System Restore is a feature in Microsoft Windows that allows the user to revert their computer's state (including system files, installed applications, Windows Registry, and system settings) to that of a previous point in time, which can be used to recover from system malfunctions or other problems. First included in Windows ME, it has since been included in all following desktop versions of Windows released since, excluding the Windows Server[1]

An updated version of System Restore introduced by Windows Vista uses the Shadow Copy service as a backend (allowing block-level changes in files located in any directory on the volume to be monitored and backed up regardless of their location.) and allows System Restore to be used from the Windows Recovery Environment in case the Windows installation no longer boots at all.

Resources monitored

Starting with Windows Vista, System Restore takes a snapshot of all volumes it is monitoring. However, on Windows XP, it only monitors the following:[6][7]

Windows Registry Files in the Windows File Protection folder (Dllcache) Local user profiles COM+ and WMI databases IIS metabase Specific file types monitored[5]

------Implementation differences

There are considerable differences between how System Restore works under Windows XP and later Windows versions.

Configuration UI - In Windows XP, there is a graphical slider to configure the amount of disk space allotted to System Restore. In Windows Vista, the GUI to configure the disk space is not available. Using the command-line tool Vssadmin.exe or by editing the appropriate registry key, [11][12] the space reserved can be adjusted. Starting with Windows 7, the slider is available once again.

Maximum space - In Windows XP, System Restore can be configured to use up to a maximum of 12% of the volume's space for most disk sizes;[7] however, this may be less depending on the volume's size. Restore points over 90 days old are automatically deleted, as specified by the registry value RPLifeInterval (Time to Live - TTL) default value of 7776000 seconds. In Windows Vista and later, System Restore is designed for larger volumes.[13] By default, it uses 15% of the volume's space.[9]

File paths monitored - Up to Windows XP, files are backed up only from certain directories. On Windows Vista and later, this set of files is defined by monitored extensions outside of the Windows folder, and everything under the Windows folder.[14][dead link]

File types monitored - Up to Windows XP, it excludes any file types used for users' personal data files, such as documents, digital photographs, media files, e-mail, etc. It also excludes the monitored set of file types (.DLL, .EXE etc.) from folders such as My Documents. Microsoft recommends that if a user is unsure as to whether certain files will be modified by a rollback, they should keep those files under My Documents.[7] When a rollback is performed, the files that were being monitored by System Restore are restored and newly created folders are removed. However, on Windows Vista and later, it excludes only document file types; it does not exclude any monitored system file type regardless of its location.

Configuring advanced System Restore settings - Windows XP supports customizing System Restore settings via Windows Registry and a file at %windir%\system32\restore\Filelist.xml.[15][8] Windows Vista and later no longer either.[16]

FAT32 volume support: On Windows Vista and later, System Restore no longer work on FAT32 disks and cannot be enabled on disks smaller than 1 GB.

======The quick, simple explanation is that System Restore backs up and restores the Registry, important Windows files, and the programs you've installed into Windows. It has no effect whatsoever on documents, photos, and so forth.

But that isn't quite accurate. If it was, you'd be able to reliably create a restore point, uninstall an application, restore the point, and have the application back. That might actually work in some cases, but it won't in most. That's because System Restore might not protect all of the files that the uninstall deletes.

System Restore chooses what to protect based on file type, not folder location. It backs up .exe files, .dlls, batch files, and shortcuts. I couldn't obtain a full list, so there may be others, but having just tested the XP and Vista versions of System Restore, I can verify those.

Many people assume that System Restore backs up everything in certain locations, such as Program Files and the Desktop, while leaving the Documents folder alone. (After all, you don't want that project you've been working on to revert to last Sunday's version just because Windows was misbehaving.) But that isn't the case. I deleted an program file and a .wav sound file from a folder within Program Files, then restored from a point created before the deletions. I got the program file back, but not the .wav. I got similar results with different file types on the desktop and in my Documents folder.

It's best to see System Restore as an imperfect system whose main advantage is that it's there and creates its backups automatically. When it works (and there's no guarantee of that), it does a pretty good job protecting Windows, a mediocre one on your applications, and leaves your data alone.

Sometimes installing a program or driver can make Windows run slowly or unpredictably. System Restore can return your PC's system files and programs to a time when everything was working fine, potentially preventing hours of troubleshooting headaches. It won't affect your documents, pictures, or other data.

======What is System Restore?

System Restore helps you restore your computer's system files to an earlier point in time. It's a way to undo system changes to your computer without affecting your personal files, such as e-mail, documents, or photos.

Sometimes, the installation of a program or a driver can cause an unexpected change to your computer or cause Windows to behave unpredictably. Usually, uninstalling the program or driver corrects the problem. If uninstalling doesn't fix the problem, you can try restoring your computer's system to an earlier date when everything worked correctly.

System Restore uses a feature called system protection to regularly create and save restore points on your computer. These restore points contain information about registry settings and other system information that Windows uses. You can also create restore points manually. For information about creating restore points, see Create a restore point.

System image backups stored on hard disks can also be used for System Restore, just like the restore points created by system protection. Even though system image backups contain both your system files and personal data, your data files will not be affected by System Restore. For more information about system images, see What is a system image?

System Restore isn't intended for backing up personal files, so it cannot help you recover a personal file that has been deleted or damaged. You should regularly back up your personal files and important data using a backup program. For more information about backing up personal files, see Back up your files.

Open System Restore by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button. In the search box, type System Restore, and then, in the list of results, click System Restore.‌ Administrator permission required If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation. ======How does System Restore work?

System Restore uses restore points to return your system files and settings to an earlier point in time without affecting personal files. Restore points are created automatically every week, and just before significant system events, such as the installation of a program or device driver. You can also create a restore point manually. For more information about System Restore,

What files are changed during a system restore?

System Restore affects Windows system files, programs, and registry settings. It can also make changes to scripts, batch files, and other types of executable files created under any user account on your computer. System Restore does not affect personal files, such as e-mail, documents, or photos, so it cannot help you restore a deleted file. If you have backups of your files, you can restore the files from a backup.

How long are restore points saved?

Restore points are saved until the disk space System Restore reserves is filled up. As new restore points are created, old ones are deleted. If you turn off system protection (the feature that creates restore points) on a disk, all restore points are deleted from that disk. When you turn system protection back on, new restore points are created. For more information about system protection,

What if System Restore doesn't fix the problem?

If System Restore doesn't fix the problem, you can undo the restore operation or try choosing a different restore point. If System Restore doesn't display any restore points to choose from, make sure you have system protection turned on and that you have at least 300 MB of free space left on your hard disk if it is 500 MB or larger, or have at least 50 MB of free space if your hard disk is smaller than 300 MB. If System Restore doesn't fix the problem, you can also try an advanced recovery method. For more information