Restoring Windows 10. Windows System Restore

Microsoft's current operating system, Windows 10, is known for its tendency to break down after every global update provided by the company. It is unknown what this is connected with. But one thing is clear: the product from Microsoft is still very crude. Stable operating systems do not behave this way under any circumstances. After each update, poor users experience system crashes with enviable regularity. It’s good that the “ten” has such an option as restoring the Win 10 system. However, you need to know how to use it. This is what we will talk about. There are several recovery options. They differ in degree of difficulty. But first, let's talk about what this option is and why it is needed at all.

Why is this option needed and how does it work?

System recovery of Win 10 is required so that you can return the operating system to functionality without reinstalling. For the first time such an opportunity appeared in the notorious Windows XP. This option involves rolling back the system to the state when everything was fine. But this requires previously created control points. Nothing will work without them. This is exactly the recovery option that was available in XP. This feature saved many users at one time. In subsequent versions of the operating system, new, more advanced recovery options appeared. Apparently, the developers from Microsoft knew for sure that their latest OS would really need such an option.

It is worth noting that restoring the OS does not mean restoring user data. And if they were deleted as a result of some kind of failure, then there is no way to get them back. Many users have already felt this when the “ten” with the latest update began deleting user files, regardless of the wishes of the users. Microsoft has already apologized and fixed the updates. But the problem is with the files. In any case, Windows 10 system recovery can help the user out in a critical situation. Now let's look at possible recovery options.

How can I restore the OS?

At the moment, there are several methods for Win 10. They all use different OS features. The result is also always different.

• System rollback. This is an option that allows you to return the OS to an earlier state. For it to work, at least one control point must be created. Otherwise, recovery will not work.
• Reset to factory settings. This option appeared only in Windows 10. It involves rolling back the system to a “freshly installed” state. The feature is currently very popular.
• Automatic clean installation. This feature first appeared in Windows 10 1703. It allows you to completely reinstall the OS while preserving user data.
• Using a recovery disk. However, this disk must first be created from a regular USB drive. This is also done by the operating system itself.
• Using the command line. Few people know, but this component of the operating system is quite universal. It can even help restore the OS after a major failure.

So, all of the above methods can restore Windows 10. Some are fast and some are very slow. Everything will depend on which option is chosen. It is worth noting that recovery options also differ in degree of complexity. Not all of them are suitable for a beginner. For example, an inexperienced user can easily figure out how to roll back the system or reset it to factory settings. But the command line option will seem extremely difficult to him.

To do this, we are going to consider in detail all recovery options. It is necessary to ensure that even a beginner does not experience difficulties in the process of restoring the Windows 10 operating system. So, let's look at all of the above methods for restoring the OS. They are available in any Windows 10 distribution and can be called using certain tools. Let's start with the simplest and most understandable method for most users.

Using OS rollback

This option is only suitable if an operating system checkpoint was previously created. That is, the backup includes those files that ensured the theoretical operability of the OS. If they are not there, then you won’t be able to start Win 10 system recovery this way. So, how to roll back Windows?

1. To do this, you first need to go to the "Control Panel".
2. Then select "System and Security".
3. Now click on “System”.
4. Click on the "System Protection" item.
5. Click on the "Restore" button.

If checkpoints were previously created, this tool will restore the operating system to an earlier state. But the user data will not be saved. Like all programs installed after the date on the restore point. However, this option allows you to roll back all changes in Win 10. Creating a system restore point (if one has not already been created) is also quite simple. The algorithm of actions is approximately the same.

1. Sequentially click on the items “System and Security”, “System”, “System Protection”.
2. Only now, instead of the “Restore” button, click on the item with information about the system disk and click the “Configure” button.
3. Next, check the “Enable system protection” item (put a checkmark in the required place).
4. We select the volume that we are ready to provide for protection needs. Usually 20 gigabytes is enough.
5. Then click on the “Create” button.

The checkpoint creation process will begin immediately. It can take from 5 to 20 minutes. It all depends on the number of installed programs on the system disk and the power of the computer. Once the checkpoint is created, you can restore the Win 10 system at any time.

