Is it possible to restore the previous version of Windows. Restoring the former settings of the computer. Return the old computer settings. What steps should follow

Read about what data are stored in the Windows.old folder and how to restore them from there. How to delete the folder of Windows.old to free the disk space. Updated windows 7 or 8 to new Windows 10? A Windows folder appeared on the computer, and it takes a lot of space? You can delete it, but not in this way as you delete ordinary folders.

The Windows folder is not the innovation of Windows 10. But before Windows 10, this folder could be seen in the case of purchasing a new version of Windows and setting it by updating the previous version.

Content:

What is the Windows.old folder?

This folder appears when updating one version of Windows to a newer, starting with Windows Vista. The Windows folder contains all files and data from the previous version of Windows, which was installed before the update. It can be used to return (roll back) to the previous version of Windows, in case the new version does not fit. To recover data after reinstalling Windows.

If you need to find a special file that was incorrectly copied when Windows is updated, you can also "rush" in the Windows.old folder and find it.

In fact, the Windows folder contains an old version of Windows. Starting with Windows system files to installed programs, from user account settings to simple files, everything is here. The new version of Windows keeps this information in case of your desire will return to the old version of Windows or if you need to find some file.

But, do not slow down for too long. Windows will automatically delete the Windows folder to release the disk space, in a month.

How to return the previous version of Windows?

With Windows 10 to Windows 7 or 8.1, they will return very simple. After installing Windows 10, you can simply open the options application, select Update and Security, and click Restore item. In this section, we will see the item back to Windows 7 or 8.1, depending on which version of Windows you are updated.

After we click the "Start" button, Windows will restore the previous version of the operating system using the Windows.old folder source.

Before Windows 10, this could also be done. Here, for example, instructions from the official Microsoft website on how to restore Windows 7 to the previous version of Windows using the Windows.old folder. With Windows 10, everything is much easier.

But again, as noted in the Windows settings, this feature is available only for a month after upgrading to Windows 10. Windows in a month will automatically delete the Windows folder. Over the course of freeing the disk space. So you have a month in order to determine if you want to continue to use the new version of the system or not and not evaluate whether the files you need have copied correctly.

How to restore individual files from the Windows.old folder

If you need to restore individual files with the old Windows installation, you can restore them from the Windows.old folder. To do this, you just need to open the Windows.old folder in the File Explorer: C: \\ Windows.OLD. Your personal files will be located in a folder C: \\ Windows.old \\ Users \\ username.

But keep in mind that even on the official website of Microsoft it is indicated that, if you wish, you can restore all files from the Windows.old folder or (attention!) Some of them. In order to prevent the data loss, Microsoft strongly recommends the backup copy of files and parameters on the external disk before recovering, return to the original status, update or reinstalling Windows.

That is, the risk of losing data when Windows update and / or return from Windows 10 to the previous version exists. Moreover, the restoration of the data lost in this way with standard Windows, Microsoft is not provided.

In this case, only third-party software can be the only option for data recovery. If there are some data or files when updating or restoring Windows, regardless of their type or extension, scan the disk with: using Hetman Partition Recovery from Hetman Software, and restore them at a convenient place for you or on a carrier of information.

How to delete a Windows folder.old to free the disk space

The Windows folder can occupy a lot of space on the disk. At best, it will be 12 GB. But it can reach it and 20 GB or even more. It all depends on the size of your previous version of Windows.

Try to delete the Windows folder in the same way as any other folder, and you will receive an error message. An error message can be bypass by changing the access rights of the Windows.old folder. But this is a wrong way to delete this folder.

In order to delete the Windows.old folder, you can use the Windows Clearing Wine tool or the other manufacturer's program. In Windows 10, open the Start menu, find "Clearing Disk" and run the application. You can also open this application by clicking the right mouse button in the "Computer" folder on the disk with, and selecting the "Properties" pop-up menu, then clicking the "Disk Cleaning" button.

