When you go to System Restore do you have any dates you can select to go back to? If not then your system has not been automatically creating restore points and you cannot do System Restore. Microsoft should do that automatically but like others said Vista is a lemon. This is how it should work;
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Hit the start button, type "System Restore" (the program name) and hit enter

The long way:

Control Panel > System and Maintenance > System
Click "Advanced System Settings" from the left side panel
Click the "System Restore" button from the "System Protection" tab.

You'll be offered a recommended restore point (the last one taken). To select from what is available, pick, "Choose a different restore point" and you'll get a list. By default this list only shows restore points taken in the last five days (check the box at the bottom of the dialog to see them all).
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If not you would normally use a Backup disk or reinstall Vista. If it works like XP you should retain your files but may have to reinstall your programs which is FAR better than reformating your PC. If you get back on your feet make sure you create a Restore Disk and back up your computer regularly.

Here is something else you can try:

Before you can do a restore you should defrag the hard drive, the reason it cant complete the restore is because the files are not in order.

The best way to run restore is in safe mode, reboot, hitting F8 while booting, start in safe mode. When windows starts it will ask if you want to run windows in safe mode, if not hit ...... "whatever button it tells you to"......to do a system restore.

Thank you Miami I give that a shot. I have copied and pasted the info on to Note Pad and will work on it at work tonight.

Oh and P.S. it does give me a list of about 20 different restore points.

ok i have vista and it works well infact the board i installed is vista ready the problem with vista is that its a differnt os all together and depending on your pc if vista will handle it or not .

But If you get frustrated enough and just had it i would contact the company who put out your pc and request the restore disk .Another option is to contact microsoft and talk to them about the issue they may send you the diske to restore your pc if not its was worth a shot .

But also if u have any friends who have vista disk u can use any disk with vista logo on it to reapir your system all u need is your product key number on your pc and it depends what type of vista u are running to but try that i been repairing computers for ten years or more now .

You never mentioned why you need to do a System Restore. Is the initial problem repairable?

Miami provided some excellent advice to which I'll add; System Restore will not remove files you created but will undo any applications that were installed after the Restore date.

I never recommend a full factory restore as an early solution except in very extreme cases. Even then I'll first create an image of the system first.

Going forward you'll want to bakup your data as often as possible, just in case.

Good Luck

Agreed BrandSpankinNew!!

back up could be good unless u have a virus your not aware of i seen that befor while backed up some ones files for them .

Thats why if can run a virus check befor backing up anything to make sure first theres is no corruption in the files so when u install the back up files your working on a clean slate.

But any how as a computer tec i learn to simpley run the disk and click repair insted of install that can help repair anything that may of went wrong, try that.

I deal with microsoft a bit and some times its hard to understand them but every computer built by a company should come with system restore disk .because those disk carry drivers for the chip set and for sound pic ect.

another good reason to partiton the drive one for programs and the other for storage

even better if you have two separate drives

then you do not lose everything

but hey

what do i know