Resetting Windows to factory settings

If the rollback for some reason did not work, then you can use the option that appeared in the “top ten” relatively recently. Restoring the Win 10 system to its original state (resetting to factory settings) allows you to get a clean Windows (without any programs and settings). This option does not allow you to save custom applications. But you can save the data. What needs to be done to carry out this process? The algorithm of actions looks like this.

1. Open the Start menu and click on Settings.
2. Here we select “Update and Security”.
3. Click on the "Recovery" section.
4. At the top there will be the inscription “Return the computer to its original state”, and below it is the “Start” button. We click on it.
5. The wizard will display a window with a choice of recovery options. There are two options here: “Save my files” and “Delete all”. It is better to choose the first option, since when using it, all user data will be saved.

After selecting the desired reset method, the process will begin automatically. It can take from 10 minutes to half an hour. On weak machines, the time can increase to an hour. As a result, the user will receive a fully functional system, as if it had just been installed. This is how you can restore a Windows 10 system on a laptop or PC.

We use an automatic clean installation of the OS

This option in Windows 10 is called “Start over”; it appeared for the first time only with the notorious Creators Update. The most interesting thing is that when using this option, a Windows 10 image is not required at all. The wizard uses files that are already on your hard drive for installation. This option is not hidden deep into the depths of the operating system, which is good news. This means that even a beginner can easily use it. To run this recovery method, you need to do the following:

1. Open the Start menu.
2. Click on the "Options" item.
3. Go to the "Update and Security" section.
4. Click on the "Recovery" tab.
5. Here we look for the inscription “Find out how to start over with a clean installation of Windows” and click on it.
6. The system will redirect the user to the Windows Defender Security Center section.
7. Among other things, there will be a block called “Start over”. You need to click on the "Get Started" button.
8. The wizard will immediately launch and inform you that all installed programs will be removed. You just need to click on "Next".
9. At the next stage, the wizard will display a list of programs to remove. Click "Next".
10. The wizard will now provide recommendations for saving user files. Click on the "Start" button.

The system recovery process will begin immediately. On weak machines it can take from an hour to two. When the process is complete, the computer will reboot. The user will receive an almost clean Windows. Only the necessary drivers will remain. This is how the Windows 10 system is restored on a laptop or PC with the complete removal of all data.

Using a recovery disk

This is the most acceptable option. However, in order to use it, you must first create the same recovery disk. In most cases, this option is used when System Restore in this way is most effective. But first you need to create a disk. To do this, you will need a USB drive with a capacity of at least 16 gigabytes. Everything else is very simple. To create a disc you need to do the following:

1. Open the "Control Panel".
2. Click on the "Recovery" item.
3. We look for “Create a recovery disk” and click on it.
4. A wizard will immediately launch asking you to select the required parameters. Check the box "Back up system files to a recovery disk" and click the "Next" button.

The process will start immediately. Once completed, the wizard will issue a notification. The recovery disk is ready. Now, in case of any failure of Windows, it will be enough to start from the flash drive and restore Win 10. Restoring the system at boot is an excellent step. It will help you achieve the desired result. Almost any damaged files on your hard drive. The installer will simply replace them with the saved backup copies.

Using the command line

Essentially, this is a console option for restoring from an image. Using a special command, a Windows 10 image is created, which is then used for recovery. However, the recovery itself also occurs using the console. So there's a lot to think about here. So, first you need to create a recovery image. But a flash drive is not required for this. It will be enough to save it to another partition of the hard drive (not the system one). We do this using the command line.

1. Press the Win+R key combination and call the “Run” system component.
2. In it, enter “cmd” and press Enter.
3. Now enter “recimg /createimage d:\Imagen-Restaurar” in the console and press Enter. The image creation process will begin.

After it completes, the console will display a message. Now you can start restoring. If the system does not boot, then you will need any flash drive with the Windows 10 or 8.1 distribution recorded on it. You should boot from the flash drive and perform the following steps.

1. When booting, click on "System Restore".
2. Then select "Diagnostics" and "Advanced options".
3. Now click on “Command Prompt”.
4. And now you will first have to understand why the system stopped starting. You need to enter "bootrec.exe" in the console. This action will launch the recovery program with a list of possible commands for a given situation.
5. If you are not sure about the reason for the system crash, you can try entering all the commands in turn. One of them will definitely work.

