How to set a system restore point in Windows XP

Sometimes, a new program can make your computer behave unpredictably, and uninstalling the program does not help. Windows XP has a feature known as System Restore that can help. You can use System Restore to select a time when your computer is working as you want. This is known as a system restore point. Then, if something goes wrong with your computer, you can use the system restore point to restore your computer back to when it was working. When you restore your computer, you will not lose any recent work, such as documents and e-mail. This post describes a brief step-by-step method and technical support that is easy to follow for setting up a system restore point in Windows XP.


Setting a restore point lets you select a point in time when your computer is working as you want. Then, you can use the restore point to undo any unwanted changes to your computer in the future.

This method is rated: Easy.

To set up a restore point, follow these steps:

1. Close any programs that are open.
2. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Restore. The System Restore Wizard opens.

Note If the System Restore Wizard does not open, the System Restore feature may be turned off. To turn System Restore on, see the "More Information" section in this article.
3. Click Create a restore point, and then click Next.
4. In Restore point description box, type a description for the restore point. Use a description that is easy to understand. If you are creating a restore point before you install specific software or hardware, you could use that information in the description.

Note The date and time are automatically added to your restore point. Therefore, you do not have to use them in your description.
5. Do one of the following:
* To finish creating this restore point, click the Create button. The System Restore Wizard notifies you when the restore point is created.
* To stop creating a restore point and to return to the Welcome to System Restore page, click the Back button.
* To stop creating a restore point and to exit the System Restore Wizard, click the Cancel button.
6. When you are finished, click the Close button.