SYMPTOMS

System Restore tab may be missing in My Computer Properties. Also, when you start System Restore (rstrui.exe), you receive this message:

"System Restore has been turned off by group policy. To turn on System Restore, contact your domain Administrator."

-or-

System Restore Properties page says disabled by Group Policy

RESOLUTION

> Click Start, Run and type REGEDIT and press Enter

> Navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Policies \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ SystemRestore

> In the right-pane:

Delete the value DisableConfig
Delete the value DisableSR

For Windows XP Professional, you can accomplish the above using Group Policy Editor as well.

> Click Start, Run and type GPEDIT.MSC
> Navigate to this path:

=> Computer Configuration
==> Administrative Templates
===> System
====> System Restore

> Set Turn off System Restore to Not Configured
> Set Turn off Configuration to Not Configured