This recovery process is suitable for advanced users. Beginners may get confused and do the wrong thing. But this method is one of the most effective. This is how you can run Win 10 system recovery via the command line.

Command line, BIOS and safe mode

If the operating system can boot into safe mode, then working with the command line is easier. You can try restoring the Win 10 system through the BIOS using safe mode. When loading the OS, you need to press F8 and select boot in safe mode with command line support. And then follow everything according to the instructions.

1. Open the Start menu and look for the command line.
2. Launch the console by clicking on the appropriate item.
3. In it, enter the command “rstrui.exe” and press Enter.

This command launches the operating system recovery wizard, which will guide the user through the entire process. You just need to follow his recommendations. This method is more suitable for beginners than the option with the command line and installing Win 10. Restoring the system from a flash drive, of course, is much easier. but it may not be as effective.

These recommendations are relevant not only for Windows 10 owners. Users of the "Seven" will also find a lot of useful information in them. First, you should never disable the creation of checkpoints and backups of the working operating system. Often users disable this in the name of saving space. But then such decisions backfire. Restoring the Win 10 system (and any other) using a rollback method (the simplest and most “bloodless”) becomes impossible. Secondly, it is always recommended to have a flash drive with the Windows distribution on it. After all, 10 is an extremely unstable operating system. She can “fall” at the most inopportune moment. And if we take into account the state of affairs with updates from Microsoft, then a drive with an image becomes a necessary attribute for a lover of the Windows OS.

Thirdly, do not neglect studying the capabilities of the command line. It is quite possible that it will help restore the operating system, while all other methods will be ineffective. Fourthly, you need to comprehensively study the capabilities of your computer's BIOS. It is likely that restoring the Win 10 system through BIOS will be the only option. Fifthly, do not neglect basic safety rules. You should not disable the standard protection of Windows 10 (even though it is full of holes). On the contrary, you should add some good antivirus product to it. Sixth, it is worth regularly checking the hard drive (and especially the system partition) for functionality. This will help eliminate the possibility of a system crash due to a hardware glitch.

Conclusion

So, above we discussed how to restore the Windows 10 system using all available methods. Among them there is both a simple rollback to previous checkpoints and a very complex method using the command line and boot options. Almost all of these methods are effective, but some of them may not work for one reason or another. Don't despair. You just have to go through everything. Then your efforts will be crowned with success. Separately, it should be noted that you must perform all actions exactly as described in the instructions. Otherwise, the consequences may be unpredictable. All the steps described above will help restore the Windows 10 operating system, even if it completely refuses to boot.

If the Windows operating system starts to fail, do not rush to reinstall it. Use the restore function, which provides the ability to return Windows to the state before errors or problems occurred. Let's take a closer look at how to start Windows 10 system recovery and all the existing methods.

Why do you need to restore the system?

For someone who has not experienced the need to roll back Windows to a working state, this question makes sense. The operating system is not as stable a thing as many people think; it can fail without user intervention, then you will need to return it to its original state. Here are some more reasons:

• unsuccessful driver or program installation;
• system failure;
• error during loading;
• black screen or blue screen of death.

Here is a sample list of when you might need itrestoring Windows 10 and expanding it can take a very long time, but as basic examples, this list is enough.

All recovery methods

Now let's look at all the current methods for restoring Windows 10 that are currently relevant. You can study them in detail and choose which one is right for your case.

I warn you in advance that it is assumed that you previously activated this function and created a rollback point, since recovery is only possible in this situation.

Via Safe Mode

Restoring Windows 10 from safe mode is a method that is suitable in cases where you cannot boot the OS in normal mode, but everything is fine in safe mode. Follow the algorithm of actions:

Boot Windows in safe mode.

Run Command Prompt as Administrator. To do this, open Windows 10 Search and enter CMD, then right-click on the console application and select"Run as administrator".

At the command prompt, enter the command rstrui.exe and click Enter .


The System Restore window will appear on the screen.


Select an item "Mark another restore point".


Select the desired restore point and click again"Further" .

Follow the instructions on the monitor.

It can be made simpler:

In Safe Mode, open Control Panel.


Choose a section "System and safety".

Click on "File History".


At the bottom left click on"Recovery".


On the next screen you need to select"Run System Restore".

