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

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.

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Anonymous

@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

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

2013-05-21T18:40:59+00:00

I fell into this mistake as well. "Refresh" sounds like reloading a web page - nor erasing everything all your programs. Geez, it even deleted my entire windows Office suite -their own software. All my drivers were erased; my touchpad didn't even function after this "refresh". I had to download everything and reinstall my entire system - from printer drivers, software, contacts, programs, updates, the whole system. The warning is totally misleading; implies a disk clean-up type of procedure. Doesn't even state that no restore point is in place. All I can say is always backup your data!

Me too- and I am POSITIVE it says w/o removing files...

I CAN'T BLV THE ENTIRE OFFICE AND NORTON SECURITY WAS WIPED.

REFRESH---does sound like a quick refresh to help performance not RECOVER geez...sooo angry
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Anonymous

2013-05-21T18:59:34+00:00
Okay... For those of you that have done the refresh, you should have noticed that you didn't free up any space on your hard drive therefore all the application files are still there. I'll try to explain it one more time for all of you.
1. When you do a "Refresh" it removes the icons from your start screen and therefore makes you assume the programs are no longer installed.
2. If you navigate to "C:/windows.old/Program Files" or "C:/windows.old/Program Files (x86)" you will find your whole "C:/Program Files" or "C:/Program Files (x86)" there. All the program files will be there.
3. So if you want to restore your programs simply move the files in that folder back to "C:/Program Files" or "C:\Program Files (x86)".
4. After doing this most of my icons were restored to my start screen. And everything worked as it was although the programs will no longer be found in "Change or Remove Programs".
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Anonymous

2013-05-21T21:41:25+00:00

My wife just ran REFRESH by mistake, on my work laptop! It uninstalled Office 2013 and every other program that I have installed and customized over the last five months. Thankfully my MS Office files are safe. I get to waste my night rebuilding Windows 8. Maybe its time to install Windows 7 Pro.

REFRESH, really, how about a auto restore point get inserted right in front of a REFRESH.

What next.
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