I can’t do a system rollback on Windows 10. How to do a system restore on Windows 10. New Windows Restore Point

There are different ways to deal with errors and malfunctions in the system. But if the damage to the operating system is too serious, performing a rollback may be the only correct solution to the problem.

Preparing to downgrade Windows 10

Before returning to a previous version of Windows, you should complete a number of preparations. They are required specifically when rolling back to an older version of Windows; when returning to a restore point, these actions will not be relevant. It is worth taking care of the following points:

ensure a stable connection to the Internet - in some cases, files must be downloaded from the network during a rollback. This means that without a constant and stable Internet connection, you will not be able to roll back Windows to a previous version. However, if you perform all actions using a system image or files remaining after installation, then an Internet connection will not be required;
prepare drivers before rolling back - if new versions of Windows are able to download drivers for the hardware independently from the Internet, then in an older version you will have to do this manually. Of course, you can download most of the drivers after installation, but without a network card driver you will not be able to access the Internet. This means that you should download it in advance and save it to a portable drive;
make sure that the device's power supply is stable - if we are talking about a laptop, be sure to connect it to a power outlet during installation. If the battery dies during a rollback, a number of problems may arise;
save valuable files - despite the fact that the rollback is performed without formatting the system, there is a risk of losing files if problems occur. It's better to play it safe and save your most valuable data to a flash drive. In addition, please note that you will have to reinstall all games and programs if the version of Windows changes.

When you are done with all the preparatory steps, you can proceed directly to the system rollback.

Downgrade Windows 10 to an earlier version of Windows

Returning to a previous system from Microsoft is important if you installed a build curve or you simply didn’t like Windows 10. Within thirty days after installing the system, you can perform a rollback. It’s worth clarifying here that if you installed Windows 10 over Windows 7, then you will return to it. The same is true for Windows 8. That is, when you roll back, you will not be able to directly select which version of the operating system you want to return to. Do the following:

Files for restoring the previous operating system are stored for no more than a month. After this, the current function will be unavailable.

Rollback Windows 10 after a month

The monthly limit is given for a reason. This is how long files from the previous version of Windows are stored on the hard drive. After this period, the only way to roll back to your previous Windows is to reinstall Windows using the installation ISO image. However, there is a little trick that allows you to extend the specified period and roll back after a month.

Increasing the possible time limit for rolling back Windows

If you are not sure that you will be able to make the decision to roll back within a month, or you just want to play it safe and leave the possibility of returning for the future, it is worth taking some measures in advance. All actions must be completed before the thirty day period expires. First you need to change the file display settings:

After these manipulations, folders with old Windows data will become visible:

$Windows.~BT;
$Windows.~WS;
Windows.old.

These folders are located in the root of the Windows system drive. You need to hide them from the system: to do this, just change their name in any way convenient for you. Due to the name change, the system will not be able to detect this data and it will not be deleted after the thirty day period. In the future, if necessary, simply return the standard names and rollback.

Rollback Windows 10 using bootable media

To roll back Windows after thirty days you will need:

image of Windows 7 or Windows 8, respectively. You can download it from any site convenient for you, but make sure that it is a clean image and not a modified one. It is not recommended to use versions of Windows that have been subject to changes by users, if only because of their unreliability;
activation key. It is not necessary to complete the rollback, but sooner or later you will need it to fully use the system;
the drive itself - a flash drive or DVD - for recording an image before installation;
a program for creating a bootable drive - for the purposes of this article we will use the Rufus program, since it is very easy to use and requires virtually no user interaction.

We'll look at the installation process using the example of going back to Windows 7. Once you've got everything ready, do the following:

