How to turn off / Disable Windows XP – Vista System Restore

Those we use windows, use Anti Virusn software too… Some time we install a Anti Virus when its too late means we already have a corruption of system… Now when we run the scan its really important that we should keep the Windows System restore option turned off….

How to turn off Windows System restore of Windows XP / Service Pack 1 / 1a / Service Pack 2 ??

Right Click on My computer

Now at the system properties Display windows, select the TAB Called System Restore. And turn off the system restore….

System Restore

This method is same for any version of Windows XP, Including Home, Pro, Table PC, Media Center Edition….

How to Turn off / Disable System Restore for Windows Vista ??

The process for Vista is almost identical as Windows XP..

Right Click on My Computer or Computer as show in Start Menu..

Windows Vista

Now in the Sysetm properties Windows look at the left side navigation bar, look for the link says, “Advance System Settings” …. Click it…

Now if you have the UAC (User access Control) turned on, then Vista will ask for your permission, please allow it… (Read more on How to Disable the UAC under Windows Vista…)

UAC

At the Advance System Properties area, navigate your self to, System Protection …. and turn off System Restore opiton for all Drives….

System Protection Dialog BOX Windows Vista

Choto Cheeta on September 11, 2007 | Filed Under Computer, Security Software, Windows

13 Comments

Quiz_Master on September 12th, 2007

Hmmm… Just reffered to this tut to a n00b friend….
Nice one but only useful for biginners.

As a critic I will say I am wishing to see more advance tutorials.

Wahoo on October 6th, 2007

Thank you for sharing!

Jim on March 19th, 2008

what about in Vista trying to restore to origninal OS (have disks) and it tells me system restore has been disabled. Restoring from Access IBM button

Choto Cheeta on March 20th, 2008

Hello Jim,

If the system restore is turned off, then Lenovo / IBM system rescue wont work !!

This guide is for those who already have a major virus infection and wants to clean the PC…

For normal operation system restore is an useful feature to save you from any accidental deletion of programs or any settings !!

Thank you..

Zorn on April 20th, 2008

Question: If I turned off the System Restore function on my Windows ME computer, am I able to get rid of everything inside the folder? My HD is almost full, I don’t even use that function anymore, and its taking up 5 Gb of space.

Choto Cheeta on April 22nd, 2008

Hello Sir,

By default as you turn off the system restore, the Windows should delete all data stored in System Restore folder should be deleted.

How ever some time in rare cases it doesn’t happen, therefore I suggest you to use CCleaner, a free but really effective software to clean up system junk to free up HDD space.

Thank you

Frank on May 10th, 2008

I just recently got infected with a Trojan Virus called: “Trojan horse Generic10.VPD” It was discovered by AVG 8.0 and when I forced deleted it, the computer wouldn’t boot so I had to use Startup Recovery manager. Now when I got back into the Vista OS again, the same virus appeared again but on a different file and eventually just stopped a whole bunch of processes on my computer and made it freeze.

PRASEN on December 24th, 2008

i use sony vaio whch has windows visa as o.s. i followed ur instuctions for system protection turn off bt it didnt help.plz help me 4 the same

Confused on February 4th, 2009

what are the risks of turning off system restore? when I go to do it, it warns me “all the existing restore points will be deleted, and no new ones will be created”
Will i loose all my programs then or what?.. :S

Choto Cheeta on February 4th, 2009

@Confused

System restore is suppose to be enable by default, however in case of a virus infection and in process to clean your PC, you are in need to disable it…

Now let us see what system restore does actually ?

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/systemrestore.mspx

in short, system restore option creates an image of all working programs of OS, every time you make any change in program or in os, so if anything goes wrong, you can restore back to a previous restore point when every thing was working fine..

However in this process, it would also backup and create image of a virus.. So when you clean your system, its needed that you turn off the system restore option..

James on April 24th, 2009

How can I force System Restore to turn off, it wont let me said it was changed in policy, yet there is no where to go into that and fix that either

Adriana on May 26th, 2010

How can I turn system restore on? I tried the cancel button, then the ok button, and nothing. It says the system restore has been turned off by group policy. Who is this group? Anybody help me….?thanks.

Choto Cheeta on May 30th, 2010

Adriana:

How can I turn system restore on? I tried the cancel button, then the ok button, and nothing. It says the system restore has been turned off by group policy. Who is this group? Anybody help me….?thanks.

Hi,

Did you get the computer from your company or is it a personal PC ??

Thanks..

Choto Cheeta Online