Windows xp how to run system restore in command prompt

Previously, he has worked as Documentation Specialist in the software industry, a Technical Support Specialist in educational industry, and a Technical Journalist in the computer publishing industry.

The good news is you can run System Restore from a command prompt. Here's how: Restart your computer and press [F8] during the initial startup. Select the Windows XP operating system. Log on to your computer with an administrator account or with an account that has administrator credentials. Tim Fisher. Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire.

Reviewed by Chris Selph. Tweet Share Email. What to Know Open Command Prompt. Type this command in the Command Prompt window: rstrui. Press Enter to open the System Restore wizard. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Email Address Sign up There was an error.

Please try again. You're in! Thanks for signing up. There was an error. Tell us why! More from Lifewire. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to restore your computer to a functional state. To start System Restore using the Command prompt, follow these steps: 1. Use the arrow keys to select the Safe mode with a Command prompt option. Share on Twitter Share on Facebook. Something I did in removing the malware prevented Windows from fully booting.

It got to the point of displaying the desktop wallpaper, but that was about it. The desktop icons never appeared and none of the auto-started applications ran.

Even in safe mode, Windows got to the same halfway point in the boot process and stopped. I had followed my own advice and made a recent restore point, but how to restore to it? The third tip is that System Restore can be used even in this case. Start the machine and use the F8 key to invoke the "Windows Advanced Options menu" just as if you were going into safe mode. Then chose the option to boot to "Safe Mode with Command Prompt".

This disables more of Windows than regular Safe Mode does. In my case, it disabled the broken part of Windows and the machine was able to boot to a command prompt. This invokes the normal System Restore application not a text mode version , except there is no option to make a restore point. Pick the most recent restore point and hopefully your problem will disappear. In my case it did, Windows was able to boot after restoring the latest restore point.

If not, try an earlier restore point. The last tip is simply to try booting to "Safe Mode with Command Prompt" now, while everything is working correctly.