Can I undo a refresh on windows 8, I have no restore points but would like to go back 24hours?

Anonymous
2013-01-21T18:18:26+00:00

I've recently got a new computer with Windows 8, I was having trouble with it and decided to refresh to clean up all the bits and pieces I'd added to start again.  The windows office package  was installed recently by partner before he went away as he bought two licences and it has now gone.

Can I undo the refresh in any way?  I have tried and tried but it seems there were no restore points.  Very grateful for any advice as have just managed to get some work for first time this year and need word, excel etc.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Performance and system failures

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2015-04-01T21:19:11+00:00

@Shawn yes make the users wrong for not understanding Windows 8's arcane messages.  Microsoft can do no wrong (sarcasm.)

Raul Freitas

tech wizard 

(not a Microsoft apologist)

For the record Windows 8 is worse than both Vista and ME.

Was this answer helpful?

3 people found this answer helpful.
0 comments No comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2013-01-21T18:23:43+00:00

No restore points = no going back. I don't think that you can go back anyway, certainly there is no easy way.

Your other stuff will have to be re-installed..

If you are going to need Refresh in the future, make a CUSTOM Refresh image that better reflects what is installed and running. The new image is not perfect but better than the default Refresh..

http://www.howtogeek.com/108944/how-to-create-a-custom-refresh-image-in-windows-8/

Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.
0 comments No comments

110 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
  1. Anonymous
    2013-12-22T13:37:34+00:00

    When I try to open the recovery drive all I can see is this warning---

    Recovery Partition

    Warning

    This area of your hard drive (partition) contains files used to perform a system recovery. Do not delete or alter any of these files. Any change to these files could prevent a system recovery in the future. ----

    I cannot figure out how to view anything on there. One reason I am curious to find out what is on there is that it might help people now or in the future that do the refresh. This disk was empty before my BF did the refresh, and I know for a fact that he would not have known how to create any type of backup or recovery image, unless he was prompted during the refresh or it was automatic.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  2. Anonymous
    2013-12-22T13:27:28+00:00

    I am back to where I was before my BF "refreshed" lol  About making a backup- I got reminders from the HP assistant for almost a year to make a backup. I kept saying I would do it next week. I should have listened.  Do any of you know how I can view what is on the recovery drive? The recovery drive was basically empty the day before my BF refreshed, but now it is 2.07 GB free of 17.0 GB. I already upgraded back to 8.1, and I have reinstalled anything I needed, but I am just curious. I am wondering if there is not some type of backup that was created during the refresh. My BF would have had no idea what a backup was or how to make one, so whatever is on the recovery drive happened automatically. Thanks in advance for any information!

    Lisa

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  3. Anonymous
    2013-12-22T12:41:27+00:00

    The industry has been squawking about the importance of users making backups since the last pair of animals was herded up the gangplank of Noah's Ark.

    Microsoft have included a basic backup utility for years. Nero, Cyberlink, Roxio etc have been including a facility to back up stuff for years, but people just burn music and movies, never looking beyond those functions.

    Dell include a utility called DataSafe, pre-install Norton also has a backup utility, I think, and there are free backup utilities produced by EaseUS and Aomei. All are easy to use, but the greater majority would rather spend time having fun than back up anything.

    You have only yourself to blame..

    As for your treatment of Shawn Keene, that is deplorable. He has done more than most here to produce stuff to help computer users and he has done it FOR FREE.. It is a huge commitment, and a great deal of time and effort is required to do what he has done.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments