Windows.old revisisted

T

Tommy

Member
Hello,

I found a guide on this site that helps people retore XP after installing Vista on the same drive. I have a similar set of problems and I'm not sure if I require a seperate solution.

It started when I searched the web for a way to repair WMP. Media Player has been screwed up for a few weeks. A few sites agreed that inserting the Vista disk that came with my Dell desktop and running setup should fix or repair any original software from that disk. So I did.

Needess to say I flipped out when I ealized that I had just reinstalled Vista and lost everything I had. I begin searching and found all of my old applications and files in the windows.old file... but try as I might, I could not stop digging this hole I had begun. I started dragging files from windows.old and trying to copy them into the new directories... and sort of made a mess of things.

My wife is a photographer and, well, I don't want to lose the 20GB of pictures or the 10GB of music we have accumulated over time.

What I want to do... is to go back in time and stop myself from reinstalling vista. I want everything back the way it was and I want to be asking you guys how to fix WMP rather than asking you to save me from my wife. Thank you in advance.
 
Hi Tommy, nice to hear back from you.

Just two questions:
1) Did you copy or move the files from Windows.old?
2) If you got your pictures and music back into the current install, is that good enough? Or do you need all your old settings and programs too?
 
1) Move. I'm pretty sure I moved them.
2)While I could live with the current install... I'd much rather retore my old settings and programs.
 
OK, well here's the thing. IF you want to go back to your original configuration, you're going to need to move everything back to Windows.old the way it was - can you do that?
 
I think so, can I copy the pictures and music to an external drive or somehow protect them from getting lost forever in my effort to retore everything? I only moved the pictures to the desktop and the old user account files to the new user account folder.
 
You can copy whatever you want :smile:

Can you post a screenshot of the contents of Windows.old once that's done?
 
I don't know how to create a screenshot, but I can list the contents for you once that's done. I will have to purchase a HD to copy items to and do that as well, this may take some time. I appreciate your prompt response to my initial question.
 
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