Press the "Clear system files" button. In the list of files to delete, also "previous versions of Windows" will also appear, and "cleaning the disk" will show how much space these files occupy. Select this option and click Clear Disk, the old version of Windows will be deleted. This feature can also be used to clean the system disk and from other unnecessary files.

Removing the Windows folder. You do not risk anything. If you are satisfied with the new version of Windows and there is no desire to return to the old version of the operating system, as well as confident that all the files you need are copied from the Windows.old folder - you can safely remove it.

Windows will still automatically delete the Windows.old folder a month after the update. All computers that have been updated to Windows 10 will still be able to use a place occupied by the Windows.old folder, even if their users do not know about such a folder and are not suspected of its existence, as well as the possibility of using the "Cleaning disk" function.

Good day!. Not so long ago, we disassembled, clean installation of Windows 10 1803 and upgrade to it from previous versions. Unfortunately, innovations and updates can not always like the end user and do not always work without failures and complaints. In such situations, an ordinary user may have a desire to return the previous version of Windows 10 and stay on it to future times. Today we will see the procedure and return methods, so that you do not break anything.

What is a refund to the previous version?

We see another window with a mockery from Microsoft:

Thanks for the test of this assembly. We will set the next booking version of the assembly when it is available. It sounds like a threat.

We proceed to the execution of the 3WOW rollback procedure. You will have a system to reboot to return the previous version.

You will have a black screen on which you will see that the previous version of Windows is restored. After multiple reboots, you will receive the previous system. In my case, it is Windows 10 Pro 1709. Now I think you understand the fastest method, how to return the previous version after the update, but as I wrote above it is not the only one, go to the second.

2 Method to produce Daugrede Windows 10

In this method, Microsoft offers to use the system recovery tools that you can find or on the installation media, or use the built-in. To get into them, do this.

Hold and not release the Shift button , Right click on the Start button, from the context menu, select "Shutdown or Exit System - Restart" from the context menu. But then the chip is that the reboot will be executed with the subsequent loading of the recovery utilities and diagnostics, which will easily return to the previous version of Windows 10.

You will find the "Select actions" window, in which you need to select "Troubleshooting". We fall into the "Diagnostics" window, it consists of two items:

• Return the computer to its original state. You can save or delete your files and then reinstall Windows.
• Extra options

We are interested in the "Advanced Parameters" item

Well, we try to return the previous version, through the corresponding item.

Window "Back to the previous version of Windows 10", select the user account if you have forgotten the password, it is regrettable.

Specify the password and click Continue.

You will again remind you that all your files will be saved, we say drove and run a return to the previous version of Windows 10.

Preparation for the rollback procedure will begin, upon completion of which, the wizard will need to restart. As you can see the return system to the previous version of Windows 10, a very simple thing, if you just didn't catch a moment in 10 days. As soon as

As you can see the procedure itself is very simple, the main thing is never to hurry with the installation of new versions, it is better to wait at least a couple of weeks, thanks to this you can not get into the bad situation and avoid the loss of your data or the system itself ..

The release of the new operating system is always accompanied by a mass of problems. It may be the lack of compatibility with drivers for computer components or specific applications. Some users simply did not have the Windows 10 operating system because of its new design and the mass change in the functionality plan, compared with the past software versions. If the new operating system from Microsoft has not arranged a computer user in terms of functionality, there are several ways to return from Windows 10 on Windows 7 or Windows 8. This can be made by standard means of the system and with third-party applications.

How to restore Windows 7 or Windows 8 after installing Windows 10 tools

When installing a new version of the operating system, the computer is prudently remains that you can use if you want to return the last version of Windows. At the same time, it is saved only in the situation when the operating system is updated without formatting the hard disk.

To use the Windows.old folder to restore Windows 7 or 8 after updating on Windows 10, you must do the following:

Attention: If during the update process folder Windows.old was damaged and did not save the backup information to restore the operating system, this menu item may be missing.

