@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.
Can I undo a refresh on windows 8, I have no restore points but would like to go back 24hours?
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Anonymous
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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Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
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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Anonymous
2013-02-27T19:40:59+00:00 Thanks. I have learned an imporant new fact about Windows 8 refresh!
Good that your recovery was so simple.
I know this is not true in your case, but I guess that if the original problem was caused by one of the applications, restoring from Windows.old might reinstate the problem.
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Anonymous
2013-04-21T15:57:52+00:00 How do you get to this "root:/Windows.old". I too, fell into this system refresh trap and it deleted my major programs that will take a lot of time and money to replace, if even possible. I have a new laptop that came with windows 8 and it apparently has no system restore pts. Please Help!
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Anonymous
2013-04-21T16:34:55+00:00 I had cloned my original c: drive and it was on the cloned drive.
There is a utility called Recuva http://www.piriform.com/recuva that can restore some deleted files if they have not been overwritten. It's worth a try.
The Refresh option should produce a giant red warning screen that says specifically that all of your installed applications will be toast and that once you commit there is NO GOING BACK!