Options

Windows 10 has an additional tool that allows you to reset the system to its original state and save user files. Let’s take a closer look at it:

Press the keyboard shortcut Win+I.

Open section "Update and Security".


Select a section on the left"Recovery".


Click the "Get Started" button.

Wait for the process to complete.

Command line

Restoring the system via the command line involves restoring the bootloader if it is damaged. To accurately understand whether this method is right for you, I explain that when the bootloader is not working, the system does not start and errors occur. Accordingly, if you were unable to boot Windows 10, use this method. However, please note that you need a flash drive with a recorded operating system distribution or disk:

Install the Windows installer media into your PC.

Restart the computer, if necessary, set in the BIOS which device the boot should start from.

When the window appears on the screen"Windows Installation", click on below"System Restore".


Select "Troubleshooting".


Click on the item"Command line".


In the console, enter the command bootrec.exe C:\Windows, but instead of the letter"C" register the one on the disk of which Windows is installed.

Press the Enter key.

If all is well, the system will notify you that the boot record has been successfully restored.

Note!The method is suitable for more advanced users who understand commands and know the partition letters of their hard drives.

Flash drive or recovery disk

In order to use this method, you need to create a Windows 10 system recovery disk or flash drive, that is, write a Windows 10 recovery distribution onto them.

First, let's look at how to create a USB flash drive or Windows recovery disk:

Insert the media into a port or drive on your computer.

Open Control Panel.

Switch to"Large icons".


Open "Recovery".


Click on "Creating a recovery disc".

When it is ready, you should do the following:

Install the disk or flash drive into your PC.

Restart your computer and start booting from the media you just inserted.

The recovery environment will open.

Select the appropriate function and follow the on-screen prompts.

Through the point of retracement

The method will work if you previously created such a point and now want to return to the state of Windows at the time of its creation. This is done as follows:

Select the function to restart your PC with the key pressed SHIFT.

Select the "Diagnostics" section .


Go to "Extra options".


Click on "System Restore".

In the window that opens, click on"Further" .

Check the box"Show other points".

Choose the one you need.

Follow the prompts of the System Restore Wizard.

BIOS

It is through the BIOS that you cannot restore Windows 10, since there is no such function. Through it you can only select from which media the system should boot, for example, it could be a recovery disk:

Open BIOS.

Go to section"Boot".

In the first line, select which device to boot from.

Press F10 and restart your computer.

Advice! Be careful in the BIOS, changing settings may lead to the computer not working.

File history

This function appeared in Windows starting from version eight. Its essence is that copies of important folders and files are saved on a selected external drive or network directory. Then, if necessary, they can be restored.

You can find the function from the control panel, where it is called “File History”. Since it does not allow you to completely restore the system, but only certain files and folders, we will not fully consider it here. Wait for a separate article on this feature.

Uninstalling updates

One of the methods to restore the system to a working state is to remove the latest updates. Use this method if problems with WIndows started after system updates:

Press the keyboard shortcut Win+I.

Select "Update and Security".


On the left click on"Windows Update".


Select "View update history".


Click on "Uninstall updates".


Use the date column to find the latest updates.

Right-click on them and select “ Delete" .

How to restore the registry

The registry save directory in Windows 10 is C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack.

Accordingly, to make a copy, you need to copy its contents. When needed, simply move all the files in this folder and replace them.

Note!To work with this section of Windows, you need administrator rights.

System Restore Errors

It happens when Windows recovery is accompanied by certain errors. Let's look at the most common of them.

Error 0x80070005

Error 0x80070005 during Windows 10 system recovery indicates that there are problems with access rights.

Error 0x80070003

Error 0x80070003 when restoring a Windows 10 system occurs in various cases, for example, a weak network signal or a conflict between files and system components. Solutions to this problem

Error 0x80070017

If error 0x80070017 appears when restoring the Windows 10 system, most likely some system files are damaged, this is the most common reason. Learn more about troubleshooting.

Error 0x81000203

How to reset a laptop to factory settings

Many laptops have the ability to roll back to the state they were in when they left the factory. This is done differently for each model, so we will not describe the algorithms here, but will prepare a separate article. The general principle is that you need to go to the BIOS and select certain settings there.

How long does recovery take?

