 8 below.
5. Open the Start Menu.
A) Right click on the Computer button and click on Properties.

B) Click on the System Protection link. (see screenshot below)

C) Close the System window, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot above)
6. Click on the System Restore button. (see screenshot below)

7. If You Have Not Done a System Restore Before
A) Click on the Next button, and go to step 9 below. (see screenshot below)

8. If You Have Done a System Restore Before
A) Select (dot) Choose a different restore point, click on the Next button, and go to step 9 below. (see screenshot below)

9. Select (click on) a listed restore point that you want to restore the drives that were included in the restore point back to how they were when the restore point was created. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Check the Show other restore points box to see any restore points (older) that may not be listed here.

10. To Show Affected Programs and Drivers
NOTE: This will show you a list of programs and drivers that will be deleted and restored by the selected restore point.
A) Click on the Show affected programs and drivers button. (See screenshot above)

B) When done reviewing, click on the Close button. (see screenshot below)

11. Click on the Next button. (see screenshot below step 8)
NOTE: Make sure that the restore point you want is still selected (highlighted).

12. Click on the Finish button. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: The listed drives here will be restored back to how they were for the selected restore point.

13. Click on Yes to confirm. (see screenshot below)
WARNING: This will immediately restart your computer to finish the system restore.

14. After the computer has restarted, click on the Close button. (see screenshot below)

OPTION TWO

To Do a System Restore at Boot using System Recovery Options

NOTE: This will allow you to restore Windows 7 to a earlier restore point with a Windows 7 installation disc or System Repair Disc from the System Recovery Options screen at bootup. This can be handy if you cannot startup Windows 7.
1. Using your retail Windows 7 installation disc or System Repair Disc, boot to the System Recovery Options screen.

2. Select the System Restore option. (see screenshot below)

3. Continue starting with step 7 or step 8 in Option One above.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Do a Repair Install to Fix Windows 7
• How to Turn System Protection On or Off in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Windows 7 System Restore
• How to Delete System Protection Restore Points in Windows 7
• How to Make a "Create System Restore Point" Shortcut in XP, Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
• How to Add "Create Restore Point" to Context Menu in XP, Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
• How to Create a System Restore Point in Windows 7
• How to Change the System Protection Disk Space Usage in Window 7
• How to Create a Windows 7 System Repair Disc
• How to See Windows 7 Reliability and Problem History with Reliability Monitor
• How to Do a System Image Recovery in Windows 7
• How to Backup and Restore the Windows 7 Registry
• How to Extract Files from the Windows 7 Installation DVD
• How to Create a Windows 7 System Protection Properties Shortcut
• How to Use System Restore to Change User Account Password
• How to Automatically Create A System Restore Point at Startup
• How to Create a System Recovery Shortcut in Windows 7
• System Restore General Troubleshooting to Fix Issues
• How to Restore Files and Folders in Windows 7 with Previous Versions
• How to Stop System Restore Points from being Deleted in Vista and Windows 7 when Dual Booting with XP
• How to Undo the Last System Restore in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Extract Files and Folders from System Restore Points in Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Enable or Disable Automatic System Restore Point Creation in Windows

 

[mickeyg2008]

Did not restore says it failed while scanning the file system on the drive c:\
It is telling me to run chkdsc /r on this disc. Can you tell me how to do this please.
Error (0x80070571)
Thanks

 

[Brink]

Mickey,

Option Two in the tutorial below can help show you how to run the command below.

chkdsc C: /r


http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/433-disk-check.html

 

[mickeyg2008]

Good morning. Restore was successful fixing a lot of errors but still have not been able to get the diagnostics policy service running. Can it comes up when i troubleshoot not being able to get an internet connection would you please tell me about that.thanks

 

[mickeyg2008]

I did the instructions here for making sure that the diagnostic policy service is on automatic and it is. It could not start it getting an error 5 /access denied. Thanks

 

[Brink]

Mickey,

See if this may help to make sure the "Log On" settings for the Diagnostic Policy Service are still set properly for access.


1. Open the Services window,

2. Right-click the Diagnostic Policy Service service, and click on Properties.

3. Click the Log On tab, and then do one of the following:

4. To specify that the service uses the "Local Service" account, select (dot) This account, and then

5. Type NT AUTHORITY\LocalService in the "This account" field. Do not type a password. The password fields need to be empty.

6. Click on Apply button.

7. If prompted, click on OK for the "The new logon name will not take effect until you stop and restart the service" message.

8. Click on General tap, then see if you may be able to start the service. If it's already started not, then stop and start it.

9. Click OK to close properties, then close Services.

 

[mickeyg2008]

It is requesting a valid password.

 

[Brink]

Did you select (dot) the This account option, and not the Local System account option?

If so, be sure to clear the password fields for "This account" after entering NT AUTHORITY\LocalService and clicking on Apply.

 

[mickeyg2008]

I did. Hey..thanks for all this help!! I followed the instructions and restarted no change. I opened my internet connection. I have a limited access. It says that. The dependency service failed to start. Can we do anything with that..??

 

[mickeyg2008]

OK..I quit spinning. What do I do next. ??

 

[Brink]

If the service's "Log on" settings are set properly now, then are you able to run the chkdsk /r command now?

 

[mickeyg2008]

Can if you tell me how. Thanks

 

[Brink]

Mickey,

Option Two in the tutorial below can help show you how to run the chkdsc C: /r command.

How to Run Check Disk in Windows 7

 

[mickeyg2008]

Brink, will this restore the problem.. it is running ..thanks

 

[Brink]

Mickey,

I'm happy to hear that chkdsk is running for you now.

No. It will not give you the problem back. Chkdsk will only check for bad sectors on the disk and mark them as bad if any are found so that they will not be used anymore.

Afterwards, if you still needed to do a system restore, then see if you may be able to now after chkdsk has finished.

 

[mickeyg2008]

Did a system restore to the date thatnwasnthe farthest back available. It did not complete successfully. It failed while scanning the drive c:\ error (0x80070571) should in try an advanced recovery method as suggested ?

 

[mickeyg2008]

Right before this happened uninstalled apple software update,apple application support,apple mobile device software and bonjour. Would removable of these effect my computer ?

 

[mickeyg2008]

I uninstalled bonjour because it showed it was an apple product and I do not have apple products after a little research I now see that it is a Microsoft product as well. That is peobavlymynproblem is there a way to reinstall it without an internet connection ?

 

[mickeyg2008]

Brink is there a way to download it to my tables on a USB plugin and then transfer it to the laptop?

 

[Brink]

Mickey,

At this point, I would think it may be best to back up anything that you do not want to lose, and reinstall Windows 7 to have a fresh start.

 

[mickeyg2008]

Yeah..I didn't get the usual CD that used to come with laptops to do a fresh install..any idea where in would get that..I was able to connect to my tablet and download the apple software I had uninstalled. Didn't work to get me back online. Thanks so much for the help , you are my hero today !! Michelle