Every time you install a new software, game, hotfixes from windows update and etc, you are making changes to your computer. Sometimes an unstable software can make your system unstable after installing it. With the built-in System Restore in Windows XP and Vista, you can easily go back to the way it was without looking for a solution on how to fix the problem.

If Windows is able to boot up properly, then you’re in luck to restore your computer back to the way it was using System Restore from Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools. However, if Windows is unbootable, you can try using the Last Known Good Configuration feature by pressing F8 when booting up Windows. The Last Known Good Configuration is a recovery option that you can use to start your computer by using the “most recent” settings that worked. Do take note that every time your computer boots up correctly, the Last Known Good Configuration record is replaced with the newest one.

What if for some reason your Windows computer is unable to startup properly in both normal boot and safe mode? There is no way to run system restore in an DOS because it is purely a GUI based tool. What you can do here is use Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset LiveCD which allows you to perform System Restore without booting in to Windows.

Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (MSDaRT) is actually the same as the popular Winternals Administrator’s Pak ERD Commander which provides a set of tools to recover a system in case of a failure. It is a LiveCD where you can boot up a dead computer and you can access a list of useful tools such as Autoruns, Crash Analyzer, Disk Commander, Disk Wipe, File Restore, Hotfix Uninstall, Locksmith, System File Repair and System Restore.

To perform system restore with ERD Commander:

1. Download and install the 30 day trial Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset located at the end of this article.

2. Go to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset\ and burn the erd50.iso ISO image file. (Refer to this article on how to burn ISO images to a disc)

3. Boot the computer using disc that you’ve just burned. You may have to go to BIOS and set the boot order so that it’ll start the computer with CD/DVD.

4. When ERD Commander is booted up, click Start > System Tools and run System Restore.
Access ERD Commander System Restore Wizard

5. Click Next.

6. Select “Roll back to an existing restore point created by Windows” and click Next.
Roll back system restore

7. Select a restore point and click Next.
Select Restore Point

8. Click Next again to confirm restore point selection.

9. Click Yes to confirm rollback operation.

10. Once ERD System Restore Wizard has completed, restart your computer to complete the rollback process.

According to MSDaRT release note, ERD System Restore Wizard only performs partial system restore because of its limitations. If you manage to boot in Windows after a partial system restore, you can run System Restore from Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools and and perform a full one instead.

There are 2 versions of MSDaRT, the v5 that can be used on Windows 2000 and XP computers and v6 on Vista. I could only find 30 day evaluation of the Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset v5 on Microsoft download website but nothing on v6. I got to know about the v6 from warez releases (Microsoft.Diagnostics.and.Recovery.Toolset.v6.0-DVT). This release includes both DaRT v5.0 (MSDaRT50.msi) and v6.0 (MSDaRT60_x86.msi / MSDaRT60_x64.msi)

Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset is a very powerful LiveCD that can recover PCs that have become unusable, rapidly diagnose probable causes of issues, and quickly repair unbootable or locked-out systems. When necessary, they can also quickly restore critical lost files. Definitely recommended that all administrators and computer techs to have one.

[ Download Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset v5 ]

[tags]msdart, restore, diagnostic, recovery, microsoft[/tags]