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I have a dual boot configuration with Windows 7 and Ubuntu.

My Windows 7 installation won't load after some Windows updates, Startup repair will not work (startuprepairoffline), and System Restore options are greyed out because 'you have to enable System Protection' which I can't do now as I can't load Windows.

I have tried a recovery flash drive, which didn't work, and I have not got my CD drive with me.

Fortunately I have Ubuntu installed, so I can browse all the folders.

My question: can I do a Windows System Restore in Ubuntu by manually editing restore files? If yes, what files are they? If not, can I enable Windows System Protection, via Ubuntu, so that System Restore would be enabled?

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Instead of using Startup Repair, try booting from a Windows 7 disc/USB key, and running recovery from there (hit Shift + F10 to get a command prompt at setup, but it should also give you the option in the GUI). I believe the command you want is sfc /scannow /offwindir=X:/Windows where X: is the drive your Windows is installed on (since running it without /offwindir would just run sfc on the installation medium's files...). – Breakthrough Sep 28 '12 at 0:16

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