Article ID: 310405 - Last Review: August 25, 2010 - Revision: 4.0

How to turn off and turn on System Restore in Windows XP

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To continue receiving security updates for Windows, make sure that you are running Windows XP with Service Pack 3 (SP3). For more information, refer to this Microsoft web page: Support is ending for some versions of Windows (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/help/end-support-windows-xp-sp2-windows-vista-without-service-packs)

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SUMMARY

This article describes how to turn off and turn on the System Restore feature in Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition or in Windows XP Professional Edition.

When you turn off System Restore, Windows XP removes the restore points that track changes in Windows. After you turn off System Restore, you can no longer restore Windows XP to an earlier time.

When you turn on System Restore, Windows XP creates restore points to track changes in Windows. After you turn on System Restore, you can restore Windows to the time of the earliest available restore point.

This article is intended for a beginning to intermediate computer user.
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How to turn off or turn on System Restore

Steps to turn off System Restore

  1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
  2. In the System Properties dialog box, click the System Restore tab.
  3. Click to select the Turn off System Restore check box. Or, click to select the Turn off System Restore on all drives check box.
  4. Click OK.
  5. When you receive the following message, click Yes to confirm that you want to turn off System Restore:
    You have chosen to turn off System Restore. If you continue, all existing restore points will be deleted, and you will not be able to track or undo changes to your computer.

    Do you want to turn off System Restore?
    After a few moments, the System Properties dialog box closes.

Steps to turn on System Restore

  1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
  2. In the System Properties dialog box, click the System Restore tab.
  3. Click to clear the Turn off System Restore check box. Or, click the Turn off System Restore on all drives check box.
  4. Click OK.

    After a few moments, the System Properties dialog box closes.
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MORE INFORMATION

For more information about System Restore, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
306084  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306084/ ) How to restore the operating system to a previous state in Windows XP
304449  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304449/ ) How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP
283073  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283073/ ) How to disable the System Restore configuration user interface
For more information about how to troubleshoot System Restore, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
302796  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302796/ ) How to troubleshoot the System Restore tool in Windows XP
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APPLIES TO
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
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Keywords: 
kbceip kbexpertisebeginner kbhowto kbenv kbinfo KB310405
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