PC Reset but my old personal files are still there?

[Habibi777]

recently I had issues with the new update and has this “no bootable device” error loop, so I tried fixing it by downloading media tool of windows on a USB to use some advanced options. Long story short literally no command prompt or nothing helped, So I decided to download windows, not knowing it would download a completely new version. I tweaked my bios settings and bam my pc is basically reset but all of my files/apps are in some folders labeled as “windows old”, can someone please help me retrieve or restore my old windows? Is there some way I could switch the version of windows or maybe access these files? Im so confused right now, any help is appreciated

[Bruce]

since the PC is now working, I’d leave all the system files alone.
in the windows.old folder, go to the Users folder, in there you’ll find whatever your old login account was called - User, Owner, Peter, Susan, whatever.
in that you’ll find all you personal files under the Desktop, Downloads, Pictures, Videos, Documents, and Music folders.
that should get 99% of your data back.
other stuff like browser passwords, bookmarks, and emails can be retrieved as well if you really want those, slightly more techie but not huge issue.

[Habibi777]

since the PC is now working, I’d leave all the system files alone.
in the windows.old folder, go to the Users folder, in there you’ll find whatever your old login account was called - User, Owner, Peter, Susan, whatever.
in that you’ll find all you personal files under the Desktop, Downloads, Pictures, Videos, Documents, and Music folders.
that should get 99% of your data back.
other stuff like browser passwords, bookmarks, and emails can be retrieved as well if you really want those, slightly more techie but not huge issue.

Is there anyway I could switch to my old version? with alll my preferences and apps? Because all of the apps and softwares are in the folder but they’re not showing up as installed for some reason. Is there anyway I could revert or switch back to the other windows. Thanks

[Bruce]

if you did the Windows reload more than 30 days ago, your ‘get out of jail free’ card has expired.

you can’t ‘switch’ back to the previous Windows version but you may be able to recover back to it
if you look in Start > Settings > Update & Security > Recovery, if it’s available, that’s where you’ll find it.

but be warned, it’ll take your system back to whatever state it was in that made you go down this path in the first place.

[Habibi777]

if you did the Windows reload more than 30 days ago, your ‘get out of jail free’ card has expired.

you can’t ‘switch’ back to the previous Windows version but you may be able to recover back to it
if you look in Start > Settings > Update & Security > Recovery, if it’s available, that’s where you’ll find it.

but be warned, it’ll take your system back to whatever state it was in that made you go down this path in the first place.

I installed a fresh new windows with old files, im fine with this as long as I can get my files but they are all clumped in a random files, how do I reinstall all of them or apply them back?

[Rustys]

FYI

If you are going to get the file you may wan to do this FAST.
Ten days after you upgrade to Windows 10, your previous version of Windows will be automatically deleted from your PC.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/delete-your-previous-version-of-windows-f8b26680-e083-c710-b757-7567d69dbb74

https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/2192807-windows-old-automatically-deleted

[Bruce]

10 days???
geez - they must have changed that while I wasn’t looking, used to be 30.

[Habibi777]

10 days???
geez - they must have changed that while I wasn’t looking, used to be 30.

wait what happens?? My files are still here after ten days, they’re in a folder labeled as windows old

[Bruce]

you lose the ability to recover your system back to the previous version.
windows.old will also eventually get deleted by some MS maintenance, so get the stuff you want out of there now, as stated in post #2, #3, and #7, this should have been done by now.

this thread is now 9 days old, all I can guess is the files you have in windows.old can’t be very important otherwise you would have dealt with them by now. delay at your peril!