System restore is nothing but going back in time to a healthy state of the Operating System!
Windows has THREE sets of files:
1. Windows Files: These are mandatory system files and fully
belong to and controlled by the Windows
2. User Files: YOU have created them (text, music, images etc.) and you have full control over those files. Windows is not interested in your files
3. Installed Apps and Programs: These are run by the Windows but used by you. Both Windows and You have got partial control over them.
It is the 1st and 3rd set of files which are reverted back to their functioning condition during a System Restore. If someone deleted the files YOU had created and you are hoping to get them back using a System Restore, then you are mistaken! If you are lucky, beat about your Recycle Bin and you may recover the files from it. If you can't find, like Titanic, they are lost forever. (In such case, you may need Data Recovery Software to get them back or mount a system image from a backup utility like Macrium Reflect, if you are using one. But that is altogether a different topic.)
When your computer gets unstable and goes hanky-panky due to any reason, you would desire to revert it back to a point when it was running in an impeccable condition like Usain Bolt in recent past. You can achieve this by going to an automatically saved set of settings called as a Restore Point.
A System Restore will –
1. Reset Windows System Files including the registry keys2. Roll back the previous version of Windows and driver updates, if any
3. Delete all the software programs installed after the restore point
4. Re-install all the software programs deleted after the restore point.
5. Not touch the files you created after the Restore Point, even if they are stored on the System Drive.
All of this will only be possible if you have enabled and configured your System Drive to create regular Restore Points. If not, create one NOW. It will be beneficial in the future if the problem arises again.
Accessing System Restore Wizard
Opening a System Restore Wizard is a pretty straightforward job. You can open it by any one of the following methods:1. Press Windows key and type – system restore. Click 'Create a restore point' option which shows.
2. Right Click on This PC or My computer > Properties > Advanced System Settings > System Protection
3. Right click on Start > select Control panel from Power menu > System > Advanced System Settings > System Protection
The wizard box that will open will look like this:
This box presents three important elements of the System Restore Tool:
1. The actual System Restore
2. Configuring the system for creating Restore Points
3. Creating a Restore Point,
Doing a System Restore
If Windows Updates are disabled, System Restore won't work. So, first enable that.It is advisable to start the Windows in safe mode and run a malware scan before you start doing the restore. Both these topics are covered in the previous tutorials.
Click on the System Restore button. A box will show up with a list of restore points in the recent past with the latest restore point at the top.
Each restore point shows a description. The type indicates when it was created. If it is manual, the name you entered will appear under the description. At the bottom right, there is another button – Scan for Affected Programs. Click on it. A list of programs will appear which are going to be reset during the restore process. Take a screenshot of the list. You will require to test these programs one by one in case you wish to use them after the restore.
From the list of restore points, select the one (looking at its date) when you think your system was running without any problem. By default, Windows creates a restore point every 7 days and also, before you do a major operation like installing any update or a third party program.
As said earlier, the Wizard is self-explanatory and it will guide you through the process once you select a restore point from the list.
- Select the restore point
- Click Next
- The Windows will ask you to close all the open programs if any. Now click Finish.
- You will be asked not to interrupt the process once it starts.
- Click Yes.
- Windows will restart the computer and the process will start.
It takes around 20 minutes to complete the process. After the process is finished, you can test whether the problem is solved or not.
Configuring the system for creating Restore Points
When you buy a new PC, some of those come configured to create automatic System Restore points while some do not. If your PC is already configured, you are lucky. If not, it is time to configure it.
In most cases, C drive needs to be configured as OS is installed on it. The drive on which OS is installed is called a System Drive. As shown in the figure above, select the System Drive and click Configure button. Next, a box will open up asking you how much disc space you would like to utilize for storing the Restore Points.
Generally, 5% of the disc space is more than enough. When a new Restore point is added, the old one will automatically be deleted making way for the new one.
Click OK and you are done.
If you disable System Protection, all the restore points previously created are deleted.
Creating a Restore Point, Manually
Click on the create button and Windows will ask you to name it. Type the name you would like to give and hit create button, that's it.
In case you are going to make some major changes in settings or install something new which you want to test. In this situation, it is advisable to create a System Restore point, manually.
Disable Windows OR Change Frequency of AUTOMATIC System Restore Points Creation
When your system is running in top gear you would like to create a System Restore point manually and save it, would't you? Many users would. But unfortunately, your created points get overwritten by subsequent Systore Points which Windows creates periodically and automatically. Especially when multiple users operate PC, some files get corrupted and Windows goes on creating restore points with corrupted files. Is there any workaround for this? Sure, there is.
The best time to create a System Restore point is when your sfc scan report is clean and there is no corruption. See Tutorial 4.
By default, Windows is configured to create restore points on a daily or weekly basis in the inbuilt Task Scheduler app (don't confuse with Task Manager). We can change this frequency from once daily to once a year! You can even disable it by instructing Windows to create a restore point at a time when you are logged off, typically at midnight. Let's get into the Task Scheduler.
Step-By-Step Procedure: Disable System Protection OR Change Frequency of Restore Point Creation
Press Windows key or open search bar and type Task Scheduler. Open it.
In the right pane, expand Task Schedular Library > Microsoft > Windows. In the long list that opens, you will see a SystemRestore folder. Click on it. In the middle pane, a task (mostly named SR) will appear. Right click on it. If the middle pane is empty, click on Create Task in the right pane.
Click on General tab. Assign a name e.g. SR or SysRes etc. Write a description if you wish. Click on the 'change user tab' and select a user's name. Task will be run only when this user is logged in. Then select - Run only when user is logged on. At the bottom, select configure for Windows 10.
Now click on the Trigger tab. And then click on New to create trigger or edit the existing one by selecting it. Begin the task on a schedule. Select Monthly. Configure it as per your date of birth. Thereby we are instructing Windows to run the task just once a year, on your birthday! Do not select anything from the Advanced settings below. If you check the last button and enable it, the trigger will go into the action as per the schedule and if you leave it unchecked, it won't.
Press Windows key or open search bar and type Task Scheduler. Open it.
Click on the Actions tab. Under Action, select - Start a program and the Program script should be: %windir%\system32\srtasks.exe
Now click on Conditions tab. Uncheck all the boxes.
Under settings tab: 1. Check allow task run on demand 2. Stop task if it runs longer than 1 hour 3. If the running task does not end, allow it to force stop and lastly select Do not start a new instance from under the dropdown. That's it.
You can schedule the task as per your requirements or convenience. If you want to disable it, right click on the task and select disable. The task won't run. So, there are two ways to disable the task: one from the Trigger tab and another selecting the task from the middle pane and disabling it.
The current article A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO FIX COMMON PROBLEMS AND ERRORS IN WINDOWS 10 contains the following tutorials:
Previous Tutorials:
1. Introduction to Troubleshooting, Safe Mode and Event Viewer
2. Deleting Junk Files
3. Running a Malware Detection Scan Program
4. Repairing damaged files by SFC & DISM scans
5. Running CHKDSK (Checkdisc)
6. Keeping Drivers and Device Manager Updated and Error-Free
Next Tutorial:
7. Reviving Windows Using a Recovery Flash Drive
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