So, in this article I would like to explain how to do the right Windows XP. You may already know how to somehow restore your system, but this does not mean that there is only one way. There are many options. Each is designed for different situations. It is also worth noting that each recovery method is different in time.
“ WindowsXP”: System Restore.
Let's start with the fact that you need to determine what exactly is wrong with your OS, and what needs to be done to recover data. First, we try to press the F8 key while loading the BIOS. From the options provided, select the one that says to boot with Last Known Good Configuration. If it doesn't help, then move on.
We select the boot option in If suddenly your system boots, it is due to the fact that the monitor resolution is 800x600 or so. Since drivers are not loaded in this mode.
You need to do the following:
- Copy the most important information from the local drive C to another partition or flash drive. What files are important? For example, the desktop, my documents, various game saves, program settings, and more.
- Try to find the problem that Windows just won't boot. If you find it, try to solve it.
If it didn’t work to boot, then we continue to restore the Windows XP system using other methods.
Using the same F8 key, we again go to the menu already familiar to us and select the item that says about disabling automatic reboot.
Why is this needed? This is necessary if you could not determine the problem due to which a similar situation arose. As a result of disabling the reboot, you will be shown a message that talks about the true reason for everything that is happening.
System RestoreWindowsXP using the installation disc.
Having a disk with a copy of the operating system on hand, you can easily restore your data. But, if you can't restore your operating system, then at least you can install a new Windows. Of course, if you install a new copy, you may lose all data from drive C, but you can avoid this. How? It will be said next.
System RestoreWindowsXP via console.
First, try to recover data through a special one. To do this, you will need to boot from the installation disk and select the appropriate menu.
So, the console loading began. You will be prompted which operating system to enter. If you have only one "Windows", then enter the number 1 and press the "Enter" key. There are many commands in the management console that you do not need to know everything. Just a few are enough. But if you're interested, you can type Help. For a more specific consideration of help on a particular command, you need to enter the name and /?.
There is a special Bootcfg function with which you can restore the boot.ini system file if it has been damaged or deleted. There is nothing complicated, just type 1 everywhere and press Enter. A slightly crooked file will be created, without the correct OS name, but it will work and the system will boot.
If there was NTLDR, then you need to use the fixboot command. This problem occurs when the boot sector or the NTLDR file that is responsible for booting is corrupted. It is located in the root folder of drive C (if it is bootable).
If your hard drive is almost dead, and it is slowly moving from retirement to grave, then you need to use the chkdsk function. With it, you will have restored (as far as possible) the sectors on your hard drive, and then, perhaps, your Windows will boot.
Other Recovery Methods.
If all else fails, then you need to demolish your OS and install a new one. But first, try to restore your system (not through the console). This option will be available at the moment There will be three options: install, restore and cancel.
During installation, drive C will be cleared. If you select the recovery option, system files and the entire “Windows” folder will be replaced.
But you can also do a simple installation, but without formatting. In this case, all the old data will be saved and a folder named “C” will be created in the root directory and your new OS will be there. Then you have to clean the garbage from the old copy.
When problems arise with the operating system, sometimes situations occur in which system restore does not work. Many of us have found ourselves in situations where, for some reason, we needed to restore the operating system.
This is the easiest way to fix any problems in the computer's operating system or problems associated with the operation of some programs.
You start the operating system restore process and see that System Restore does not work in Windows. The process of restoring the operating system starts, goes through all the stages of recovery, and at the end of the process, you see, instead of a window with information that the system was successfully restored, a window with information that the system could not be restored.
Why is System Restore not working?
If System Restore is not disabled, then the reason why System Restore does not work may be the antivirus installed on the computer.
To solve this problem, you need to turn off antivirus self-defense. This happened to me as well. I also needed to do an operating system restore, but the operating system restore did not happen. In my case, the cause was Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2012. Earlier versions of this anti-virus did not have such problems.
Restoring the operating system only works if done in "safe mode". If you restore the operating system in normal mode, if you just pause antivirus protection, then this will not work, at the very end of the operating system restore process you will see a message that the operating system was unable to restore an earlier system state.
To solve this problem in Kaspersky Anti-Virus, you need to go to "Settings" => "Advanced options" => "Self-defense". In the "Self-defense settings" tab, uncheck the box next to the "Enable self-defense" item, and then click on the "OK" button.