With the Windows 10 rollback method described above on earlier versions of the operating system, the user gets the ability to save while restoring all its programs as well as available files.

In a situation where it did not work in a similar way (due to the lack of a item in the menu or for another reason), we recommend trying a system recovery using third-party software, which is described below in the instructions.

System rollback with Windows 10 on Windows 7 or Windows 8 with third-party software

When the operating system parameters do not have a recovery point before the previous version of Windows, but the Windows folder is saved, you can use specialized utilities, which in some cases are able to solve the problem. The most famous program that allows you to restore Windows 7 or Windows 8 after installing Windows 10 is NEOSMART Windows 10 Rollback Utility. It weighs just over 200 megabytes and is a way to write on a CD / DVD or a flash drive to create a recovery medium.

The easiest way to write the NEOSMART Windows 10 Rollback Utility program using a special utility, also developed by NEOSMART, which is called USB Creator. All program voiced programs are available on the official website of developers in free trial versions, which will be enough to return to Windows 10 to the version of the operating system saved in Windows.old. Please note that other applications can also be used to record the boot disk or flash drive, for example, the well-known Ultraiso program.

When the utility is recorded, you can begin the recovery procedure. To do this, go to the BIOS and set the process of booting from the media to which the utility is recorded. After that restart the computer and select Automated Repair on the first screen that opens. Next you will see all the systems to which you can return. To start the recovery procedure, click on Roll Back.

Attention: Neosmart Windows 10 Rollback Utility Automatically, while rollback, saves the current version of Windows 10 in case the installation occurs with the installation.

How to return Windows 7 or Windows 8 after installing Windows 10 with full formatting

If you have completely deleted the last version of the operating system from the computer and installed Windows 10 to a clean hard drive, you can try to restore Windows 7 or Windows 8 using the preserved system tools or licensed keys.

On laptops, there is almost always a separate partition on the hard disk, which is systemic, and the image recovery image is stored. Depending on the model of the laptop or computer, this tool can work differently, but it allows you to install the version of the operating system that was on the hard disk initially.

The second way to restore Windows 7 or Windows 8 is to load the image of the system from the Internet. On the website of Microsoft, you can download the image of any version of Windows. Next it must be written on the USB flash drive or DVD and install. The problem in the installation process will arise with the lack of a license key, but if you use a laptop or computer on which Windows was initially installed, then you can get the necessary in advance.

Please note that Microsoft gives users 30 days to return with Windows 10 to an earlier version of the OEM key operating system. After 30 days, it ceases to be valid and "attached" to Windows 10.

Previous versions - These are either copies of files and folders created by Windows archiving, or copies of files and folders that Windows automatically saves as part of the recovery point.

Previous versions can be used to restore randomly modified, deleted or damaged files and folders. Depending on the type of file or folder, you can open, save in another location or restore the previous version.

How to create previous versions

Previous versions are automatically saved as part of the recovery point. If the system protection is enabled, Windows automatically creates previous versions of files and folders that changed from the moment the last recovery point is created. Usually recovery points are created once a day.

If the disk is divided or on a computer multiple hard drives, you should enable the system protection for other sections or disks. Previous versions are also created by Windows archiving when backing up files.

Note: If within one day the file changed several times, only the latest version at the time of creating a recovery point or backup is saved as the previous version.

How to recover previous files and folders

Click the file or folder with the right mouse button and select the command. .

A list of available previous versions of the file or folder will appear. The list will contain files stored during backup (if Windows archiving) and recovery points are used to back up files.

Note: To restore the previous version of the file or folder added to the library, right-click the file or folder in the location in which the library is saved, and not in the library. For example, to restore the previous version of the image, added to the image library, but in the folder My drawingsRight-click the folder My drawings and select Restore previous versions.

What is the difference between the recovery point from the backup

If you restore the previous version from the recovery point, the file downloaded on the computer, so nothing more needs to be done.

