How to Restore Configuration on a Computer

by TS Jordan, Demand Media

System Restore can return your computer to earlier settings.

Occasionally, even the most talented IT professional make mistakes when altering the configuration of a system. These mistakes can lead to systemwide problems such as random crashing, rebooting, or other less severe types of program errors. If you find yourself in a situation where you know that something is amiss with your system's configuration, but are unsure what the exact problem is, you can easily restore your system's previous configuration with a few simple mouse clicks.

Step 1

Open up the "Start" menu on your computer. Select "All programs." Find the folder marked "Accessories," then open the folder named "System Tools." This folder contains many commonly used applications to help manage your computer.

Step 2

Select the program titled "System Restore" from the list of system tools. System Restore is a feature that allows you to artificially roll back your system features to a previous point in time. System restore points are created either manually or at predetermined times (such as when installing a new program).

Step 3

Choose the restore point that you wish to use. If you know that the faulty configuration change occurred in the last few days, choose the most recent restore point. If you are unsure when the faulty configuration change took place, play it safe and choose a restore point that is a week or two back.

Step 4

Follow the on-screen dialog to confirm that this is the restore point that you want to use. From there, the computer will automatically restore and reboot itself. Note that the rebooting procedure during a restore will take longer than normal.

References

Microsoft: System Restore

About the Author

TS Jordan is an Ohio licensed attorney living and practicing out of the Cleveland area. In addition to his Juris Doctorate, he holds a Bachelors' Degree in Information Systems. He has been writing professionally for less than a year.