How Do You Set Your Computer Settings To An Earlier Time??????

I cannot get rid of some ridiculous error message that keeps flashing across my computer screen like every 2 minutes that reads: "Touchpad Off", and in NO way do I want to do a system restore (using the restore disk) because it will completely erase everything that I'm saving in my important files, but I just need to know how to set my computer back to the settings that it once had at least 3 years ago. But I just downloaded Windows 8 and I don't want that to be set back to Windows 7 when I perform this task, but if it will not erase anything in my WordPad docs and other important files, then will someone please give me the exact step-by-step instructions on exactly how to set my computer settings back to an earlier time (at least 3 years back) -- but only if it will not delete my important files. I have an HP Pavilion ze5700 Laptop, using Windows XP. Thanks!