How do I Restore My Computer to an Earlier Date?

While the internet offers a host of free and shareware software programs for download, those programs can also create problems for users. For critical system failures or errors that just won't go away, Windows operating systems allow users to restore their installation of Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 to a previous date, before bad malware or a corrupt program infected their systems.

Instructions

How to Restore a Windows XP Computer

1. Click on your computer's Start button. Select the Accessories option under the All Programs menu. Click on the "System Restore" icon under the System Tools menu.

2. Click on the "Restore my computer to an earlier time" option in the window that appears. Click "Next."

3. Select one of the dates in bold in the next window. Click "Next." This will restore your Windows XP installation to a previous date. Once the computer finishes the restore process and reboots, log-in normally to access your installation of Windows from a previous date.

How to Restore a Windows Vista Computer

1. Click on the Start button. Select the All Programs menu option and click the Accessories icon. Select the "System Restore" option from the System Tools menu.

2. Click on the "Recommended restore" option in the next menu. If you wish to restore your Windows Vista installation to a specific date, select the "Choose a different restore point" option. Click "Next."

3. Click "Yes" in the window that appears to begin the system restore process. If you chose the "Choose a different restore point" option in the previous step, select a restore date from the list and press "Next" to enter the aforementioned window. Your computer will now restore Windows Vista to a previous installation and automatically reboot.

How to Restore a Windows 7 Computer

1. Open the Control Panel. Click the "System and Security" button. Choose the "Action Center" icon. Click on "Recovery" in the bottom right-hand corner of the next window.

2. Click "Open System Restore." Click on the "Next" button. Select a restore point from the list and click "Next."

3. Click "Finish" in the next window to begin the system restore process.

References

• Windows 7 News: How to Use Windows 7 System Restore
• How to Use System Restore in Windows Vista
• Microsoft: How to Restore Windows XP to a Previous State