To restore the previous version of a file or folder from a backup, after selecting the previous version and press the Restore button, Windows opens the file recovery wizard, after which the steps specified in the wizard should be performed.

The disk or media on which the backup is stored must be available so that you can restore items from the backup.

Why there are no previous versions of some files

Possible reasons:

• The file was not changed. Previous versions are available only for files that have been changed.
• The recovery point or backup is created after changing the file.
• It is possible for a disk on which these files are stored, the system protection is not turned on. If the system protection is not enabled, Windows cannot create previous versions.

You can restore the deleted file or folder

If you accidentally deleted or renamed a file or folder, you can restore the previous version of the file or folderBut you need to know the location where they are saved.

To restore deleted or renamed file or folder, follow these steps:

prompt: If you do not remember the file name or folder or location, enter a part of the name in the search field in the Computer folder.

In this article, I will tell you about the method automatically once a day to save the last changes of your files in Windows 7, in case you accidentally delete some kind of document you need or, for example, change it and save, without leaving the old copy. This method consists in saving previous versions of files using the built-in function in Windows "System Protection", i.e. using the creation of control points of recovery.

In case of deleting files from a computer, it usually outlines the "basket" to which the file is placed before final removal. From there you can always restore the file and continue to work with it. However, there are several nuances:

First, the bulk of the basket is limited (the user itself is configured) and some large files will be removed immediately, by the basket.

Secondly, the basket can be cleaned as a result of careless work in any programs to optimize the system, well, or you yourself can clean the basket, and then remember that there was anything important :)

Thirdly, in Windows, it is sometimes buggy basket and sometimes you can not see any files, although they actually have in it.

Therefore, to fully rely on the basket in the way that it will save all your files from random removal, it is definitely not worth it ... well, in the end, the basket will not save your file in the event that you accidentally changed it, then saved and save it After some time, you suddenly needed an original copy of the same file (for example, if the changes you made not correct and you need to take the source file and start re-). After saving the file, it is no longer possible to return it to its standard copy.

To have additional protection of your files from loss or unwanted, unnecessary changes, in Windows 7, you can use the "System Protection" function. This feature is part of the tool to restore the system in the previous state. Windows has a special program that constantly monitors the system status, monitors its change and retains important changes in the form of control points of recovery. Thanks to these recovery points, Windows can be restored to one of the previous states, for example, last day, week, month (depending on which recovery points are created).

For details on how to restore Windows to the previous state, told in a separate article.

In Windows 8 and 10 there is a simple and convenient feature of the Archiving Service to configure the full backup of your selected files and folders to another hard disk at the specified time. About this told.

In addition to the fact that the system security feature is monitored by the system parameters and records a change in special recovery control points, it can also monitor and beyond changes in files that are also recorded in the control points, which allows us to then view the history of each file.

There is an important point. You can see previous changes only if the recovery control point in Windows has been created before these changes. For example, you deleted the file from the desktop and the recovery control point was created before that time. This means that you can then view previous versions of files in the desktop folder and see the file you deleted there. If, before deleting the file, the control point of the recovery was created, then you will not be able to restore it.

The same goes and changes in files. For example, you made some kind of change in the file saved it and then wanted to restore the original version of this file. This will be done only if the recovery control point was created before after the changes. Those. It will work out 2 versions of your file: the one that was saved when creating a control point and the file you changed.

The preservation feature of previous file versions is not a full backup, because first, the control points will be created on the same disk where you are stored for the original files. This means that with a sudden way out of the rigid disk, you will lose files along with their saved previous versions. Secondly, if the system fails, you can restore the previous versions of your files only restoring the system to the working condition!

Setting the preservation of previous versions of files

To enable saving previous versions of the files, you need to go to the "System Protection" section.

You can quickly open this feature through the search for Windows by typing a request "Creating a recovery point". In the search results, you need to open the eponymous version:

More information about how to use the search in different versions of Windows is told.

