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If you want to have the old version of your operating system after you have installed the newest operating system from Microsoft, Windows 7 Beta, or Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC), or other version of this, you should read this article. The article is available for restoring Windows 2000 or Windows XP or Windows Vista.
If the Windows.old folder doesnt exist you cannot restore the previous Windows installation on your computer. You must restore or transfer your files to the previous operating system.
Step 1. Determine if the Windows.old folder exists.
1. Go to Start -> go to Computer
2. Go to View from menu and click Details
3. From Free Space look for how much space is available for Local Disk (C:) under the Hard Disk Drives area
4. Double-click Local Disk (C:) to determine whether the Windows.old folder exists.
After you determined where the Windows.old folder exists you will go on step 2.
Sep 2. Windows recovery
First you should introduce the disc with Windows 7 in the DVD drive and then restart the computer. To have access at Install Windows windows you should press a key when you are prompted to restart from the disc.
Steps for Windows recovery
1. In the Install Windows window, select all necessary data, and then click Next.
2. In the Install Windows window, click Repair your computer.
3. In the System Recovery Options window, click the version of the Windows 7 operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.
4. In the System Recovery Options window, click Command Prompt.
In the command prompt windows which is opened you will type the commands which I will describe bellow.
The Command Prompt window opens, and it displays the command prompt.
First you must rename the Windows 7 folder and you should type the following commands in the command prompt window:
1. Type c: and press ENTER
2. ren Windows Windows.7 and press ENTER
3. ren Program Files Program Files.7″ and press ENTER
4. ren Users Users.7″ and press ENTER
5. ren Documents and Settings Documents and Settings.7″ and press ENTER
After you follow the previous steps you will go on the next stage, to move the content on Windows 7 folder on Windows.old folder
1. move /y c:\windows.old\windows c:\ and press ENTER
2. move /y c:\windows.old\program files c:\ and press ENTER
3. move /y c:\windows.old\users c:\ and press ENTER:
4. move /y c:\windows.old\documents and settings c:\ and press ENTER
Step 3. Follow these steps to restore the previous Windows version. The steps are available for Windows 200 or Windows XP.
For Windows 2000 or Windows XP, D is you computer DVD drive. Its possible to have another drive like E
1. D:\boot\bootsect /nt52 c: and press ENTER
2. c: and press ENTER
3. attrib boot.ini.saved -s -h -r and press ENTER
4. renboot.ini.saved"boot.ini and press ENTER
5. attrib boot.ini +s +h +r and press ENTER
For Windows Vista, D is you computer DVD drive. Its possible to have another drive like E
D:\boot\bootsect /nt60 c: and press ENTER
The final step is to close command prompt window and to restart you computer
If the Windows.old folder doesnt exist you cannot restore the previous Windows installation on your computer. You must restore or transfer your files to the previous operating system.
Step 1. Determine if the Windows.old folder exists.
1. Go to Start -> go to Computer
2. Go to View from menu and click Details
3. From Free Space look for how much space is available for Local Disk (C:) under the Hard Disk Drives area
4. Double-click Local Disk (C:) to determine whether the Windows.old folder exists.
After you determined where the Windows.old folder exists you will go on step 2.
Sep 2. Windows recovery
First you should introduce the disc with Windows 7 in the DVD drive and then restart the computer. To have access at Install Windows windows you should press a key when you are prompted to restart from the disc.
Steps for Windows recovery
1. In the Install Windows window, select all necessary data, and then click Next.
2. In the Install Windows window, click Repair your computer.
3. In the System Recovery Options window, click the version of the Windows 7 operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.
4. In the System Recovery Options window, click Command Prompt.
In the command prompt windows which is opened you will type the commands which I will describe bellow.
The Command Prompt window opens, and it displays the command prompt.
First you must rename the Windows 7 folder and you should type the following commands in the command prompt window:
1. Type c: and press ENTER
2. ren Windows Windows.7 and press ENTER
3. ren Program Files Program Files.7″ and press ENTER
4. ren Users Users.7″ and press ENTER
5. ren Documents and Settings Documents and Settings.7″ and press ENTER
After you follow the previous steps you will go on the next stage, to move the content on Windows 7 folder on Windows.old folder
1. move /y c:\windows.old\windows c:\ and press ENTER
2. move /y c:\windows.old\program files c:\ and press ENTER
3. move /y c:\windows.old\users c:\ and press ENTER:
4. move /y c:\windows.old\documents and settings c:\ and press ENTER
Step 3. Follow these steps to restore the previous Windows version. The steps are available for Windows 200 or Windows XP.
For Windows 2000 or Windows XP, D is you computer DVD drive. Its possible to have another drive like E
1. D:\boot\bootsect /nt52 c: and press ENTER
2. c: and press ENTER
3. attrib boot.ini.saved -s -h -r and press ENTER
4. renboot.ini.saved"boot.ini and press ENTER
5. attrib boot.ini +s +h +r and press ENTER
For Windows Vista, D is you computer DVD drive. Its possible to have another drive like E
D:\boot\bootsect /nt60 c: and press ENTER
The final step is to close command prompt window and to restart you computer