Insert the flash drive into your computer and run the program.
Select your drive in the first line of the program.
Select the drive where you want to burn the operating system
Find the line “Create a boot disk” and check the box there. After that, click on the picture next to it and select the operating system image.
Click on the disk image and select the operating system image
Set the partition recording scheme to GPT.
Select GPT as partition scheme
Burn the image to the USB flash drive. Then close Rufus and restart your computer.
During the reboot, you need to open the Boot Menu to select the drive. A button will appear on the screen to help you do this. Usually this is the F11 or F12 button.
In the Boot Menu, select your drive to begin installation from it.
In the Boot Menu, specify the drive on which you burned the Windows image
Select your system language and keyboard layout at the beginning of the installation process. Enter the required information or leave the default ones. Click Next.
Enter your operating system information and click “Next”
On the next screen, simply click on the “Install” button.
Click on the “Install” button
In the next window, select the installation type. Click on "Update" because you need to replace the operating system and not format the drive. If you select the “Full” installation, you are guaranteed to lose all your data, be careful.
Select "Update" to replace your operating system
Select the disk partition to install Windows on. The main thing is that it has about twenty gigabytes of free space. You won’t need as much for installation, but it’s better to always leave a reserve for the correct operation of the system.
Select a disk partition that has enough space to install Windows
Wait for Windows 7 to finish installing instead of your current operating system.
Wait for the installation to finish
Once the installation is complete, make some important settings. Enter a username and, optionally, a password for your account.
Create an account to use your computer
Then enter your operating system key. Or you can click “Skip” and activate later.
Enter your Windows activation key if you have one, or click Skip
Check the time data and current date.
Enter your time zone, current date and time
Complete system setup. The system rollback has been successfully completed.
If you see the desktop, the rollback to an older operating system was successful

Video: how to return from Windows 10 to the previous version of the operating system

Rollback Windows 10 using Command Prompt

Windows 10 Command Prompt won't let you go back to a previous version of the operating system, but it can help you restore your current version by rolling back the state of certain files to their original state. To do this, you will also need to burn a bootable disk with the exact version of Windows 10 that is installed on your computer. Refer to the instructions in the previous section if you have problems with this step. Then do the following:

To restore, simply enter one or more of the following commands:

fixboot - will repair the Windows boot utility;
bootcfg /rebuild - will restore a damaged operating system boot file;
cd repair copy SYSTEM C:\windows\system32\config - will repair the settings of your operating system and return them to the default value;
copy J:\i386\ntldr C:\ - will restore correct reading of Windows files necessary for operation. Moreover, in this command, instead of the letter J there should be the letter of your CD/DVD-ROM itself, and instead of the letter C - the system drive.

After this, your computer should at least turn on and load the operating system. But if you want to fix other problems, you should perform a full system scan for errors:

Wait until the files are scanned. To replace damaged or missing data, you must also have a boot disk inserted for your current operating system.

This method will restore the functionality of all key services by rolling them back to their initial value.

Rollback Windows 10 using restore points

A restore point is created by the user if necessary, usually before installing important programs. Such “points” are necessary to quickly return the system state to its original form. Roughly speaking, during the process of their creation, all files important for the operation of the system are copied. Therefore, an up-to-date restore point, on the one hand, will help you fix damaged files or lost settings, and on the other hand, it will allow you not to roll back too far, once again risking losing data.

Before using or adding new recovery points, you need to make sure that this feature is configured correctly. For this:

Press the Win + X keyboard shortcut and select Control Panel.
Press the Win + X key combination and select “Control Panel”
Find the “System” item and open it with a mouse click.
Open the "System" section in the "Control Panel"
And then go to the additional system parameters section by clicking on the corresponding button.
Open advanced system settings on the left side of the window
In this window, go to the “System Protection” tab and select your system drive. Then open its settings.
Select your system drive and click the “Configure” button
Make sure the “Enable system protection” checkbox is checked, and then specify how much space on your drive is allocated for protection. The space you choose determines exactly how many recovery points you will store and, as a result, how far you can go back using this service.
Set the switch to the “Enable system protection” position and set the required disk space
Accept the changes.

Adding new restore points

Before you make any major changes to your computer, you should create a new restore point. This is done as follows:

Rollback to a restore point

There are several ways to return to a restore point.

Through "System Restore"

The "System Restore" utility is located in the "Recovery" section of the "Control Panel":

Run the System Restore utility.
Open the "Recovery" section in the "Control Panel"
The program will prompt you to roll back one step to the nearest created restore point. Either leave the setting at this point and use it, or put a checkmark on the line “Select another restore point.” Click Next.
Click the Search for Affected Programs button to see what changes you have made since creating this point. Be sure to review them to ensure that nothing important is deleted.
You can choose the optimal point by studying the time of its creation and the programs it concerns
Reset your computer. If this helped you solve your problem, then nothing more is needed. If the system still fails, then you should select an earlier one as a recovery point.

