One of the advanced features of Windows XP (Home and Professional) and Windows ME is the ability to use a utility called System Restore. System Restore lets you go back in time — at least when it comes to system settings and device drivers. You can instruct the system to revert to the settings it was using the last time it worked properly. Depending on how you configure your machine, System Restore makes a record of settings every so often (usually every day), as well as anytime you install a new piece of software or change a system setting.
Depending on how many changes you make and the instructions that you give the System Restore utility, you may be able to go back at least a week — more if you don't use the laptop every day. With that much backtrack time, you should be able to find a moment before you fatefully altered drivers or settings. Even if your machine runs a version of Windows earlier than XP or ME, you can purchase a third-party utility that accomplishes the same task.
These utilities only undo changes to settings and drivers; if you go back in time, you don'tlose any data — text, e-mail, photos, music, and the like are safe.
You need to do three things to make the most of System Restore:
Make sure that you configure it to make regular copies of system settings.
Manually instruct it to copy the current setting before you make a major change to the system (including hardware installations and software updates).
Experiment with restoring your system settings to an earlier condition if your computer develops problems immediately after you install or use new hardware or software for the first time.
To load System Restore, click Start --> Accessories --> System Tools --> System Restore. On the left side of the panel, you see an option for System Restore Settings. You can turn off the utility. You probably don't want to turn System Restore off unless you suspect the System Restore utility itself is causing problems.
Set a reasonable amount of space for System Restore storage points to use; think about leaving at least five percent of your disk available for this purpose. You probably don't need nearly that amount of space, but it's better to have too much possible space than too little.
On the right side of the System Restore panel, you can instruct the laptop to create a restore point. Choose this option before making major changes. You can also restore your computer to an earlier time from this panel; if you select that option, you see a calendar that lists all available restore points. Some restore points appear as System Checkpoints, which the computer automatically makes based on the schedule that you establish. If you go to the trouble (as you should) of manually instructing the system to make a restore point when you make changes to the computer, you see whatever notes you attach when you give the instructions.
Some installation programs initiate a System Restore for you and make a note as a precautionary step. This is a good thing.
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