Execute System Restore from the Command Line / Safe Boot
Contributed by David Kirk 
Tagged: Windows System restore not working well for you. You’ll have much better success running it from the command line.
Running System Restore from the command line is often the only way to get a system back up and running. I’ll describe it from the initial boot.
- 1. Restart your system
2. When the system first boots, type F8 to bring up the boot menu
3. Select the Safe Mode with Command Prompt option
4. Log-on as administrator if needed
5. At your command prompt type
%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe 6. Hit Enter
6. This will open the system restore wizard…
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Rob said on November 2, 2008
Try
c:windowssystem32restorerstrui.exe
That sould work on most systems.
Alexandra said on February 12, 2009
It helped but the problem i that my system restore doesnt even show up! =( Any advice?
Bill said on March 4, 2009
Very useful information. It help me to restore my computer to a prioe time for fixing a system issue.
Thanks
gp said on May 22, 2009
Tried this, rstrui.exe wont execute!
Jeremy said on June 2, 2009
I had a virus that was locking my computer down today. And if it weren’t for this helpful tip from this site, I would have had issues. Just follow what I did below. I didn’t use the cmd.exe (command prompt) function.
Shut down your computer, and then wait a couple minutes.
Start up your computer, and press f8 until the black screen with options pops up.
Choose Safe Mode. You don’t need the command prompt.
And then a pop up will come up asking you a Yes or No question. It should say “Click No if you want to skip to System Restore.”
Click No. And then the System Restore program starts up, and then revert back to a date where you KNOW your computer was working and/or didn’t have a virus. I hope this helps any of you.
Anonymous said on August 2, 2009
thanks, it ok
Roland said on October 20, 2009
What if XP won’t boot?
I’m managing to boot to Command prompt from XP CD, Repair, However I cannot start rstrui.exe there.
Anonymous said on October 22, 2009
What if nothing comes up even when Safe Mode w/ Command Prompt option is selected? I get a black screen with Safe Mode all around but no icons or menu bars, nothing. Is there another way to access the command prompt?
I really need help fast…Thanks
donmars said on November 6, 2009
Only problem is, if you really had a virus before then you still have a virus now!!!
Anonymous said on December 29, 2009
I think a system restore will work for me; my problem is windows xp sp2 was installed on my computer clumsy me, I already had it installed now whenever I turn my computer on it goes to windows xp setup, then a light blue screen the restarts, I did the F8 method and tried; safe mode, safe mode with cmd, safe mode with networking, last known good settings, and disable auto restart on system failure, but when safe mode starts loading it says a quick pop up that I THINK says (operation was unsuccessful) then restarts when I do last known good settings and the disable restart it just goes to the windows xp light blue screen then retarts, if I try repairing it by booting with cd it says 39 mins left, the. At 23 mins it tell me it cannot get a file name (mndsh.dl)
Anonymous said on February 6, 2010
when you enter rstrui.exe in the command prompt then hit enter go to your task manager and click on the tab that says processes once you have done that locate rstrui.exe and right click and select open or open location depending on what system you have the wait once open start your system restore.
Veeramani said on March 19, 2010
Dear sir
when i apply this %systemroot%system32restorerstrui.exe command “The system cannot find path specified. what is the problem.
Jack said on April 21, 2010
rstrui.exe would not work for me, but Jeremys fix did work. Many thanks.
Brian said on April 30, 2010
Will this work even when a virus has corrupted the .exe file system?
Anonymous said on May 10, 2010
would this work if my problem is that my vista keeps loading in the Microsoft Corporation?
Sayne said on June 21, 2010
same thing is happening to me… it’s lame. let me know if you found a solution to this problem
Naruto_fan_42@hotmail.com
Minesh said on June 23, 2010
That was great help. It saved my time from doing the manual system restore and using that hell lot of commands.
Kudos to great suggestion !!!!!!!!!!
FLRN said on July 4, 2010
When I type in the rstrui.exe it tells me The command is not recognized. It tells me this even if I’m in the restore directory.
Rajurawatjet said on July 6, 2010
not full
Kellzo14 said on July 7, 2010
all i did was type “rstrui.exe” into the command prompt. it worked fine for me. simple
Sarveshchaurasia12345 said on August 1, 2010
this is not working
Cateanne said on August 5, 2010
When I tried to select the Safe Mode with command prompt but after hitting Enter, I was just brought back to the same options (Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking, etc. )..
Please advise.
KelsoMaster said on August 13, 2010
When I type “%systemroot%system32restorerstrui.exe” or “c:windowssystem32restorerstrui.exe” a message box pops up saying “System Restore is not able to protect your computer. Please restart your computer, then run System Restore again.” Also when I try to run just the “rstrui.exe” it says in CMD “rstrui.exe is not recognized as an internal or external command.” The thing is, I’ve already restarted my pc like 5 times, I’m running it in safe mode, I’m so upset about this. I don’t want to format my pc cause I’ll lose files that I don’t want to lose. What can I do?
lindaLshteh said on September 27, 2010
I accidentally deleted icons from my homepage, e-mail. sports stocks sports ect, how do I get it back.
Kumar said on October 15, 2010
system32configsystem error any body can help?