After these steps, you can begin to restore the operating system.
After the recovery of the operating system is completed, the antivirus is turned on automatically.
Keep in mind that this is just one of the possible reasons.
Article Conclusions
System Restore may not work due to the self-protection of the antivirus installed on the computer.
Registry changes, driver issues, and exposure to malware are just a few of the problems Windows XP owners face. The solution to such situations may be to search for the source of the problem, study registry errors, check parameters, system settings, etc., however, a simpler solution would be to restore the Windows XP system. The process can be carried out both with the help of standard OS programs and with the help of additional software.
Using Standard Programs
To restore and then start the OS, several different programs can be used:
- - software for checking and starting the system recovery process.
- Windows Backup Utility is a program for archiving data on a disk.
- System File Checker - the program checks system files and, if necessary, restores them from disk.
The first two programs are easy to find using the Start menu in the Utilities tab. The last program is located in the Windows system folder.
As for, it performs several functions at once:
- Tracks registry changes.
- Checks for changes that have appeared after installing various updates.
- Monitors system files.
- Stores all necessary data on disk.
The principle of the program is that before major system changes, it creates checkpoints to which you can return if necessary. These points can also be created manually.
In this case, the user may encounter certain difficulties, since the system divides all files into two groups: important and unimportant. Therefore, after starting the recovery process, you may find that some previously installed applications are missing from the disk and some files are lost. In addition, this option has other disadvantages, including the appearance of duplicate files, the use of additional RAM, disk fragmentation, which slows down the computer, etc. The archive also has a low file compression rate and, therefore, they take up a lot of disk space. Alternatively, you can use other changes and free archiving programs.
As for Windows Backup Utility, it is also far from ideal. The main problem is that it can actually be used as an archiver, while the resulting archives have a special format that other archivers do not recognize.
Ways to improve the quality of system recovery
Restoring Windows XP using standard programs has obvious shortcomings. However, with a few steps, this process can be made more efficient and effective. The user has the following options:
- Separation of data into two types: system and user.
- Partitioning a hard drive.
Since various problems can arise in connection with the division of files by the system into important and unimportant, an excellent way out of the situation would be to distribute these files manually. Keep system files on the C drive, while moving all personal files to the D drive. This step will make it easier to check and start the Windows XP recovery process, since only one partition will be involved. In this case, the procedure will take a little time, and all user data will be intact.
Partitioning the disk will also help simplify the verification and start of recovery. For these purposes, special programs such as Acronis Disk Director Suite10 or Partition Magic can be used. The ideal solution would be to partition the disk before installing Windows XP or saving important data on the computer. If the procedure is carried out later, then before starting, you need to make sure that all system files and important data are saved on an external drive. It is advisable to run the Windows XP partitioning program under the supervision of a person who has experience and knowledge in the field of operating system recovery.
Using additional programs
Restoring Windows XP can be done using additional software. A huge number of programs are available to the user, which, as a rule, have several standard functions:
System Restore is one of the most effective methods for solving a variety of problems that appear when working with the OS. Both standard operating system tools and additional software can be used for the process.
Note: If the computer does not boot in normal mode, you can try booting through safe mode. To do this, when you turn on the computer, press the F8 key until the following startup menu appears:
Here you have 3 options:
- Start your PC in Safe Mode (Select "Safe Mode") and try enabling XP System Restore from there. Do not be afraid that the desktop and the design itself will change. Safe Mode loads only the necessary programs and services, so everything is simple and tasteful there.
- Start the computer in safe mode with command line support (Select "Safe mode with command line support") and as soon as the command line appears, open the article on system recovery using the command line. (link to it is above)
- If the first 2 options did not help, then you can select “Load Last Known Good Configuration. (with workable parameters) Sometimes that helps too.
I hope after reading this article, a new addition has appeared in your knowledge base on how to independently restore a computer after failures,
23.05.2015
When working in Windows XP, there are problems that can lead to loss of working time. You can get it back up and running using System Restore.
Operating systems of the Microsoft family are particularly susceptible to attack by viruses. In addition, quite a few other reasons can cause a failure. If the boot area is damaged or system files are infected, users often resort to reinstalling Windows.
