1. System Restore BCIS 3680 & BCIS 4630

2. Better Safe than Sorry  Before installing programs used in this course (NetBeans, MySQL, etc.), it’s highly recommended that you set up a system restore point first.  Later, if the installation goes south for any reason, you can easily revert to the point before the installation starts.  System Restore removes the program files created by the software installation.  The program folder and/or program shortcuts in the Start menu may remain after the restore.  If you prefer, you may delete the program folder and/or program shortcuts manually. 2

3. Starting System Control Panel  Right-click the Computer icon on your desktop and select “Properties”. 3

4. Enabling System Restore  You need to enable system restore before you can use it.  In the System control panel, click the System protection link. 4

5. Enabling System Restore  System Restore is drive- specific.  By default, it is turned off for all drives.  You can selectively turn it on for some drives but leave it off for the others.  Select a drive you want to enable System Restore and click “Configure”. 5

6. Configuring System Restore  Click the first radio button.  Allocate the amount of disk space to use for System Restore.  The more disk space you allocate for System Restore, the more restore points you may keep.  But don’t overdo it. Windows purges restore points periodically any ways.  Click “OK”. 6

7. Configuring System Restore  Turn on System Restore for all the drives that you may install programs to.  Click “OK” when you’re done with all drives. 7

8. Creating a Restore Point  To create a restore point, go back to the System control panel and click “System protection” again. 8

9. Creating a Restore Point  Click “Create” button.  You do NOT have to select any drives from the box above. The new restore point will be created for all drives with System Restore enabled. 9

10. Naming a Restore Point  Give a descriptive name to the restore point. Then click “Create”.  Later it will help you locate the exact point to restore your system to. 10

11. Restore Point Creation  Now, just sit tight and wait…  After a restore point is created, go ahead and install the software (NetBeans, MySQL, etc.). 11

12. Restoring to a Restore Point  In the case that installation fails and causes problems that are more easily fixed by restarting from a clean slate, go to the System control panel and click System protection yet another time. 12

13. Starting a Restore  Click the “System Restore” button this time. 13

14. Starting a Restore  Click “Next”. 14

15. Selecting a Restore Point  Select the restore point you want to restore your system to, and then click “OK”.  Note that Windows automatically creates some restore points for you.  It may also automatically create restore points when you install new applications. But this is not a guaranteed behavior. In other words, installation of an application may or may not trigger the creation of a restore point by Windows.  It is much safer to create manual restore points. It doesn’t hurt to have an automatic and a manual restore points for the same software installation. 15

16. Selecting a Restore Point 16

17. Selecting a Restore Point 17

18. Starting the Restore  Click “Yes” to confirm.  Your system will reboot during the process. 18

19. System Restore  Windows takes longer to load after system restore.  After the system restore is done, you will see a message box about the restore status.  Again, you may have to manually remove some file folders and/or Start menu shortcuts created by the previous program installation. 19