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

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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.

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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/

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-12-22T16:56:12+00:00

    The Recovery partition is created by the manufacturer and is a means to return the computer back to the state it was in when first bought. Depending upon the manufacturer, there may be more repair function than just simple recovery. The partition is not a 'user viewable' area, and plays no part until total disaster strikes or you want to sell the computer on free of personal stuff.

    To back up photos:

    Use an external hard drive.. Something like this..

    http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3886910&CatId=3466

    Use of included software is optional. I prefer to just copy photos and music across, and it is no more difficult than it used be when copying a file to a 3.5" floppy diskette.

    The hard drive will be plug and play, and should be recognized in seconds.

    Using an external drive:

    The backup should be a MIRROR of what is on your C drive in the Pictures folder. The photos should exist at BOTH locations. You should never MOVE your important stuff. Always COPY it. In this way, you will never again be in a situation where you dropped the basket and lost ALL of your eggs.

    When you add new photos from your digital camera, ensure that they get COPIED across to the external drive before you do ANYTHING else..

    You should also disconnect your external drive when nothing is being copied to it. Disconnecting it will isolate it from all hazards other than being dropped from a height (not recommended).

    You can save to flash drives, but they tend not to be too reliable and can't hold anything like as much as much stuff..

    What happens if the backup drive fails:

    .. and they can, but no problem. You still have ALL of your photos on C drive because you remembered to COPY them across, not MOVE them across..

    OK?

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  3. 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.

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