Run System Restore from the command line

Someone asked me how to run system restore from the command line. To do that Click on the windows key on the keyboard ( there are two of those, one to the right, and one to the left of the space bar ) and the R key to bring up the Run dialog box. You can also click on Start / then Run. Type %systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe into the run dialog box and click Enter.

If you have problems on initial boot.

1. Restart your system

2. When the system first boots, type F8 to bring up the boot menu

3. Select the Safe Mode with Command Prompt option

4. Log-on as administrator if needed

5. At your command prompt type
%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

6. Hit Enter 6. This will open the system restore wizard...

OTHER SYMPTOMS
System Restore tab may be missing in My Computer Properties. Also, when you start System Restore (rstrui.exe), you receive this message:

"System Restore has been turned off by group policy. To turn on System Restore, contact your domain Administrator."

-or-

System Restore Properties page says disabled by Group Policy
RESOLUTION

Click Start, Run and type REGEDIT and press Enter

Navigate to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Policies \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ SystemRestore

In the right-pane:

Delete the value DisableConfig

Delete the value DisableSR

For Windows XP Professional, you can accomplish the above using Group Policy Editor as well.

Click Start, Run and type GPEDIT.MSC

Navigate to this path:
=> Computer Configuration==> Administrative Templates===> System====> System Restore

Set Turn off System Restore to Not Configured

Set Turn off Configuration to Not Configured

More Information

Turn off System Restore corresponds to DisableSR registry value. With this Policy is turned ON, the System Restore tab may be missing in My Computer Properties. Also, when you run System Restore (rstrui.exe), you receive this message:

System Restore has been turned off by group policy. To turn on System Restore, contact your domain Administrator.

Turn off Configuration corresponds to DisableConfig registry value. With this Policy turned ON, the System Restore tab will remain displayed but the user cannot configure the SR options. It reads disabled by Group Policy