System Restore: can it be run manually w/o windows interface?

[Eugene Beer]

I'm trying to restore my corrupt XP system to a previously known good
point. When it boots to the desktop, all I have is the wallpaper--no
icons, no Start button, no Task bar. I can run System Restore via
Task Mgr (CTRL-ALT-DELETE) by typing in rstrui.exe, but that brings up
a completely blank window with the title "System Restore."

Is there a way to restore the registry to a backup copy by simply
copying files?

I already tried at bootup time hitting F8 and choosing Restore System
to a Previously Known Good Point. That didn't fix my problem (I don't
know if, in fact, it really did pull in a backup registry and system
settings.)

Thanks,
Eugene

 

[Bobbie Harder \(MSFT\)]

Eugene- Last Known Good is not System Restore. To try to restore your
machine from SafeMode, try these steps:
From F8 menu, choose the SafeMode option. Once the system boots into
SafeMode, Start System Restore from the start menu and choose a point where
you know the machine was working well.

Let me know and thanks
Bobbie Harder
PM, System Restore

 

[Alex Nichol]

I'm trying to restore my corrupt XP system to a previously known good
point. When it boots to the desktop, all I have is the wallpaper--no
icons, no Start button, no Task bar. I can run System Restore via
Task Mgr (CTRL-ALT-DELETE) by typing in rstrui.exe, but that brings up
a completely blank window with the title "System Restore."

Is there a way to restore the registry to a backup copy by simply
copying files?

See the method at http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;307545
as your best hope