Many users are interested in how long it takes to restore Windows 10; this question is difficult to answer accurately. It all depends on the method to be used and the specific case. In the best case, this will take from 10 to 30 minutes; in the worst case, the process will drag on for several hours.

What to do if a black screen appears after recovery

In cases where Windows 10 system restore causes a black screen, it is impossible to suggest an exact solution to the problem. This could be a problem with installed components or drivers.

To accurately and guaranteed get rid of the problem, we recommend doing a complete reinstallation of Windows or rolling back to another restore point.

Windows 10, like earlier operating systems, may be susceptible, for example, to virus attacks or system errors. In this regard, specialists from Microsoft have provided their Windows 10 with special built-in functions so that you can quickly restore the operating system, allowing you to effectively return it to a working state. Among these tools, the new product contains, as well as methods that have already been tested over the years, for resuscitating the OS, for example, using a pre-created recovery point or recording an image of the entire OS on an external drive, but also some improved methods have been introduced, such as creating a USB specifically for the possibility of recovery.

This article describes in detail for Windows 10 five methods to ensure quick recovery when system failures occur. The first three methods should be used when not particularly difficult situations arise, and the last two will effectively help even in cases where it is impossible to boot the system. The option of a clean installation of the system will not be considered here, since it already refers to cardinal methods and even in its essence can no longer be called a recovery method, since the OS will be installed “from scratch” (with formatting the system partition of the hard drive) .

Method 1: Using a recovery point

It is envisaged that in automatic mode, Windows 10, like its previous versions, creates points at certain intervals for the possibility of its recovery. But at any time the user can always save such a point in manual mode. For example, before making any important adjustments to the system or before installing applications and special software.

The main advantage of method 1 is that after the procedure, all information on the user’s computer is saved and only software installed after the restore point date will be deleted.

If the user is interested in the question: “How to restore the OS using 1 method?”, then the algorithm of actions is as follows:

Method 2: Restore to factory state

The Ten has added a feature that allows you to return your PC to factory settings. This method provides the ability to perform a total system rollback or without affecting the personal information of the owner stored on the computer.

How to restore the OS using the reset function? To do this, you need to perform the following sequential steps:

Method 3: Using the file backup function

In Windows 10, there is a convenient “File History” function, with which the user can independently or by setting automatic execution in the settings, create backup copies of information stored on the PC. To do this, you just need to enable this setting and show what exactly needs to be reserved. The time interval after which copies of files should be created is specified in the settings. This, in the event of failures or errors in the OS, will allow you to quickly and without investing much effort, return your information and resume full-fledged work with them.

Method 4: through creating a USB disk

In cases where the OS does not start at all, the first three methods will not help. In this case, you will need to use the recovery disk, which allows you to use additional boot options.

The algorithm of actions consists of the following stages:

Method 5: Using bootable media with Windows 10

If you do not have a previously created recovery disk and if you cannot boot your PC, you will need to use bootable media with Windows 10 to restore the system. Bootable (installation) media is created on a USB flash drive or DVD.

Let's try to restore Windows 10 and deal with the many options in order of increasing complexity. Actually, they have a lot in common: in all cases, without exception, except for a full restore of Windows 10, we will need a backup copy.

To begin with - the most important files and documents, and ideally - the entire system disk... To ensure the reliability of the system, we need to secure the most important disk - the first, system, as well as our user information, that is, documents. You can do this in several ways:

1. Resetting your computer to its original state
2. Using File History
3. Using restore points
4. From the system image
5. Using a disk

How to restore Windows 10 to its original state

The first thing you need to pay attention to when you want to restore Windows 10 to its original state is the “Restore” function. To do this, open Settings >> Update & Security >> Recovery and click the "Start" button.

There are two options available here. Restore the computer to its original state. “Reset” with the removal of all installed programs, with or without saving personal files. This last resort should be used in emergencies... and if you have a backup copy of all valuable information.

The last item of this menu offers a clean installation of Windows using the new Refresh program - this is the same reset, only with the subsequent reinstallation of Windows 10 from the “distribution” automatically downloaded from the network. We will use this method only in cases where a regular “reset” is impossible.

In both cases, first take care of backing up your documents and photos - unless, of course, they are stored in the cloud or on a separate disk. Remember: a system reset only affects the main, system drive; all other drives in your system remain safe.

