I found this in a few different places around the 'net - hopefully it's helpful:

Restore the Operating System to a Previous State in Windows XP

This article describes how to use the System Restore tool to return your computer to a previous working state. System Restore takes a "snapshot" of critical system files and some program files and stores this information as restore points. You can use these restore points to return Windows XP to a previous state.

If Windows XP Does Not Start If Windows does not start, restart Windows by using the Last Known Good Configuration feature:

• Start the computer and then press the F8 key when Windows begins to start. The Windows Advanced Options menu appears.
• Use the ARROW keys to select Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked), and then press ENTER.

If a boot menu appears, use the ARROW keys to select Microsoft Windows XP, and then press ENTER. Windows XP restores the computer to the most recent restore point. If Windows XP Does Start

• Log on to Windows as Administrator.
• Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore. System Restore starts.
• On the Welcome to System Restore page, click Restore my computer to an earlier time (if it is not already selected), and then click Next.
• On the Select a Restore Point page, click the most recent system checkpoint in the On this list, click a restore point list, and then click Next. A System Restore message may appear that lists configuration changes that System Restore will make.
  
• Click OK.
• On the Confirm Restore Point Selection page, click Next. System Restore restores the previous Windows XP configuration, and then restarts the computer.
  
• Log on to the computer as Administrator. The System Restore Restoration Complete page appears.
• Click OK.

Troubleshooting You may inadvertently restore Windows XP to a previous configuration that you do not want.

To undo the restoration:

• Log on to Windows as Administrator.
• Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore. System Restore starts.
• On the Welcome to System Restore page, click Undo my last restoration, and then click Next. A System Restore message may appear that lists configuration changes that System Restore will make.
  
• Click OK.
• On the Confirm Restoration Undo page, click Next. System Restore restores the original Windows XP configuration, and then restarts the computer.
• Log on to the computer as Administrator. The System Restore Undo Complete page appears.
• Click OK.

Windows system restore is certainly a life saver tool (one more reason why I love Microsoft products). I have done it a couple of times. Thanks cscgal for sharing it with us.

No prob Just watch out that it does a clean job. Sometimes it makes a few small booboos in the registry, especially if software has been installed/uninstalled since the restore date. It's reliable though, which is saying a lot coming out of my mouth.

If the Damage to Windows XP is severe...but you are able to boot into windows at any stage or by using an older restore point....then its worth trying a full repair by going to START....RUN and typing sfc /scannow

This will ask you for your original XP CD and will replace any altered KEY SYSTEM files back to the originals working ones...it will also restore windows to a pre-service pack state so you will have to re run the SP1 file.


Cheerio

:rolleyes: Good advice, however most boxes purchased these days have XP preinstalled and you do not get the CD.

Is there a work around?

Also, does XP automatically set random restore points, or is this a setting that needs to be configured?

I have never posted before, but I haven't found an answer.

I am running XP Pro on my work laptops:
-P III
-800MHz
-256 MB Ram

On one laptop windows won't boot. I was having pci.sys and setupdd.sys errors when booting from the XP cd, but I extracted the pci.sys file and reseated the loose Ram. The computer still will not load windows. It boots, but crashes during the XP boot screen. I tried Safe Mode, Last Good Config, and Normal, no difference.

Because it is a work computer, I need to salvage the information on the hard drive.

Let me know if this is already posted somewhere, or if I should post it elsewhere.

Thanks!

ok like if i am unable to boot into the windows in anyway is there a way to do a system restore through the dos mode or through any mode if suppose the system is only able to get into the dos mode in xp say by putting in a bootable floppy.

well if u want to format the hard drive what u can do is u can get a bootable floppy of win 98 and insert it and then let the system boot from it then u can go in to your drive and format it with the format command.

No, chryslerIII, that's not necessarily correct. That will only work for people who have the hard drive partitioned as FAT32 partitions, because the Win98 boot floppy cannot handle NTFS partitions.

And frankly, anyone using Windows XP on FAT32 partitions is a bit silly!

Thanks dani