How to use Windows.old folder to restore to Win8.1/Win7/XP

Microsoft started to upgrade the Win10 official version to Win7/Win8.1 users from July 29th. The official version of Windows10 provides a one-month retraction period. For users who have exceeded the rollback period and kept the Windows.old folder, you can still choose the method provided in this article to restore the previously installed Windows 8.1/Windows8/Windows7/Vista/XP system.

The detailed operation method is as follows:

Step 1: Determine if there is a Windows.old folder and if there is enough free space on the hard disk

1 Double-click “this computer”, right click on the "local disk (C:) & rdquo; folder, select properties, view the size of the free space of the local disk (C:) & rdquo;.

2. In the "Hard Disk" area, double-click "Local Disk (C:)", and then determine if the Windows.old folder exists. Check and confirm that this folder is smaller than "Local Disk" ( C:) & rdquo; The amount of free space.

Step 2: Start the Windows recovery environment.

If you choose to make Windows 8.1 /Windows 8 image:

1. Press any key when prompted, restart from CD/USB.

2. In the "Install Windows" window, select the language, time, currency, keyboard input method or other input method, then click “Next”.

3. In the "Install Windows" window, click <;Repair Computer”.

4. In the <;System Recovery Options" window, click <;Troubleshooting”.

5. In the <;Troubleshooting" window, click “Advanced Options”.

6. In the “Advanced Options" window, click “Command Prompt”.

If you choose to make a Windows 7 image:

1. Press any key when prompted, and restart from the CD/USB disk.

2. In the "Install Windows" window, select the language, time, currency, keyboard input method or other input method, then click “Next”.

3. In the "Install Windows" window, click <;Repair Computer”.

4. In the "System Recovery Options" window, click the version of the Win10 operating system you want to repair, and then click "Next".

5. In the <;System Recovery Options" window, click “Command Prompt”.

Step 3: Move the Win10 folder to the new Win10 folder

Note: When you type one or more of the commands described in the following steps at the command prompt and press Enter If you receive the following message: The system cannot find the file specified.

If you enter the same content as provided in this article, go directly to the next command.

C:

Md Win10

Move Windows Win10\\Windows

Move "Program Files" "Win10\\Program Files"

Move Users Win10\\Users

Attrib–h–s–r ProgramData

Move ProgramData Win10\\ProgramData

Rd "Documents and Settings"

Step 4: Move the Windows.old folder to the system disk

Note that when you type one or more of the commands described in the following steps at the command prompt and press ENTER, you receive the following message: System The specified file could not be found.

If you enter the same content as provided in this article, go directly to the next command.

move /yc:\\Windows.old\\Windows c:\\

move /y "c:\\Windows.old\\Program Files" c:\\

move /yc:\\Windows.old\\ProgramData c:\\

move /yc:\\Windows.old\\Users c:\\

move /y "c:\\Windows.old\\Documents And Settings" c:\\

Step 5: Restore the boot sector of a previously installed Windows

Depending on the operating system you need to recover, at the command prompt, select the following command to type.

Note: In the following command, D: stands for DVD drive. If the DVD drive on your computer is represented by a different drive letter (for example, E:), use that drive letter in the command.

If you have previously installed Win8.1/Win8/Win7 or Windows Vista

, type the following command and then press Enter:

D:\\boot\\bootsect /nt60 c:

If you previously installed Windows XP

, type the following command and press Enter:

D:\\boot\\bootsect /nt52 c:
< Step 6: Restore the previously installed Windows XP Boot.ini file

Note: Only Windows XP needs to perform this step

Type the following command and click Enter after each command:< Br>

Attrib–h–s–r boot.ini.saved

Copy boot.ini.saved boot.ini

Step 7: Close the Command Prompt window and click “Restart”

1. Type the following command at the command prompt, and then press Enter:

exit

2. Click “Restart&rdquo ; to restart the computer.

After verifying that Windows is working properly, if the C:\\Win10 folder is not needed for data recovery, you can delete it.

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