Windows XP contains system recovery information, including the operating system, device drivers and software required for a complete system restoration, in a separate partition on your hard drive. You can set your operating system to create regular "restore points" so that you can roll back your system to a certain date. System recovery can be completed through a set of CDs or DVDs that you create, or directly from the restore partition by pressing the F11 key during system bootup.
Step 1
Start your computer.
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Step 2
Press the "F11" key within the first three seconds of the boot process.
Step 3
Click either the "Non-Destructive System Restore (Recommended)" option or the "Full System Restore (Destructive)" option.
Step 4
Follow the prompts to restore the system.
Step 5
Restart the computer when prompted.