Windows.old folder - Restore into a new installation

How to Restore your Windows.old Folder into a New Installation​

   Information

This will restore the files and folders from the windows.old folder.

This means that any documents, settings, and programs will be restored to their previous positions and settings.
It will look similar to your previous installation, but not exactly the same! There will be some differences!

YES, this works in Vista, as well as Windows Seven. The instructions are EXACTLY the same!

For more information, see also:
How to restore a Windows 7-based computer to a previous Windows installation by using the Windows.old folder

   Warning

Make sure you:

• Know how to boot from a CD/DVD.
• Know how to install Windows from a DVD, over an existing installation.

Make sure that the free space on the drive you are restoring to has enough free space for the windows.old folder.

This does NOT work perfectly!!!
When I used this, I still encountered some errors, such as TWO Program Files folders, and missing icon pictures.

This is NOT a recommended way to do a restore! It will work, but you should back up your data and take the time to either create a restore image, or reinstall your files.

It WILL work just fine for files such as those in your Documents folder.

Setup:

1) Make sure that you want to do a new installation. If you are, then boot into the Install Disk and complete the installation.

2) Now you want to restore some of your old files? OK, read on!

Let's begin:
1) Insert your Installation disk into your DVD drive, and reboot. Make sure you can boot from the DVD.

2) Press any key to boot from CD when the option appears.

3) At this point, you have already done a clean install over your existing installation.

4) Select "Repair Your Computer" from the installation menu (see screen shot below).

5) Select your Windows installation you want to restore to.

6) Select Command Prompt. This will bring up the command prompt window.

   Warning

This starts getting complicated, and if you do something incorrectly, it could cause problems. Make sure you have your windows.old folder backed up, as well as your current installation (if needed).

Type each command EXACTLY as it is written! If you misspell what is in the code box, you will misspell the folder, possibly causing problems or errors!

   Note

When you type one or more of the commands at the command prompt in the following steps in this section, and you then press ENTER, you may receive the following message:
The system cannot find the file specified.
If you receive this message, go to the next step in this section, and then type the command in that next step.

7) Type the following commands in, one at a time. Press ENTER at the end of each line. This will rename the windows.old folders, in preparation of being moved.

c:

ren Windows Windows.backup

ren "Program Files" "Program Files.old"

ren "Users" "Users.old"

rmdir "C:\Documents and Settings"

8) Now we will move the folders over the new ones, restoring your old settings and files. Again, type the commands in one at a time, pressing ENTER at the end of each.

:busted: If you are using a drive other than c: for your windows installation, replace c: with that drive letter!

move /y c:\windows.old\windows c:\

move /y "c:\windows.old\program files" c:\

8a) When the previous Windows installation was Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows XP, or Microsoft Windows 2000:

move /y "c:\windows.old\documents and settings" c:\

8b) When the previous Windows installation was a different version of Windows Vista or Windows Seven:

move /y c:\windows.old\users c:\

9) Now we need to restore the boot sector of the previous installation.NOTE: D: represents the DVD drive in the following commands. If the DVD drive on the computer is represented by a different letter, such as E:, use that letter in the command.
When the previous Windows installation was Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows XP, or Microsoft Windows 2000

D:\boot\bootsect /nt52 c:

When the previous Windows installation was a different version of Windows Vista

D:\boot\bootsect /nt60 c:

10) Restore the Boot.ini file for the previous Windows Installation of Windows XP or Windows 2000
Note: Only follow these steps when the previous installation is Windows XP or Windows 2000.

c:

attrib boot.ini.saved -s -h -r

ren"boot.ini.saved""boot.ini"

attrib boot.ini +s +h +r

11) Exit Command Prompt by typing:

exit

Then restart your computer.

Your Windows installation will start as normal, with the newly restored files and settings.

   Warning

This does NOT work perfectly!!!
When I used this, I still encountered some errors, such as TWO Program Files folders, and missing icon pictures.

This is NOT a recommended way to do a restore! It will work, but you should back up your data and take the time to either create a restore image, or reinstall your files.

It WILL work just fine for files such as those in your Documents folder.

For anyone that wishes to use it, I hope it works for you.
I hope this tutorial will help many a person, and provide a solution.

~Lordbob

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Delete the Windows.old Folder in Windows 7
• How to Do a Custom Installation of Windows 7

 

[Neophile]

Hi Lordbob,

I wonder if you have finished reading, as you said over a week ago. I would like to have a simple answer to my question, please, either affirmative or negative. Thanks.

 

[ursuchascene]

Hi Lordbob,

No i didn't. I just did a custom install w.o formatting the other drives.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Lordbob75]

Hi Lordbob,

No i didn't. I just did a custom install w.o formatting the other drives.

Thanks for the reply.

Other drives? Did you install Windows 7 to a new drive, or over your old installation?

~Lordbob

 

[ursuchascene]

Other drives? Did you install Windows 7 to a new drive, or over your old installation?

~Lordbob

yes i installed it over my old installation..

thing is i tried to do an upgrade installation of windows 7 ultimate over the old one in drive c..but then i messed it up by removing the cd in the middle of the installation.. after that my pc wont start properly, seems like its trying to continue the installation but then it stops to an error even after putting the cd back..

and so i tried to do a custom install w/o formatting any drive (i have 2 drives; C: & D: ) hoping that i can restore some programs by following this guide..but yeah, it just gave me the "The system cannot find the file specified." after every code i entered..

till i gave up and tried something else..i took ownership of everything in the C: drive..then went to windows.old and cut everything there and moved it to C:.. (i followed this method the best i could on another site, forgot it so i cant show you a link..)but still, the programs won't work anymore..

edit: oh btw, the other method i tried didn't went well either..some were said missing and some can't be moved even after taking ownership and giving full control over the files..

