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How do I enable or disable System Restore?


System Restore is a feature of Windows XP which can restore your computer to a previous state, if a problem occurs, without losing your personal data files (Word documents, Internet History, Internet Favorites, or e-mail messages). System Restore automatically creates Restore Points every 24 hrs (by default).
These restore points allow you to revert the system to a previous time. The Restore Points are also at the time of significant system events (such as when an application or driver is installed). You can also create and name your own restore points at any time.
By default, the System Restore can use a maximum of 12% of the hard disk space. If the 12% allocation point is reached, System Restore will start purging it's Restore Points in a First In First Out basis, to accommodate room for the future Restore Points. Sometimes, the System Restore points may get infected by a virus. In that case, clearing the System Restore point is the only option to eradicate the virus in that area. The procedure is explained below:
To disable System Restore feature, try the steps below:
* Right-click My Computer and choose Properties
* Click System Restore tab
* Check Turn Off System Restore on all drives
* Click OK
Restart Windows, and now the previous Restore Points will be purged by Windows XP. To enable the System Restore, repeat the above steps, but remove the check mark on "Turn Off System Restore on all drives" option.

Technical Information:
What is System Restore?

System Restore, a Windows XP feature, is similar to the "Last Known Good Configuration" in Windows NT and Windows 2000. You can use System Restore to restore the computer to a previous state, using the backups that it makes of selected system files and program files. Unlike the "Last Known Good Configuration" feature, System Restore maintains multiple restore points. This gives you the choice of restoring your computer to any number of previously saved states.

While this is a desirable feature, in some cases it should be temporarily turned off. For example, if the computer is infected with a virus, then it is possible that the virus could be backed up by System Restore. By default, Windows prevents System Restore from being modified by outside programs. As a result, there is the possibility that you could restore a virus-infected file, or that the on-line scanners would detect the virus in that location.

Disabling System Restore does not delete or remove any of your personal data from your computer. The only files removed are those that System Restore created, the restore points. Using System Restore to revert to a previously saved restore point does not affect any of your personal data files or any items in your My Documents folder. For more information search the Microsoft Windows Help (Click Start > Help and Support) and search for "System Restore Overview" and "Understanding System Restore.

For more information, read the Microsoft Knowledge Base article, How to restore the operating system to a previous state in Windows XP, Article ID: 306084.