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.
5. Click Next.
6. Select “Roll back to an existing restore point created by Windows” and click Next.
7. Select a restore point and click Next.
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 ]
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Hi,
I am trying to use this tool on a machine but the OS is seen as XP Pro SP3 while I am pretty sure it is XP Home SP3.
Is there a way to trick the system to think it is XP Home ?
thanks so much, i tryed a disk herins boot disk and could not find out how to do a restore without windows and thanks to your post i am going to give this a try seems like all the right tools you need on a boot cd man o man thank you bunches. Bill
Hello,
For weeks I have tried to repair my church’s computer.
It will NOT boot. It has the Windows XP Home Edition. When we turn it on the following message it displayed:
Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
\system 32\ntoskrnl.exe
Please re-install a copy of the above file.
I have tried all that I know to do. After reading the information from the URI aboved, I thought that using “Microsoft Diagnostics Recovery toolset 5.0″ might be the answer.
To resore the computer to a time before the message appeared.
The problem is nothing happens when I click on the “download Microsoft Diagnostics toolset 5.0.”
Please help!!!
Yours in Christian Love
JWhite wsemaj51@aol.com
334-834-2046
I tried to download the program. I get the reply cannot find. What to do.
thanks for it. you are really good.
Thank’s. Work also with sata hd?
The iso image that you are using is erd50.iso.
Is that also limited by 30 days?
Once again Thanks Ray for this excellent tool…..
Great……
sorry, Ishaan I missed yer post.
But can it recover if system restore has been turned off?
thanks again..
sometimes this kind of recovery doesn’t take an effect, ’cause ERD Commander is unable to locate a Windows Installation..in this situation, u have to reinstall windows or trying with other tools
microsoft.com/windows/enterprise/products/dart.aspx
Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset is an integral component of the Microsoft Desktop Optimization
Pack for Software Assurance solution
do u hv the key for VIRTUALLAB Data recovery software?
look forward to ur post.
thanks gonna infect my pc now and see if this works!
will post any issues had here!
I do this manually. Booting from a Vista PE on my USB stick and copying the registry hives from the “_Restore” folder to the system32 folder.
put the date forward a year or two before you install/create the iso
thanks for the tool, will try it
@Ishaan : based on personal experience, if you did install something that made your computer corrupted you may by 90% find a restore point there made by the system
if it was due to something you made like deleting a file or something then i doubt it that you will find any
very useful tip
Thank you Raymond
from Germany
Tempest
January 18th, 2009 at 7:04 pm 8
Hello,
I have tried using this tool on my cousin\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\’s computer which always freezes at the Window\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\’s Loading Screen. The one that says Microsoft Corporation(she has vista). When I use this tool, it still freezes at the same point, but with these tools. Any idea what is going wrong?
??????Dosn\\\\\\\’t work for vista ?????
THKS LOT RAY ! GREAT !
Hi,
I usually use the UBCD4WIN live system and select registry tools, and restore registry.
Not sure if this is better or worse than Microsoft tool as I did not try Microsoft tool.
You can also try to do a manual restore using live system that can look into the system restore snapshot folders, and copy the hives.
@13 (Vijay Nagarajan)
This is actually a Sysinternals tool that has been around for years now. Microsoft recently bought Sysinternals and now they are publishing the tools as their own. There are also many other very usefull free tools. You can find them here:
technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/default.aspx
Great Post !! This can really save your ass sometimes. Too bad its just a 30-day trial.
Damn, M$ make such tools as freeware …. Atleast until Win7 is officially released :)
extremely useful and essential information
Thx Ray…
But wat if System Restore is Turned Off bcoz it hogs lots of space, Setup again is the only way in this case i guess…
Great relief. Thanks
Great post, we need more of such things !!
Thanks Ray !!!!
Hello,
I have tried using this tool on my cousin\\\\\\\’s computer which always freezes at the Window\\\\\\\’s Loading Screen. The one that says Microsoft Corporation(she has vista). When I use this tool, it still freezes at the same point, but with these tools. Any idea what is going wrong?
very great info raymond. i really need this tool as i always try new software on my pc.
Great tip mate, thanks a heap!
I have been useing ERD Commander for some time now it is a great program.
Enjoy :)
thanks ray i surely need this one :)
Thank you very much Ray!nice post!GOD ble$$!!!
its useful though~
thx ray!
TWO Thumbs UP Ray!!!
Great Great Great Great POST
Thanks a LOT