The installation of new programs and drivers, as well as the unauthorized introduction of malware onto a computer can fatally affect the performance of Windows OS. System developers offer a way to undo unsuccessful changes through a rollback point.
What is a rollback point
A rollback point, or restore point, is the saved state of the system as of a specific date. Rollback points can be manually created by the user and the system automatically on a weekly basis or before a configuration change, such as installing a driver or program. In this case, only the state of the system files is recorded. User-created documents (text files, photos, videos, music) are not saved.
How to create a rollback point
This feature must be enabled for restore points to be created. Right-click on the "My Computer" icon, select the "Properties" command and go to the "System Restore" tab. Uncheck the box next to Disable System Restore.
If your computer is running Windows XP, to manually create a restore point, press the Win key and in the "Programs" group go to the "Accessories" section, then "System Tools" and select the "System Restore" program. Check "Create a restore point" and follow the instructions.
In Windows 7, click Win, right-click on Computer and check Properties. On the left side of the window, click System Protection, go to the System Protection tab and click Create. Then follow the instructions.
How to restore the system
To restore the system in any version of Windows, you will need administrator rights. On a computer running Windows XP, click Win, under Programs, select Accessories, then System Tools, and then System Restore. Check "System Restore", click "Next" and mark the desired date in the calendar that the recovery program will offer you. Choose the date closest to the fatal event after which recovery was required.
In critical cases, when the system does not boot, restart the computer and press F8 after the initial polling of the hardware. In the boot options menu, check "Last Known Good Configuration", then in the proposed calendar, specify the date when the computer worked correctly.
To start System Restore in Windows 7, go to the Control Panel and click on the "Security System" link. In the new window, select "Back up and restore", then "Restore system settings or computer." Click "Start System Restore" and follow the instructions of the restore wizard. Alternatively, you can use System Restore under Programs or Last Known Good Configuration as described for Windows XP.
You can cancel System Restore if you are not satisfied with the result. Click Start, under Programs, select Accessories, then System Tools, and then System Restore. Click "Cancel System Restore" and follow the instructions of the wizard.