Reynold Nolasco Canay said on October 26, 2010
sir yah i try it twice.. but the procedure you shown above doesn’t work to my computer, it says” THE SYSTEM CANNOT FIND THE PATH SPECIFIED” anyone can help me about this matter?just pls e mail me for the reply creynolf@yahoo.com thanks.
Reynold Nolasco Canay said on October 26, 2010
i think so
try to restore your windows registry sir.
,,
Bobslob said on October 28, 2010
PROBLEM:system resore wont work on my comand prom
ANSWER: type: start in comand promp, a new window will pop up and then type: rstrui.exe and system restore should pop up
Boga said on November 3, 2010
i noticed many users have said they cannot run the command rstrui.exe they get an invalid command error message, if you are attempting to use this command you must use the full path: c:windowssystem32restorerstrui.exe
otherwise windows will not know what you are talking about.
There is the other issue that the rtrui.exe command may need to be run in “elevated” mode I.E. as an administrator account in which case:
runas /user:localmachinenameadministrator cmd
or
runas /user:localmachinenameadministrator c:windowssystem32restorerstrui.exe
read more here:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/runas.mspx?mfr=true
Shaw_shaun said on November 14, 2010
when I tried the %systemroot%system32restorerstrui.exe I lost my taskbar.
QUARKKING said on November 21, 2010
FIND A FRIEND WHO HAS A COMPUTER THAT WORKS. GOOGLE SPYBOT SEARCH AND DESTROY. INSTALL SPYBOT INTO THE CPMPUTER. IT WILL RESIDE IN THE PROGRAM FILES.
FIND SPYBOT UPDATE. UPDATE THE DEFINITIONS. THEN COPY THE SPYBOT PROGRAM ONTO A CD. PLACE THE CD INTO THE BAD COMPUTER. FROM THE C: C PROMPT TYPE C: CD C:D (OR DRIVE THAT THE CD IS IN. YOU WILL HAVE THE D: AS A [PROMPT. TO VERIFIY THAT IT IS ACCESSING, TYPE AT THE D: PROMPT.((.CD D:SPYBOTSPYBOTSD.EXE))) SPYBOT SCREEN WILL COME UP SELECT THE FIX PROBLEMS. THIS WILL TAKE SOME TIME. FIX WHAT IT COMES UP WITH
Tim said on December 4, 2010
how did you fix this issue, I have the same thing
Gerald said on December 27, 2010
Just type in rstrui.exe and hit enter
Gerald said on December 27, 2010
Just type rstrui.exe and hit enter thats all :) u guys think too hard and your welcome
Heather Sheldon said on January 28, 2011
This is what leads to the box popping up saying that “The System Restore wizard is already running. This program will now exit.” And an “OK” box only.
What now?
Heather Sheldon said on January 28, 2011
What if Safe Mode just acts as normal windows starting? The screen with the “Configuring Updates 3-of-3 0%” message keeps coming up in any mode – safe, netwrking, command prompt, or start windows normally ALL bring me back to that screen, with no command prompt ever seen.
Princ said on February 28, 2011
It normally comes up, to me it did, i restored my system but it still didn’t work, it has the same error i had in the first place, sorry i can’t help.
Guest said on March 6, 2011
Try typing this: c:windowssystem32restorerstrui.exe and then press Enter.
Xgamer3612 said on March 23, 2011
Hey man I just want to say thx for your advice haha I have a vista and u just saved my computer thx man
Ayejagger said on March 27, 2011
I’ve gotten the system restore option to open, but to no avail it doesn’t go any further than that. The next and back buttons are greyed out, cancel is the only thi.ng I can click. Up top it says “No restore points have been created on your computer’s system disk. to crate a rstore point open System Protection.
And “system protection” is highlighted as a link. When I click it it says ” Your computer is running in a limited diagnostic state. If you use System Restore in this limited state, you cannot undo the restore operation. Help topics are not available in this state.
I don’t mind if I can’t undo the restore operation, but I can even run restore. It doesn’t give me an option. I’m stuck.
And when I try to load in safe mode it freezes at crcdisk.sys.
Memphiscue said on March 28, 2011
Help I have a toshiba A205-s4777 with vista while installing updates, it just shut down. Windows cannot repair, I don’t have recovery disc. and last restore point was today while it installing updates (so it wont recover), What’s my next step?
Veeraguru said on March 28, 2011
I don’t mind if I can’t undo the restore operation, but I can even run restore. It doesn’t give me an option. I’m stuck.
And when I try to load in safe mode it freezes at crcdisk.sys.
SpywarePreventionGuy said on July 13, 2011
I found when System Restore won’t even work in safe Mode from Command Prompt, that Windows is damaged, and usually because of errors on the Hard Drive. Try running chkdsk /r in the Recovery Console (which could take an hour or more) and then try System Restore again. http://spywarepreventionguy.com
SpywarePreventionGuy said on July 13, 2011
Most likely, either the file it is trying to overwrite is corrupt, or the source file from the CD is corrupt. Check your CD for scratches, try a different CD and/or CD Drive. If you have several files it can’t copy, run a memory test because bad ram can cause this also.