Recovery disk

If the computer refuses to start, then the installation disk or recovery disk that we created earlier will come to our aid (Read: How to create a Windows 10 recovery disk). To start from removable media, you need to make some settings. Using the boot menu, set to boot from USB Flash Disk, only then will we be able to boot from the disk.

Once in the recovery environment, you will be faced with multiple tasks, even rolling back to the initial state if other methods do not help.

Recovery Mode Windows 10

Restore point

Creating "restore points", that is, backup copies of configuration files and important system files. They take up little space, but will allow you to revive the system in the vast majority of cases. Windows periodically (usually when installing new programs) creates snapshots of the system state. And if you have several such “points” at your disposal, you can return the system “back to the past.” And not until the birth of life on your computer, but just a day or two ago, until the “glitch” appeared.

To do this, we need to head to the old System Restore menu in Control Panel (System and Security section) - you already know that the easiest way to get to it is by typing the word “Recovery” in the search bar.

Click on the line “Run system restore” - a “calendar” will open in front of us, which will list all the restore points. And at the same time - the programs before the installation of which they were created. And if you know for sure that your system was “ruined” by a video card driver, just find its name in the list and roll back to the date before its installation.

One subtlety: by default, the “restore point” system in Windows 10 is disabled. And if you are going to use it, then the first time you start a computer with a “fresh” system, you need to turn it on and configure it. This is done in the System Recovery Settings menu: note that it is enabled separately for each disk on your computer (if you have several of them on your computer, I recommend limiting it to the system one only). In addition, you can configure the amount of disk space allocated for storing “points” - the more space you allocate, the more “points” the system can save.

The Windows 10 recovery procedure is reversible: in case of failure, you can easily return the system to its previous state

Using File History

It is better to store documents and photos in the “cloud” from the very beginning, that is, not in folders on the Desktop, as we are used to, but in storage devices such as Dropbox or OneDrive (if this is more convenient for you, create a “shortcut” for these folders on the Desktop) . See How to use cloud storage.

If you don’t trust the Network, store them in special Documents folders, and enable OneDrive Backup in the system settings, and if you have a separate drive (for example, an external USB hard drive), use Backup using File histories.

Unfortunately, this method only protects your information, but not system files; it will not help restore Windows 10 after a failure.

Hello.

Folk wisdom: There are two types of people - those who do not yet make backups, and there are those who already do them.

Needless to say, a backup created on time can save a lot of nerves, time and data. In general, Windows 10 (as far as I have become familiar with it) is a fairly “stable” system, at least in comparison with Windows XP, and it is much more difficult to “kill” it with your incompetent actions. But still...

In this article I want to dwell on the most common questions regarding Windows recovery, creating checkpoints and other issues. The article will be useful for those who are simply thinking about what to do if Windows “flies” tomorrow, and for those for whom something has stopped working (errors and crashes have begun to appear), and for those who no longer boot Windows and he wants to get his computer working again. So, I will consider all the questions in order.

How to set up the creation of system restore points

Important note: I don’t know why, but in Windows 10, by default, the function of automatically creating checkpoints (to which you can rollback Windows) is disabled! Therefore, I think that the first step in an article of this kind is to show how to enable this function. What’s strange is that before this, in Windows 7, 8, this function was always enabled!

Actions in order

1) First we open Windows control panel, go to the section " System and safety", then open the “System” section (see screenshot below).

System and Security / Windows 10

3) After, you need to select the system drive (on which Windows is installed - it is marked with an icon) - usually this is " local drive C:\ (system)", and click the "Configure" button.

1. switch the slider position to " Enable system protection";
2. move the slider to the right - we determine the place, which will be allocated for recovery points;
3. save the settings (clearly shown in the photo below).

Now system protection is enabled, Windows will make backups from time to time. By the way, the more space on your hard drive you allocate for backups, the more points you will have. As soon as the space is used up, each new point will overwrite the old one...

Creating a checkpoint manually

By the way, immediately after enabling automatic point creation, I recommend creating a point manually (especially if everything is working as it should for you so far :)).

To do this, click the "Create" button, the tab is still the same "" (by the way, this button has become active (previously it was impossible to click on it)).

