My system restore has been turned off by a group policy "whatever that means"

What OS are you running?

Have you tried system restore? or....

Do you have access to the registry editor? (type "REGEDIT" into the run box)

if so then go to this key :
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies]

there you should see settings for windows explorer and the taskbar.. (a number "0" = setting disabled and a number "1" = setting enabled) just look for the settings related to the taskbar
the settings you are looking for are probably these:

"NoSetTaskbar=1," REG_DWORD 0x00000000 (1) "
"NoTrayContextMenu REG_DWORD 0x00000000 (1)."

Just right click the setting and chose "modify" and change the "1" to a "0" or "delete" the key all together

(I am running windows 7 and all three subkeys under "policies" : EXPLORER , MOBILITY CENTER AND SYSTEM are all empty with no policies set)
better no policy then the wrong policy...lol


if you do not have access to registry then "system restore" option is best .. (if you have somehow edited the group policy preventing you from running system restore then try booting into safe mode and going to the Hidden Administrator account.. and running "system restore" from there... hopefully since that account is usually not used it will hopefully have all of the group policy settings still at their defaults and allow you to restore the system

NOTE: System restore is best option because it replaces the entire registry with a back up copy and all group policy settings are contained within the registry and will be fully restored back the way they were.

if system restore is unavailable then a manual restore operation can be done as a last resort as long as the system restore points have not been deleted... but that is a complicated process that requires putting your hard drive into another computer and manually moving the right files to the correct locations (definitely an expert task...lol).

Right click on "My Computer" (XP) and scroll down to "Properties". System Restore should be right over the General tab and just un-check "Turn Off" and click Apply. Click here for a tutorial for Win 7 and Vista http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/330-system-protection-turn-off.html

Make sure you are running under administrator account.

1. Click Start, Run and type regedit.exe and press Enter

2. 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

3. Exit the Registry Editor.

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

1. Click Start, Run and type GPEDIT.MSC

2. Navigate to this path:

-> Computer Configuration
--> Administrative Templates
---> System
----> System Restore

3. Set Turn off System Restore to Not Configured

4. Set Turn off Configuration to Not Configured
More Information

Turn off System Restore corresponds to DisableSR registry value. With this Policy is turned ON, the System Restore tab may be missing in My Computer Properties. Also, when you run 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.

Turn off Configuration corresponds to DisableConfig registry value. With this Policy turned ON, the System Restore tab will remain displayed but the user cannot configure the SR options. It reads disabled by Group Policy.
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/srpolicy.htm


Or perhaps you can review this
Control of System Restore function has been disabled by "Group Policy".
How do regain control?Go to Start>Run, key in gpedit.msc and hit ENTER. Under Computer
Configuration, expand Administrative Templates, expand System, then click on
the System Restore folder. In the right-hand pane, double-click on Turn off
Configuration and, under the Setting tab, click in the radio button beside
Not Configured. Click on Apply then OK.

Please visit the following Microsoft Knowledge Base website
and review the topic titled: "Method 1: Use Group Policy".

How to Disable the System Restore Configuration User Interface
http://support.microsoft.com/default.asp…

Note: You must be an administrator or owner, or have administrative
privileges to perform this task.

Undo the changes using Group Policy Editor (Gpedit.msc)

-or-

Open Registry Editor and navigate to:

HKEY LOCAL MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Wind… NT\SystemRestore

In the right-pane, delete the value "DisableConfig".
Close Registry Editor
Close and re-open the System Restore properties page.


Note: Group Policy Editor is only Available in XP Professional (according to http://www.pcreview.co.uk/forums/thread-…

Perhaps one of these links will give you the correct solution
http://forums.techguy.org/windows-nt-200…

http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/restor…

http://www.computing.net/answers/windows…

I hope this helps you to resolve your problem.

If this machine is on a network then the Admin has done that.

If machine is NOT on a network, then it probably was at some time.

If so to access Admin rights you will need that Admin passwrod to correct things!!

1. Click Start, Run and type regedit.exe and press Enter
2. 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

3. Exit the Registry Editor.
In Windows XP Professional, you can accomplish the above using Group Policy Editor as well.
1. Click Start, Run and type GPEDIT.MSC
2. Navigate to this path:
-> Computer Configuration
--> Administrative Templates
---> System
----> System Restore
3. Set Turn off System Restore to Not Configured
4. Set Turn off Configuration to Not Configured

for enabling system restore do this
Start the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc)
Navigate to Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/System/System Restore
Set Turn off System Restore and Turn off Configuration to Disable
Right click on My Computer and Select Manage
Navigate to Services and Applications/Services
Navigate to System Restore Service and double click
On the General tab set [Startup Type] to Automatic using the drop down list
Click the Start button to start the service
Close the Computer Management console
Return to System Restore in Group Policy Editor and configure both to Not Configured
Close Group Policy Editor and reboot the system.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756

You must set the "Service" to "Automatic" here are some instructions. And a link to a M$ KB article about it. support.microsoft.com/kb/302796 Start the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) Navigate to Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/System/System Restore Set Turn off System Restore and Turn off Configuration to "Disable" Right click on My Computer and Select "Manage". Navigate to Services and Applications/Services Navigate to System Restore Service and double click On the General tab set [Startup Type] to "Automatic" using the drop down list Click the Start button to start the service. Close the Computer Management console Return to System Restore in Group Policy Editor and configure both to "Not Configured" Close Group Policy Editor and reboot the system. After the reboot is complete, right click My Computer, select Properties and the tab for System Restore will have been restored. Configure it to your individual needs.