You can also open the desired section manually by clicking on the "Start" menu\u003e Control Panel \u003e\u003e "System and Security"\u003e System\u003e System Protection.

In the "System Protection" window from the list (1), select the local disc for which you want to enable the ability to save previous versions of files and click "Set up".

At the top of the window, select one of the options: save both system parameters and previous file versions, or only previous file versions (1).

In the first case, when creating another checkpoint, Windows will save not only your files, but also the parameters of the system, which will allow you in case of some failures due to incorrectly configured parameters to return the system to the state when these failures were not.

Below, using a slider (2), you need to specify how much space as a percentage of the entire location on the selected local disk will be stored for storing previous versions of the files and system parameters (if you selected the 1st option above).

Remember that if the selected free space for storing checkpoints ends, the old checkpoints will be deleted.

To save the changes, click "Apply" and "OK".

If the disks are somewhat, then you will need to select each disc separately from the list and enable saving previous versions of the files!

How to view previous versions of files?

If you are viewing previous versions of the file, the window will display a list of versions of the selected file, indicating the dates of the changes. To view changes in the file you need to select it and open a double click (or to the "Open" button below). So you can see different versions of the desired file and find the one where the changes you need are made.

To restore the selected file version, the easiest way to drag it with the mouse from this window to the desired folder. The file will immediately be restored. If you click "Copy", the conductor will open, where you can select a folder to restore the file. And if you press "Restore", the file will be restored in the triper the folder where it was previously and if the same file is already located in this folder (another version), it will be replaced by the version you restore.

If you are viewing the previous versions of the folder, then in the window will be, respectively, all stored in the recovery points in this folder are displayed.

Similarly, opening different versions from this window you can find the desired and restore.

How to change the timetable of creating points?

By default, the checkpoints in which the changes of your files are saved in Windows 7 each time the computer is turned on and at 0:00 every day.

This means that changes in your files will be saved twice in the specified periods. Those, if your file, for example, will be changed during the day and you want these changes to return, then you will not be able to do this, because you are not initially created by the recovery points of the day.

You can always change the schedule for creating recovery points on your own. For example, it was originally a given time 0:00 - maybe for many meaningless, because not everyone already uses the computer at this time of day. And if the computer will not work at the specified time, then the control point, respectively, will not be created.

In order to change the schedule, you need to use the program built in Windows - the task scheduler.

Open the task scheduler by typing in the Windows search word "Planner":

On the left side of the planner window, open the following path: "Task Scheduler Library"\u003e "Microsoft"\u003e "Windows"\u003e "SystemRestore".

In the center of the window, a task named "SR" will be displayed. Click on it with PCM and select "Properties".

You can see and change the current recovery checkpoint schedule on the Trigger tab (1). The task "when starting" is better to leave. But the task "Daily" can be changed by specifying another time to create points. Select "Daily" (2) from the list "and click" Change "(3).

In the settings window that opens, change the time after the word "start" to convenient you.

It is better to choose the time when your computer is likely to be enabled. To save the changes, click "OK".

You can at any time, if necessary, create a manual recovery checkpoint. To do this, in the already familiar window "System Protection" window you need to click the "Create" button.

And in the window that opens, specify any name for the control point and click "Create" again.

After a few seconds, the point will be created!

Through the task scheduler, you can configure the autorun of any schedule programs, for example, when you enable the computer. This is described in a separate article.

Conclusion

As a result of the manipulations done, you will have a checkpoint every day in the time you specified and as a result you will receive a backup copy of your files for every day. However, it is not worth confusing this way to save previous versions of your files with full-fledged backup creation, because the full backup always occurs on a separate hard disk so that the files are not lost even in the case of the output of your primary disk. In Windows 7, unfortunately, it is not possible to configure the rapid creation of previous versions of files using backup on a schedule to another hard drive. In this Windows, there is only such a simple version with control points of recovery that was described in this article or the ability to create an archive with the necessary data, which is already a reliable way of backup and will be considered in one of the following articles.