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General discussion

Reset computer at restart

Feb 14, 2012 5:53AM PST
Hello,
I am looking for a free piece of software that resets a computer (free) for XP that resets the computer to the settings I configured it to. This is something that needs to have Administrator privileges, or at least Power User rights.

Suggestions? Maybe it's as simple as a registry tweak? All help is appreciated.

Thanks!
--Justin

Discussion is locked

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Re: reset computer
Feb 14, 2012 6:08AM PST

That can't be done, unless you made an image at the moment it was all OK. Then you can restore that image.

The alternative is to go back to factory settings (that is: how the maker configured it) via the system recovery procedure that's detailed in the user manual (usually from a recovery partition or from the recovery disks you made yourself).

Kees

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Not a feature of Windows. But what is a PC?
Feb 15, 2012 3:56AM PST

A PC is what most call a Personal Computer. It was in response to mainframes and terminals that only did what they were programmed to do. It moved the configuration, apps and more back to the control of the person that was at the keyboard.

Once in a while you see the question of how to lock down a PC or Windows but since it was designed from the ground up to encourage the user to do what they want you know this is not going to happen.
Bob

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Kees
Feb 21, 2012 8:21PM PST

I agree with Kees' idea. I think it is not possible unless you have created an image that can be restored while the system is still okay. It will act as a back up of your system, when it fails. Another thing is when you have created a restore point in your PC when it is working and so that if it fails, you can also restore the system in the date that you have created a restore point.

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why not use some shareware
Feb 29, 2012 3:44PM PST

why not use some shareware to realize the function easily, like famous deepfreeze, or search reboot and restore software in goolge, you can get many of them, like baselineshield, or wincaslte and so on.