Creating a restore point

After which, Windows will “think” for a minute or two, and a checkpoint will be created (by the way, Windows will notify you about this in a separate window). Actually, that’s all for the sim about “manual” work...

Note! I recommend creating a restore point manually whenever you are going to change drivers (for example), or perform any actions with the system registry.

Running recovery from Windows

How to open the recovery window (option 1)

Open the Windows Control Panel at the following address: Control Panel\System and Security\System

Then in the window that opens, click the "Restore" button (shown in the screenshot below).

After which, the "" window should appear. Windows will warn you that this operation will not affect your documents, but drivers and programs installed before creating the restore point will be deleted. Click next...

Afterwards a window with recovery points will appear. Now you need to select the desired point and click next.

Selecting a restore point

By default, Windows selects the most recent (i.e. most recent) point and prompts you to agree and click next. The last point is not always the solution to the problem. You need to select the point at which Windows was working normally for you. You can navigate by the date the point was created and its description.

Note:

1. some points may be marked as "critical". There is nothing wrong with this; usually, they are created during a system update;
2. If you select a specific point and click the "Search for affected programs" button, you can find out which programs will be changed when you roll back the system. For example, you will find out which programs will not work after a rollback - i.e. they will have to be reinstalled.

The last step is to agree and confirm to roll back the system to the previously created restore point. The computer will then restart and the changes will take effect.

System Restore: Confirm Rollback

Second way to open the recovery window

There is another faster and easier way to open the recovery window in Windows 10. To do this:

1. open the search window (the “magnifying glass” icon is located next to the START button);
2. enter the word “recovery” into the search bar (most likely, you won’t have to enter the entire word);
3. Among the results found, open the one you need (each step is illustrated in the screenshot below).

How to roll back Windows 10 to a restore point if your computer won't boot

It’s good when Windows at least boots and you can normally open the control panel, the security section and enable the rollback function. And when does it not load? In this case, you need an installation DVD or flash drive. In my article I will focus on the second :). So, first things first...

Preparing and creating a bootable USB flash drive (if you don’t have one)

In general, I advise more than once, but it is better to use the flash drive with which you installed Windows - do nothing, save it and have it in reserve. Such a flash drive will help you out more than once. If your Windows won't boot and you don't have such a flash drive, you'll have to ask a friend or neighbor for help (if you don't have a second PC/laptop).

Remark! In order not to repeat myself (especially since the topic is extensive), I recommend that you read the following article on my website:. The article provides various options for creating bootable flash drives: Windows Xp/7/8/10, UEFI, multiboot, etc.

BIOS settings. Selecting boot media (i.e. “our” flash drive)

To boot from the installation USB flash drive with Windows, you need to configure the BIOS accordingly. In general, there is nothing complicated in setting up the BIOS (in terms of changing the boot order). Rather, the problem often lies in an incorrectly written bootable media.

In general, in my opinion, it is much more convenient to use a special boot menu - Boot Menu (English title). It can be called up when you turn on your computer/laptop. The point is that in this menu you can select the device from which to boot the computer (without going into the BIOS at all!).

Each manufacturer has its own hotkeys for entering the Boot Menu, for example, Acer laptops have F12, Samsung laptops have Esc. Press them immediately after turning on the computer/laptop. After this, usually a special menu appears in which we must select our media (an example is shown below). An expanded list of manufacturers is also available at the link below.

Hot keys (buttons): BIOS boot menu, Boot Menu, Boot Agent, BIOS Setup. Laptops and computers -

System rollback using a restore point

If the flash drive is written correctly, the Bios is configured correctly, then the Windows installation should start. Please note that on the screen on which you will be asked to install the OS, there is a link “” at the bottom of the window, and you need to click it (see screenshot below, note: green arrow).

In additional parameters - select the very first tab " System Restore (system restore using a restore point)" (see screenshot below).

Then a standard window should open asking you to roll back the system to a previously created point.

Recovery of boot records

By the way, it is not always necessary to look for a backup point and roll back the computer to it. When Windows stops loading (suddenly, for no reason at all), it is most often due to damaged boot records.

To restore them, just go to the " Extra options" (see the previous step of the article) select the tab not "", but "" (see screenshot below: green arrow under the number 2).

