You installed a new utility, only to find out that it completely stuffed up your computer.

What do you do now? Uninstalling the wayward utility would be the obvious path but even then your computer might still be prone to cyber coughing attacks.

Fortunately, Windows features a built-in tool that can turn the clock back to just before you installed that bothersome utility: System Restore.

It periodically takes a "snapshot" of your critical system files and some program files, saving this info as restore points. It also takes a snapshot each time you install or uninstall programs.

So when your computer goes bonkers, you can restore it to a previous healthy state by returning to one of these restore points. Unless you know exactly at what point the computer went belly-up, repeated System Restores might be needed to return your computer to the healthiest point in its recent history.

By default Windows will automatically set restore points, but you can also set manual ones if you feel like it. Here's how...

In Windows XP:

1. Log in to Windows as an Administrator.
2. Click on "Start", "All Programs", "Accessories", "System Tools", and then select "System Restore".
3. You'll be greeted by a "Welcome to System Restore" window. Select "Set a restore point".
4. Click "Next".
5. In the "Restore Point Description", type a name for the restore point. System Restore will automatically add the date and time, so just type something like "Backup".
6. Click "Create".
7. Click "Close".

In Windows Vista:

1. Log in to Windows as an Administrator.
2. Click on "Start", "All Programs", "Accessories", "System Tools", and then select "System Restore".
3. You'll be greeted by a "Restore system files and settings" window. Click on the "open System Protection" link at the bottom of the window.
4. A new window pops up. Under the "System Protection" tab, make sure the block next to the drive that you want to set a restore point for is ticked under the "Available disks" heading.
5. Next to the heading "You can create a restore point right now for the disks selected above", click on the "Create" button.
6. Another new window pops up, labelled "Create a restore point". In the field provided, type in a name for the restore point. System Restore will automatically add the date and time, so just type something like "Backup".
7. Click "Create".
8. Windows will now create the restore point. When it's finished, click "OK".
9. Click "OK" again.

Now, to restore to a restore point...

In Windows XP:

1. Log in to Windows as an Administrator.
2. Click on "Start", "All Programs", "Accessories", "System Tools", and then select 'System Restore'.
3. You'll be greeted by a "Welcome to System Restore" page. Select "Restore my computer to an earlier time".
4. Click "Next".
5. If a "System Restore" message appears listing the configuration changes System Restore will make, click "OK".
6. Click "Next" on the "Confirm Restore Point Selection" window.
7. The previous Windows XP configuration is restored, and the PC restarted.
8. Log on as an Administrator again.
9. Click "OK" on the "System Restore Restoration Complete" page that appears.

In Windows Vista:

1. Log in to Windows as an Administrator.
2. Click on "Start", "All Programs", "Accessories", "System Tools", and then select 'System Restore'.
3. You'll be greeted by a "Restore system files and settings" window.
4. Windows gives you two options from which to restore: you can either let Windows suggest the most likely restore point, or you can pick a restore point yourself. Make your selection on the "Restore system files and settings" window.
5. Click "Next".
6. (If you opted to choose your own restore point, on the next page select the restore point you want from the list and then click on "Next".)
7. Confirm the restore point and click on "Finish".
8. The previous Windows XP configuration is restored, and the PC restarted.
9. Log on as an Administrator again.
10. Click "OK" on the "System Restore Restoration Complete" page that appears.

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