Updated guidance – 20 September 2026
The historical line using cd does not launch an application: cd changes a directory. The original report dated 27 May 2013 is preserved below, but is not a verified launch procedure. Windows XP is no longer supported; we have not retested the old XP path in a test environment.
On Windows 11, first make an independent backup of important personal files. Press Windows+R, enter rstrui.exe and press Enter to open System Restore. Select an existing restore point; an arbitrary date cannot replace one. Review the affected programs and your selection before confirming.
Restoring changes system settings and installed programs; it does not replace a file backup. If no suitable restore point exists, do not assume that returning to an earlier state is possible. Microsoft also describes access through Windows Recovery Environment. Device encryption may require the BitLocker recovery key there: use it only on your own device, never post it in comments.
This is a documentation update, not a new Windows test. The current Microsoft procedure applies to Windows 11/10 and does not verify the historical XP path.
Sources and backup
Historical report – 27 May 2013
Windows System Restore Command Line
Start System Restore from the command line in Windows XP:
cd %systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe
After a short time, the restoration window opens. The original report tells readers to enter the desired restoration date, click Next and wait. It says that, if successful, Windows XP will be restored.
Warning in the original: programs installed between the restoration date and the present are lost.