SYSTEM RESTORE - How to do from the recovery console.

Do you have an original XP disc?
If not,
Here is a link that you can download the recovery console to your desktop.
And here is a link that tells you how to make the disc.
This is used to repair your computer, using the proper utilities.


Step I. Access the recovery console using the OS CD. As suggested already, you need to have your OS CD to repair it.(Or the image you created from the above instructions).

To run the Recovery Console from the Windows XP startup disks or the Windows XP CD-ROM, use the following steps:

Insert the Windows XP startup disk into the floppy disk drive, or insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive, and then restart the computer.
Click to select any options that are required to start the computer from the CD-ROM drive if you are prompted to do so.
When the "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press R to start the Recovery Console and follow the process until you get to the recovery console command prompt.screen.

STEP II. At the Recovery Console command prompt, type the following lines(in blue) then press enter after.

1. cd \ ( Note: between "cd" and "\" there should be a "blank space" or else the command will not work )
2. cd system~1\_resto~1

If it gives an error "Access Denied" while accessing the folder, follow the method below

cd \
cd windows\system32\config
ren system system.bak
exit

Then restart the computer and follow step I.

3. dir

when you hit it will list all the restore points folders like rp1,rp2……………. we have to see the last restore point to copy the file from a recent backup. If the restore points have more than one page then u have keep on hitting the key to view the last restore point folder. Use the next to last restore point. (the last restore point may be corrupt)

4. cd rp {the next to last restore point no. } (Note : Example : cd rp9, if rp9 is the next to last restore point, where last restore point no.=9 )

5. cd snapshot

Now the command Prompt will look like this c:\system~1\_resto~1\rp9\snapshot> ( Note : restore point 9 assumed for clarity of the content, you have to go to the next to last restore point folder as described in the previous lines) Now according to the error message we have to copy the appropriate file from the restore point folder.

6. copy _registry_machine_system c:\windows\system32\config\system
7. Type Exit then press enter. your computer should restart and don't forget to cross your fingers

When I did the following it said that it can't find it: "The system cannot find the file or directory specified"

"cd system~1\_resto~1"

Anyone have a suggestion?

So I did a bit of reading and it may be that Recovery Console may not easily allow going to all parts of your drive. I also checked with SET and saw that AllowAllPaths = FALSE…….. but to SET to TRUE I'm reading that this can only be enabled by using the GROUP Policy Snap-In. Reading a bit more it appears that this needs to be set once you are in Windows……… well, the reason I'm doing all this is because I CAN'T get into windows because it keeps on rebooting and I'm trying to figure out a way to do so. So I'm running around in circles!!! Again, any help would be great. Thanks in advance

Hi, When you did step 2 in the tutorial..did you do step 1 so that you were running step 2 from root? Regards paws

Hi,

Yes I did step 1. cd \ before doing step 2.

One thing I noticed was that if I did only cd system~1 then I received the access denied. So I did the steps after that to resolve the Access denied problem. Once the PC rebooted I tried the steps again but I still get the same message "The system cannot find the file or directory specified"
.

OK, I understand…. I think Did you do this step ? If it gives an error "Access Denied" while accessing the folder, follow the method below cd \ cd windows\system32\config ren system system.bak exit Then restart the computer and follow step I.

Yes, those are the steps that I did but I still get the same message "The system cannot find the file or directory specified" AFTER redoing the steps upto "cd system~1\_resto~1"

Ok, I think you have a corrupt SAM database…. if so then its best to pull off any of your data that is not already backed up and reinstall…. Post back if you need instructions on copying off the data Regards paws

Hey, so I foollowed these steps and it seemed to work the first time. I succesfully botted my computer but it hadnt gone far back enough. So I attempted to do it again but now when I get to the " ren system system.back" command, it tells me that "A directory or file with the name system.bak already exists." What should I do?

To clarify, when I attempted the cd system~1\_resto~1 command it denied me access. Thats why I proceeded to the next step