Windows itself will automatically diagnose and try to restore functionality.

Addition. Even in cases where the OS tells you that the attempt to restore boot records was unsuccessful, try rebooting the computer; not once in my “practice” (despite this error), after such a procedure, Windows booted successfully.

Creating a full system image

Windows 10 has one good backup option - creating an image of the entire system on a separate disk or DVD (you will need several, in my opinion it is better to use an external hard drive, or a second disk - if you have 2+ of them in the system).

The difference between this method and classic restore points is that this method creates a complete archive with all programs, drivers, user files, settings, shortcuts, etc. that are on the system.

Note. It makes sense to create such an image when you have everything set up and everything works well. Typically, this time comes after 2-3 days after installing Windows.

Creating an image

1) First open control Panel, then section " system and safety", then " Backup and Restore" (an example is shown in the screenshot below).

3) Now you need to specify the media on which the image will be saved. Usually, they choose an external hard drive (or a “large” flash drive of 64 GB, 128 GB, for example).

4) Here you need to indicate which disks you want to archive. Windows, by default, includes the disk on which it is installed and several system partitions. If this is not enough for you, you can include other local drives.

Note. Pay attention to the space that will be needed for archiving. Windows will show you the free space on your media and the required backup space. When selecting several more local drives, the required space for archiving will increase in proportion to the selected drives.

Using an image. When you start having “problems” with Windows 10, you can quickly and easily roll it back completely to its previous state using this image. To start recovery from such an image, there are 2 ways:

1. - use a recovery disk;
2. - in the Windows setup program, select: Diagnostics/Advanced options/System image recovery.

Addition. By the way, you can make a complete cloning of a hard drive using third-party programs (many of them, frankly speaking, have many more options and are more convenient to use than standard Windows tools). For example, such programs are: Acronis True Image, EASEUS Disk Copy, Paragon Drive Backup Personal, etc.

We fix the functionality + clean Windows from viruses using AVZ

It's no secret that problems with Windows are often caused by viruses and adware. Often for this reason, many users want to restore their Windows OS. If you start to see advertising banners appear on your desktop, on websites (where they didn’t exist before), your browser constantly opens tabs (that you didn’t ask it to open) - most likely you have picked up adware (this “infection” is very popular now).

To get rid of all this “good” and restore the computer’s functionality, I recommend using the utility - AVZ.

AVZ

One of the best antivirus utilities, no installation required. Works with all popular versions of Windows: XP, 7, 8, 10. Main tasks solved in it:

• - removal of SpyWare and AdWare inserts, modules (more relevant than ever - advertisements and other “good” constantly pop up in browsers);
• - search and elimination of Dialer (Trojan.Dialer);
• - neutralization of Trojan programs;
• - closing holes (BackDoor);
• - removal of network and mail worms;
• - neutralization: TrojanSpy, TrojanDownloader, TrojanDropper, etc.

In addition to neutralizing viruses, this program can restore system settings, close some “holes” by setting optimal parameters. Let's get down to business :).

1) Virus check

This is the first place to start working with AVZ. Even if you have an antivirus installed, it will still be a good idea to run your AVZ computer. The fact is that this antivirus utility “sees” and finds a lot of “good” that ordinary antiviruses miss.

To scan your computer for viruses, run AVZ, select the drives (be sure to select the system drive) and click the START button. Fortunately, scanning is quite fast (relative to third-party programs of a similar kind).

The second thing I recommend is to set the optimal settings (it’s no secret that not all default settings in Windows provide the optimal level of security). So, AVZ finds such problematic settings and offers you to fix them (the program fixes them itself automatically).

To run such a wizard: go to the "File" menu and select "".

Quite often, “problems” with Windows also occur due to the fact that viruses and adware change some system files, edit files, and introduce “malicious” lines into them. Because of this, for example, you see ads in your browser, even on sites where they shouldn’t be!

You can also restore many system settings in AVZ if you go to: " File/System Restore". The program will offer a whole list of various options for recovery (all options are shown in the screenshot below).

Note. If you unknowingly check all the boxes and click restore, then nothing criminal will happen, just the system settings will return to their original form, as if you had just installed Windows.

I'll wrap this up, have a good and quick fix of Windows!