No System Restore Tab in Computer Properties

I am getting ready to follow the instructions in the article " DO NOT POST UNTIL YOU HAVE READ THIS: How to: Spyware, Trojan And Virus Removal" but I can't complete the first preparation step - Turn off system restore. The tab isn't available. Any ideas how to get it back or should I proceed and not worry about turning off system restore?

Thanks

Greg Schreurs

 

Thanks Chas.

Sorry about not telling you that the question was for XP Home. Followed your directions and when I tried to launch System Restore I got the following message:

System Restore has been turned off by group policy. To turn on System Restore, contact your domain Administrator.

This is a private machine that has no domain administrator. Any way of removing this policy in XP Home - short of a reload.

thanks

Greg Schreurs

 

Morning Chas,

Found the following to re-enable System Restore.

Symptoms.

System Restore tab may be missing in My Computer Properties, or when you start System Restore (rstrui.exe), you receive this message:

"System Restore has been turned off by group policy. To turn on System Restore, contact your domain Administrator."

-or-

System Restore Properties page says disabled by Group Policy

Solution:

* Click Start, Run and type REGEDIT and press Enter
* Navigate to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Policies \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ SystemRestore

* In the right-pane:

* Delete the value DisableConfig
* Delete the value DisableSR

For Windows XP Professional, you can accomplish the above using Group Policy Editor as well.

* Click Start, Run and type GPEDIT.MSC
* Navigate to this path:

=> Computer Configuration
==> Administrative Templates
===> System
====> System Restore

* Set Turn off System Restore to Not Configured
* Set Turn off Configuration to Not Configured


Works like a charm to bring back the system restore page.

Greg

 

Yes, With the above solution to restoring the system restore tab, I was able to complete the process and the machine is now clean. Thanks.

Greg