System Restore is your friend

It sometimes happens that you install some new hardware or program which then wreaks havoc on your computer.  You may experience unusual program crashes or error messages, and they can sometimes be difficult to diagnose.

Usually the easiest option is to run System Restore and return your computer to a state prior to the offending outsider.  Sometimes your PC is so messed up that you cannot even get to the System Restore program, even in Safe Mode.  Now what do you do?

Just because Windows has a nifty user interface doesn't mean that you can't run the program from the command prompt.  Everything you can do from the graphical user interface can be done through a command prompt, so let's run System Restore that way.

If necessary, you may need to start your computer in Safe Mode by pressing F8 during startup.  When the boot option appears, select "Safe Mode with command prompt."  You can then login to your computer using an account with administrator access.

Once you're at a command prompt, type the following command to run System Restore:

C:\Windows\System32\rstrui.exe

Now you're presented with the familiar System Restore wizard, and can get your PC back to the way it was before everything went to hell.

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