Through a special menu

Another option is to perform a system rollback through a special menu. To do this, do the following:

Expand the Windows 10 notification window in the lower right corner of the screen.
Open your operating system settings.
Open "All Settings" Windows in the "Notification Panel"
In Windows Settings, go to Update & Security
Open the Recovery tab and select Custom Boot Options.
Find "Custom boot options" and select the option to restart your computer
Enter OS Diagnostics and select System Restore.
Select System Restore as the reboot method
Select from which point the rollback should be performed.

Via "Command Line"

The last option for rolling back to a restore point involves using the command line. The advantage of this method is that in case of serious problems with the computer, you can use it before the system boots:

Video: Rollback Windows 10 using a restore point

Returning Windows 10 to its original state

To get a clean system, you previously had to completely reinstall it and format the disk. But in Windows 10 it is possible to return the system to its original form by rolling back all changes after installing the system itself. All installed programs and games will need to be reinstalled.

To reset the system, follow these steps:

Open Windows Settings through the Start menu or Notification Panel.
Go to the "Update and Security" section.
Select "All Settings" from the "Notification Panel" and then open the "Update & Security" section
Open the "Recovery" tab. There you will see the option to reset the system, click “Start”.
To reset Windows to its original state, click “Start” in the “Recovery” tab
In the action selection window, indicate whether, when you roll back the system to its original state, you also need to delete all files and data. If you select “Remove everything,” then after the reset you will only have the installed operating system.
Specify whether files should be retained during reset
In the last window of the program, you need to familiarize yourself with the specified data and click on the “Reset” button.
Review the information and click "Reset" if you are satisfied with the settings
Wait for the process to complete and Windows 10 will return to its original state.

Video: how to reset Windows 10 to factory settings

Programs for rolling back Windows 10

Sometimes it is worth using programs to roll back Windows 10 to previous versions, since, for example, there is an annoying bug in which, even if the thirty-day period has not expired, the rollback to previous version button does not work.

Rollback Utility

This program will allow you to easily use the files of the old system on your hard drive to perform a rollback. It is very simple to use, but it is distributed as an image and requires writing to the boot drive in order to work correctly. This article has already indicated how to do this.

The rollback process in the Rollback Utility program occurs without user intervention

The main advantages of this program:

the rollback process is very simple - the program itself determines the versions of Windows to which a rollback is possible;
accessibility - the program is distributed on the official website for free;
saving files - when rolling back, the program saves the files of your current OS. This means that in case of failure, you can always return everything as it was.

Windows Repair

The difference between this program is that it will not help you return to your previous operating system, but it will solve many other problems. It allows:

reset your operating system to its original form;
roll back registry edits and other changes to system files;
fix various errors;
restore the system.

The program has a paid version, but the free version will also be sufficient to perform system recovery. As a result, this is an excellent solution for both experienced users and beginners.

With Windows Repair you can restore every element of your computer

Errors during system rollback and ways to fix them

If the ability to restore the system has failed, the buttons are not active, or the rollback process simply does not work, using safe mode will help. For this:

Safe mode loads only the services necessary to repair your computer. It is not suitable for full operation of the device.

System rollback hangs

If the system rollback freezes during the process, try the following options:

select an earlier recovery point - this will be helpful if the error already existed at the time you created the rollback point or if the recovery point is damaged;
try to rollback through safe mode;
reset the system to its original settings if “softer” rollback methods do not work;
Reinstall the system if a reset is not possible.

If the problem is damage to system files, you should scan the system via the Command Line. To do this, enter the command “sfc /scannow”.

Another option is to restore the system from the boot drive:

How to return to Windows 10 after a downgrade

If you downgraded Windows 10 and later regretted it, you don't have many options. If the rollback was done using system methods, then you should reinstall Windows 10. To do this, you will need to use the utility from the official Microsoft website.

If you performed a rollback using Windows 10 Rollback, then the files of your operating system were saved, and you can return to it through the same program. To do this, after recording the program to the drive, do the following:

Restoring the system, as well as rolling it back, allows you to fix certain problems. And if you create restore points in time and know how to use all the necessary capabilities to restore system files, then you will not be afraid of any problems with Windows 10.

