If the Windows logo appears, you need to try again by waiting until the Windows logon prompt appears, and then shutting down and restarting your computer. You need to press F8 before the Windows logo appears. If your computer has a single operating system installed, press and hold the F8 key as your computer restarts. Remove all floppy disks, CDs, and DVDs from your computer, and then restart your computer using the computer's power button. To open the System Recovery Options menu on your computer Note: Some computer manufacturers might customize the menu by adding or removing recovery tools, or including their own tools.

A system image is a personalized backup of the partition that contains Windows, and includes programs and user data, like documents, pictures, and music.Īdvanced users can use Command Prompt to perform recovery-related operations and also run other command line tools for diagnosing and troubleshooting problems. You need to have created a system image beforehand to use this option.

However, you can run System Restore again and choose a different restore point, if one exists. If you use System Restore from the System Recovery Options menu, you cannot undo the restore operation. Restores your computer's system files to an earlier point in time without affecting your files, such as e‑mail, documents, or photos. What each recovery option doesįixes certain problems, such as missing or damaged system files, that might prevent Windows from starting correctly.

If you use a Tablet PC or other computer with a touchscreen, you might need to connect a keyboard and mouse in order to use Startup Repair and the other tools in the System Recovery Options menu. For more information, see Create a system repair disc. Note: You can also create a system repair disc that contains the System Recovery Options menu.

Windows file recovery