 

[Lordbob75]

Oh I see. Well, you can't do an upgrade, you have to do a clean install over it, especially if you have a corrupted install.

Also, this will not save your programs, merely your data. You will have to reinstall them anyways.

~Lordbob

 

[ursuchascene]

i see...well thanks, it's clear to me now...damn, back to borrowing those cds..lalalala..

 

[Kari]

Just one important point I noticed when restoring XP using Windows.old:

Step 7 in tutorial, four first commands are correct. But Documents and Settings in Seven is a junction point, which, correct me if I'm wrong, can not be renamed. It can only be removed, therefore the last command shown in step 7 should be:

rmdir "C:\Documents and Settings"

Other than that, these instructions are perfect. I have now tested on two different computers, both had XP Pro SP3 before installing Seven. I have now successfully restored XP on both rigs, following these instructions with the mentioned change.

After restoring SP, everything works perfectly, XP being exactly what it was before installing Seven. All previously installed applications and software like Office 2003, old games and so on. All settings were restored, from desktop wallpaper and icon placing to Outlook rules.

Here's a screenshot of commands needed, the same than in original tutorial with that one change:



Kari

 

[Lordbob75]

Thanks Kari. Does my change look correct to you? I didn't have a chance to check it with XP.

~Lordbob

 

[Kari]

Yes, it's OK.

Without removing the junction point, you get Access denied error when trying to move XP's Document and Settings from Windows.old to root. I spent weekend "practicing" all possible upgrade and "revert back to old OS" scenarios, doing several in-place upgrades, normal upgrades, clean and custom installs, and every time trying to revert Seven back to XP got this error. Somehow my small brain refused to understand why i couldn't rename it, until I got it. You just can not rename a junction point with built-in tools. But because it's just a junction point, there's nothing to loose removing it completely, you can always use mklink /J to recreate it if needed, so removing it is the simplest solution.

I have to say it one more time: Absolutely perfect solution to those who don't want to keep Seven. In my tests at least, everything went perfectly. Every single program worked as before, all files and settings intact.

It's very good to know this really works!

Kari

 

[Lordbob75]

Thanks for testing that out Kari! Appreciated very much. Too bad I can't rep you...

~Lordbob

 

[Kari]

A bit more testing:

Even though I was already sure it works, I decided to do one more test. Installed Seven on my test rig once more, on top of XP creating Windows.old. After installation, I copied the Windows.old folder to an external HD and deleted it from the new Windows 7 installation. I "played" a few days with Seven, installed software and so on. This morning I copied the Windows.old folder back to Seven, and did the restore procedure.

Everything works as before, XP is restored to the smallest detail. For those reading this tutorial and wondering if it really works, I can only say that I have now tested it several times, different scenarios and it always works.

Amazing, when you think of it.

Kari

 

[Lordbob75]

A bit more testing:

Even though I was already sure it works, I decided to do one more test. Installed Seven on my test rig once more, on top of XP creating Windows.old. After installation, I copied the Windows.old folder to an external HD and deleted it from the new Windows 7 installation. I "played" a few days with Seven, installed software and so on. This morning I copied the Windows.old folder back to Seven, and did the restore procedure.

Everything works as before, XP is restored to the smallest detail. For those reading this tutorial and wondering if it really works, I can only say that I have now tested it several times, different scenarios and it always works.

Amazing, when you think of it.

Kari

Awesome Kari, thanks (again)!
Would rep you if I could.

~Lordbob

 

[witz17]

Lordbob - from the tutorial you illustrated....

My old version and new version are both Windows 7. When in command prompt, do I just replace all commands that include "Vista" with "Windows 7"?

I am looking to retrieve an old Excel spreadsheet that was located on my previous desktop...

Appreciate your help.

Witz

 

[Kari]

Hi Witz, welcome to the Seven Forums.

The word "Vista" in this excellent tutorial by Lordbob is only used to rename some system folders. You can rename those as you want to, like this:

ren Windows Windows.Any.Name.You.Want.To.Use

The rename command's two parameters are current name (Windows in this example), and the new name (Windows.Any.Name.You.Want.To.Use in this example).

You can forget steps 9 and 10 if both new and old versions are Seven.

Kari

 

[witz17]

I am a complete beginner at this and I was able to do it!

Many thanks to you.... I greatly appreciate your help!

Witz

 

[Lordbob75]

I am a complete beginner at this and I was able to do it!

Many thanks to you.... I greatly appreciate your help!

Witz

Thanks mate, glad it worked for you.

~Lordbob

 

[p3pikr3izi]

Hey good job! But I have a question, is there a way to undo the above steps? I mean, what if I wanted to have the files back like before, i.e., delete the files .Vista including Windows.Vista, Program Files.Vista etc.
Any idea?
Thank you so much!!!

 

[Lordbob75]

Hey good job! But I have a question, is there a way to undo the above steps? I mean, what if I wanted to have the files back like before, i.e., delete the files .Vista including Windows.Vista, Program Files.Vista etc.
Any idea?
Thank you so much!!!

I believe that you could just follow the order and reverse the names, putting it back the way it was. I have not tried or thought about it though.

~Lordbob

 

[p3pikr3izi]

thanks! what about step 9? how would you write the line for it to boot in Win 7?

 

[SIW2]

Same as for Vista - they are both nt6.