Hello, dear users! Today, most users have already tried the operating system from Microsoft, which is called Windows 10. For some, such a system seemed ideal, others decided to leave it, since it is new, and some users still decided to return back to Windows 7, 8, 8.1.

This material is specifically for that category of people who are thinking about or trying to roll back the Windows 10 system to previously installed versions of Windows 7 or 8. The rollback procedure is not complicated, but you need to understand the principle of Windows rollback and act strictly according to the instructions.

How to roll back Windows 10 and why does the system need it?

So, if you are still working under the operating system Windows 7, 8, and maybe also Windows XP, then you should definitely read the article below:

Initially, you need to figure out why a rollback is needed, because if you don’t like the operating system, you can return the old system by formatting the hard drive and recording a new program. System rollback is practiced with the aim of eliminating the need for another formatting of drive C. In addition, with the help of a rollback, you can return the previous system much faster than installing it from the beginning. Many users, even those classified as “experienced,” do not even know that there is such a convenient option that allows you to quickly and promptly return Windows.

The advantage of rollback is also such a convenient function as saving data on the “C” drive. All information that is stored on the previous version of Windows will be returned using the system rollback function. Thus, system rollback allows you to protect information stored on your computer from unauthorized destruction.

It is important to know! Quite often a situation occurs in which the operating system “flies”. The system rollback option will allow you to anticipate a failure of the operating system and return it.

Instructions for rolling back Windows 10 to earlier versions

To implement the Windows 10 system rollback function, you need to go to “Settings”. This can be done through the “Start” menu, where the corresponding function is available in the pop-up window. After the “Settings” section window opens, you need to find the option called “Update and Security”, which has a “Recovery” subsection.

In the screenshot above, you can see that the “Recovery” option has functions such as the ability to return to the Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 operating system, depending on which operating system was used before.

Having selected the appropriate system to which you want to roll back Windows 10, you need to click on the “Start” button.

As soon as the “Start” button is clicked, the system will display a window asking you to indicate the appropriate reasons for returning to the previous version of Windows. Below the question will be a list of answers that you should choose based on your own considerations.

Click the “Next” button, after which another window with a blue screen appears. This window tells you that the rollback procedure will take a long time and the like. Below is a screenshot with all the information.

After reading the useful information, you need to click on the “Next” button. The next window will contain important warning information that the user must know the password to log into the old Windows system. If the password is not known, then after the rollback procedure, logging into the previous Windows will not be possible.

It is important to know! You must remember the password if it was set.

Now you need to select a button called “Return to Windows 7” or to eight, depending on which operating system was on the computer up to ten. The system rollback begins automatically.

The user needs to wait for the started process to complete, which takes some time. After the process is completed, the computer will restart, after which Windows 7 or 8 will be loaded. This rollback method is suitable for those who have a Windows.old folder. This is a special folder that stores the previous version of Windows. If this folder does not exist, then you should use another option.

First of all, it is worth noting that the Windows.old folder takes up quite a lot of space, and if you do not plan to roll back, then it is better to delete it, freeing up several tens of GB on the “C” drive.

Features of creating a rollback point

A rollback point or restore point makes it possible to return the system to the place when it was created. The Windows.old folder is actually the restore point of the operating system. If this point does not exist, then you need to create it. Let's look at how to do this below.

1. First, go to the “Control Panel”.

2. In the window that appears, you need to find an item called “System”. After that, select the “System Protection” option, as a result of which the corresponding window will appear.

3. In the window that appears, you will need to select the “Create” option, and then enter the name of the recovery point.

4. Click on the “Create” button, after which the process of creating a point will begin automatically.

5. As soon as the creation process is completed, information will appear on the PC’s hard drive that the OS can be rolled back.

It is important to know! The rollback function will be very useful if the operating system crashes during operation.

6. It is important to know that the recovery point folder is located in the root folder of drive C: System Volume Information.

Features of deleting the Windows.old folder

If the user does not plan to roll back the system to a previous version of Windows, then it is recommended to delete the Windows.old folder. Simply clicking on a folder and deleting it won’t work, so let’s look at detailed instructions for freeing up space on drive C by emptying the Windows.old folder.