When there is no way to start safe mode, and errors occur when starting the operating system, the first thing to think about is restoring the system. This feature allows you to return to a saved copy of system files, thereby giving a new life to Windows without resorting to a complete reinstallation.
Why is it better to use a Windows XP recovery than a reinstall?
Most IT professionals prefer reinstalling Windows XP to repairing. They argue that in this way the system will be updated, stop giving errors, and the problems will disappear by themselves. It really is.
However, restoration has no less effect, in addition, it has advantages:
- Takes much less time;
- Does not require backup of all information stored on the system disk (it is worth moving files from folders such as "My Documents", "Desktop", saved to the "Favorites" page);
- No need to search and install drivers;
- No need to re-install software;
- Software settings, network equipment settings, and user system settings do not need to be re-entered.
All of these benefits of restore over installation are possible if restore points are created correctly and periodically.
What are Windows XP restore points and how to work with them
In order to use Windows XP Recovery, the following conditions must be met:
- Enable the corresponding service;
- Create a point that is relevant to you;
- The program responsible for the recovery process should be running. It is located in C:\WINDOWS\system32\Restore\rstrui.exe
You can easily check if the recovery service is running by running the application from the utilities.
A point is a backup copy of important data for a certain period of time. As a rule, it is created automatically when changes are made to the system settings. You can also create a restore point yourself. It is recommended to do this before installing updated drivers or questionable software.
To create a manual backup, follow these steps:
- Open the "Start" menu and go to standard programs;
- Find the “System Tools” item and start System Restore;
- Select "Create a restore point".
Creation can take from 5 to 30 minutes depending on how busy Windows is. It is recommended to create a point manually immediately after reinstalling the operating system by installing the necessary drivers and programs on it, as well as entering the network settings.
Ways to Start Windows XP Recovery
Since the process of returning to the previous state of the system is often a critical operation, there are several ways to start it.
Method 1. Recovery using a point
You can start restoring Windows XP from a point using safe mode, if it is possible to start it. This is done using the "F8" key during the boot of the operating system.
The program will prompt you to select one of the calendar dates when automatic or manual backup to a special folder was started. It is necessary to choose the most stable version when Windows XP has not yet been damaged and infected with viruses.
The disadvantages of this backup method are:
- Safe Mode may not start at all;
- Point files can be infected or corrupted by viruses;
- Unlike later versions, rollback from points is not possible when using the boot menu or starting from disk;
- Some files are not replaced, but copies are created;
- Monitoring the system partition takes up RAM.
Method 2. Rollback using the distribution
If you have a Windows XP installation distribution at home, burned to a disk or USB flash drive, or the automatic backup service has been disabled, you can always use it to restore the system. Depending on the situation, you can start the process in two ways:
- If the operating system boots normally. In this case, you must insert the installation disc and wait for the menu to load. In it you need to select "Install ..." and click "Next".
In the next window, instead of installing, select "Update" from the drop-down menu.
- If Windows XP won't boot at all, then the last resort with Disk Recovery is to start from the boot area. To do this, in Bios, in the boot priorities, select the desired device with the distribution kit and start from it. During the installation process, an option selection menu will be offered, where you will need to press the "R" button, which starts the system recovery.
After the distribution kit determines the system partition and finds the installed copy, it will offer a choice. It is necessary to select it and once again confirm the action with the "R" button.
- When restoring a system from a distribution kit, driver files that are system ones may be replaced, which can lead to new hardware conflicts;
- To start the rollback, it is advisable to use the installation disk from which the installation was performed;
- An official or at least not truncated distribution is needed, as in most assemblies to save space for drivers, otherwise the rollback function may be disabled there.
Do not forget that the restore function does not guarantee 100% system performance at the end of the operation and will not return lost data. If your personal files are affected, use a specialized program.
Outcome:
Despite the fact that, unlike modern versions in Windows XP, the recovery system is far from ideal, you should not disable it. In the seventh and eighth versions of Windows, the use of a backup point for rollback is more thought out. Most of the errors and problems of this process have been fixed there. In addition, the main distinguishing feature is the ability to create a copy of an entire partition (image) for subsequent recovery and work with a point from the bootloader.
Each of the methods has its drawbacks, and not always a backup copy can be a salvation. However, in most cases, this option allows you to quickly return the functionality of your personal computer. And then you can start the necessary operations to treat viruses or search for deleted information.
