Windows XP System Restore

I recently bought a used Dell Latitude X200 notebook from my son. It runs great ,doing everything I need it to do BUT: the System Restore feature of Windows XP does not work. When I try to use it I get the following message, "System restore is not able to protect your computer. please restart your computer, and the run system restore again." I went to System Properties to see if the System Restore feature was turned off and there was no System Restore Tab available. I tried to reinstall Windows XP to make System Restore available and got the message "the Windows your are trying to install is older that the current system that is already installed" or something to that effect. So I am at a dead end and need help.

Here is a similar issue:

http://www.softwaretipsandtricks.com...ng-xp-pro.html

Also you get the "version" issue because SP2 was added to the computer and your CD is either SP1 or basic XP. If you ever need to re-install just uninstall SP2 via Add and Remove Programs.

As I advised the OP (original poster) in the link that jephree provided, System Restore is far too unpredictable and unreliable, IMO.

You are far better off using ERUNT (The Emergency Recovery Utility NT), as per the following link: -

http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/