You can delete the Windows.old folder using an option called Disk Cleanup. To do this, right-click on drive C, and then select “Properties”. A corresponding window called “Disk Properties” will open. In this window there is an option called “Disk Cleanup”.

Click on this button, after which the process of analyzing the selected disk begins. Now you will need to wait until the analysis process started by the user is completed to clean up drive C. When the analysis is completed, a corresponding window will open in which you will need to select the “Clean up system files” function.

When cleaning of system files is complete, the Disk Cleanup window will open. The window that opens contains information about previous versions of operating systems. Check the box next to the appropriate operating system, and then click on the “OK” button.

Now the process of cleaning the system disk begins. When the uninstallation process is complete, the Windows.old folder will remain, but it will be empty. If necessary, you can remove it manually. To delete a folder, you must enter the appropriate command in the command line: r d /s /q c:/Windows.old.

What should I do if I can’t go back to the previous version of Windows?

You can only roll back Windows 10 within 30 days after updating it. It often happens that a user has updated the system to version 10, but more than 30 days of test use have already passed. There is a need to roll back the system, but in the corresponding menu there are no buttons for selecting a return to the previous version of Windows.

If these buttons are missing, then it is impossible to roll back, since Windows.old will be cleared after 30 days of using the new version of the Windows 10 operating system. You can return to the old version by reinstalling the system from a disk or flash drive.

What to do if Windows.old is missing?

How to roll back Windows 10 if there are no restore points. To resolve the problem, you need to use a bootable USB flash drive with the Total Commander application.

To do this, reboot the computer and go into the BIOS system.

In BIOSe we set the appropriate settings for launching from a flash drive, after which we continue booting the computer. The program starts, after which we go to the RegBack folder.

The RegBack folder is located at the address indicated above. This folder contains various files, but only those shown in the photo above are required to complete the operation. All files must be copied and then moved to the previous config folder.

After this, the computer is restarted, which will facilitate the normal launch of Windows.

It is important to know! This method is useful in cases where the OS stops starting.

At the end of today’s episode of “How to roll back Windows 10”, it is worth noting that the rollback option in Windows 10 is quite a useful thing. Thanks to this option, you can roll back Windows 10 to version 7 or 8 very quickly and safely.

Rolling back Windows 10 means returning the settings to an earlier state, just do not confuse it with returning to seven or eight from which you may have upgraded to ten.

This is a different topic and we will not touch on it here, but we will focus purely on restoring only the Windows 10 system to a previously saved point.

This will allow you to get rid of many problems associated with the improper functioning of the system.

Most of all, the rollback affects the registry and has virtually no effect on the user’s files. From this side, it can be considered completely safe - all your data will be saved.

Also, be sure to keep in mind that in Windows 10, you can rollback only if a restore point has been created, and it is disabled by default.

In order for your computer to automatically create restore points, you need to enable this functionality yourself.

In this panel, find the recovery partition and click on it. After this, you will see three links that you can follow.

We are only interested in one: “Run system recovery” - click on it (picture below).

Now check the box next to the line “Select another restore point...”, so you will get a larger selection of rollbacks after clicking the “further” option.

Then you will see a window in which all previously saved points will be displayed. Having selected the required one, select it (click LMB) and click “next” again.

I don’t need to describe further actions, and it’s useless, since you can’t change anything.

Sometimes less, sometimes more, but usually within 5-10 minutes. Also keep in mind that if you deleted system files before the rollback, or viruses did it, then a complete recovery will not be possible.

Then the operation will always complete successfully, and you will receive the system exactly as you saved it with all the files and settings. Good luck.

Category: Uncategorized

Restoring the Windows 10 system from a restore point (TV) is convenient when the user installs many programs downloaded from the Internet. Often you come across low-quality software, outdated or with a virus. The procedure may also be necessary if there was an attempt to connect an additional device and a conflict occurred with the system.

TV is a service that saves backup versions of system files and the registry in the state at the time such a milestone was created. It is recommended to create them before each change that is made to the operating system.

A failure can also occur in an emergency situation:

power outage;
sudden drop in voltage in the network;
infection with viruses, etc.

