Window XP Manual System Restore
This is how to manually revert to a previous system restore point in Windows XP. Use these steps when your computer fails to boot into Windows in normal mode or safe mode, AND the affected hard drive is connected to another working system via a USB enclosure or an IDE/SATA to USB adaptor.
1. Create a folder called "temp".
2. Goto C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG on bad hard drive.
3. Copy the following files from the CONFIG folder and into the "temp" folder.
system
software
security
sam
default
4. Modify the 5 filenames by adding the ".bak" extension to the end them.
5. Ensure your system's Folder Options is set to un-hide OS Files and Hidden files, and disable Simple File Sharing.
6. Goto the folder named "System Volume Information" the root C: drive of the bad drive. Change security/permission settings in order to access the folder.
* If the System Volume Information folder does not exist, then System Restore was never enabled from beginning. Game over. Transfer any important files from the bad hard drive onto a backup location and reinstall windows on the bad hard drive.
7. While inside the "System Volume Information" folder, there will be some folders named "_restore{some HEX digits}". Open the folder with the most recent date.
8. Then open the most recently dated folder named "RP##"
9. Open the "snapshot" folder
10. copy the following five files into the "temp" folder.
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM
_REGISTRY_USER_.DEFAULT
11. Modify the filenames by removing ALL text except for SAM, SECURITY, SOFTWARE, SYSTEM and, DEFAULT on the end.
12. Copy these five files into C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG
14. Reboot and verify successful restore!!
* If system is working, but loaded into the wrong restore point, then try a different restore point via START menu.