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

Microsoft began to push the Win10 official version upgrade to Win7/Win8.1 users on July 29, and the official version of Windows 10 provides a one-month rollback 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 whether there is a Windows.old folder and whether there is enough free space on the hard disk

1. Double-click "this computer", right click " Local Disk (C:) folder, select Properties, and view the amount of free space on Local Disk (C:).

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:)". 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 Your Computer.

4. In the System Recovery Options window, click Troubleshoot.

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 Your 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 a command prompt, and then press Enter:

exit

2. Click Restart to restart computer.

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