In this case, you need to have a mechanism that will help you return to a working operating system without reinstalling it. How to enable is described here.

The basis of this method is the shadow copying mechanism built into the “top ten”. It allows you to restore the initial state of any files important to the OS.

How to run a rollback

We'll tell you in detail how to roll back Windows 10 to a restore point. This can be done in different ways:

Press the WIN+R buttons and type the line "systempropertiesprotection".

The properties window will open. Clicking on the "Restore" button will start the process.

Through the search, find the control panel and launch it.

In small icons view, click the appropriate link.

You can also get to this window through the search.

Click "Run" to start the process.

Here you can configure the settings.

To roll back to a restore point in Windows 10, click the “Restore” button.

If you want to know what it is and how to enable it, follow the link provided.

How to rollback

In the first step, you will be asked to confirm the start of the operation. This is done so as not to start the procedure by accidental pressing. Although you can undo changes in the future, it will no longer be possible to interrupt the process itself.

To see which actions will be undone, tap “Search for affected programs.”

The OS will be scanned to find all affected activities.

You'll see which programs were restored or removed before the milestone was created. After the rollback they will return to their original state. Please note that programs that were installed from the Tens store are not shown here.

If everything is satisfactory, close this window and click “Next”. You will need to confirm the start twice, since the system does not allow you to launch a Windows 10 restore point by accident.

Agree with the action.

Confirm again.

The preparation process will begin.

Then the computer will reboot and all you have to do is wait. With minimal changes, the process took half an hour.

The Windows 10 restore point has been restored.

Restart your computer. As a result, we will get a new name.

After that, roll back your Windows 10 system to a restore point again.

Check if the WindowsApps folder has been created and delete WindowsApps.old. As a rule, if the Windows 10 restore point does not work, this method helps.

You can run a Windows 10 system restore from a startup restore point. In this case, you should be taken to the special boot options menu. If the operating system does not boot at all, then this is done from the boot disk. If you don’t have one, you need to create one on another computer with “ten”. If the OS has loaded, but the TV does not work, go to “Settings”.

Then select Update & Security.

And reboot.

A menu will appear in which select “Diagnostics” and then the first item (using TV).

This will help you roll back and. Once again we remind you of important information:

TVs disappear when protection is removed from the system.

You should create a milestone BEFORE installing questionable software or when the OS is in a working state that suits you.

There are different methods to roll back from the new and still crude Windows 10 to the old and reliable Windows 7, which has previously served the user’s computer for a long time. If you have a question: “How to roll back Windows 10 to Windows 7?”, then effective methods for doing this are described below. The PC owner only needs to choose one of the methods that suits him and then follow the step-by-step instructions to return Windows to the previous modification installed on the computer before it was updated to “Ten”.

Requirements

A method for solving the burning question: “How to return everything to the way it was?” depends on the time that has passed since the transition to Windows 10. But it is immediately necessary to reassure leisurely users that they can always return to “Seven”, regardless of the length of the operating system with the index “10”.

The following 2 scenarios are possible here:

If the user did not manage to get rid of the directory that Ten created during the update procedure within 30 days, then a simple system restore must be performed;
In other options, more stringent measures will be required.

Instructions for recovery via system rollback

If the user is lucky and falls under option 1 of the action scenarios discussed above, then in the memory of his computer there is a large directory called “Windows.old”.

The directory contains all Windows 7 data, which is stored in the PC memory for 1 month. After a month of operation, “Ten” uninstalls this backup copy of the OS in order to save disk space.

To roll back the OS you must perform the following sequential steps:

Returning to Windows 7 using a previously saved image

If the user took care of and saved the Windows 7 image in advance, then returning to the old OS is available at any time.

The algorithm of actions consists of the following steps:

Note: the user has the right to use this saved copy of the system an infinite number of times in the future, i.e., constantly use it to restore the OS on his PC.

Windows 7 recovery procedure

If Windows 10 has been in use on your PC for more than 30 days, then to return to Windows 7 you will need to install it. Of course, this procedure will take a significant amount of time, but a system will be guaranteed to be installed on the PC, completely free of any errors and malicious applications, since it will be virtually new.