How to use Windows.old folder in Windows 7

[Sabastiaan]

Hi, i am in need of some urgent help from you all guys.. Basically i am Windows Xp user but last week i installed the new Windows 7 on one of my Xp computer. Now the problem is that, Windows 7 is not functioning properly on my computer, i think system is not compatible. Now as per my knowledge, we can restore Windows to a previous Windows installation by using the Windows.old folder. Fortunately, i had not formatted my computer before installing windows 7. So i request you guys to please make me know how can i restore Windows 7 to a previous Windows installation by using the Windows.old folder ? Help appreciated..

[Solomon]

The Windows.old folder plays an important part of upgrading your Windows as it holds all of the files that you had on your computer before you upgraded. Now, in order to restore your system to previous Windows installation, first find out that there is a Windows.old folder and it has sufficient free space on the Windows hard disk. To do so, just follow these steps:-

• Click Start, and then click Computer.
• On the View menu, click Details.
• In the Free Space column, note how much space is available for Local Disk C under the Hard Disk Drives area.
• In the Hard Disk Drives area, double-click Local Disk C, and then determine whether the Windows.old folder exists.
• Right-click the Windows.old folder.
• Windows 7 will determine the size of the folder after several seconds.

[dr.v]

If the Windows.old folder does not exist, you cannot follow the steps in this article to restore the previous Windows installation to this computer. You must backup and restore or transfer your files to the previous operating system. If the Windows.old folder is two times as large as the free space that is available for the Local Disk (C) entry, you may be unable to restore the previous Windows installation.

If it is ok than start the Windows Recovery Environment. Here is how to do that:-

1. Put the Windows 7 installation disc in the DVD drive, and then restart the computer.
   
   
2. Press a key when you are prompted to restart from the disc.
   
   
3. In the Install Windows window, select a language, a time, a currency, a keyboard input method or other input method, and then click Next.
   
   
4. In the Install Windows window, click Repair your computer.
   
   
5. In the System Recovery Options window, click the version of the Windows 7 operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.
   
   
6. In the System Recovery Options window, click Command Prompt.

[Devasis]

Once you are finished with Windows Recovery Environment, the Command Prompt window opens, and it displays the command prompt. The command prompt is where you will type the commands that are described in the following steps. Type the following commands and press ENTER after each command:

• C:
• Md Win7
• Move Windows Win7\Windows
• Move "Program Files" "Win7\Program Files"
• Move Users Win7\Users
• Attrib –h –s –r ProgramData
• Move ProgramData Win7\ProgramData
• Rd "Documents and Settings"

This will move the Windows 7 folders to a new Win7 folder. Now you need to move the contents of the Windows.old folder. To do so, Type the following commands and press ENTER after each command:

• move /y c:\Windows.old\Windows c:\
  
• move /y "c:\Windows.old\Program Files" c:\
  
• move /y c:\Windows.old\ProgramData c:\
  
• move /y c:\Windows.old\Users c:\
  
• move /y "c:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings" c:\

Thats it now restore the sector for the previous Windows installation.

[Sabastiaan]

Thanks for the quick help mates... I really appreciate you all for this. NOw as Devasis has told in the last post that i need to restore the sector for the previous Windows installation, i request you guys to please make me know how to that, as i am little bit aware of it but don't wanna make any mistakes... Thank you again..

[Maq.H]

To restore the boot sector for the previous Windows installation, just follow these steps assuming F: as your cd/dvd drive. Type the following command, and then press ENTER:

D:\boot\bootsect /nt52 c:

Now restore the Boot.ini file for the previous Windows installation of Windows XP. Type the following commands and press ENTER after each command:

Attrib –h –s –r boot.ini.saved 

Copy boot.ini.saved boot.ini

Thats it. You are done now. Just exit your command prompt and restart your system..