How to roll back to Windows 8.1 from the Command Prompt?

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

  1. Posts : 3
    Windows 10 Pro
       #1

    How to roll back to Windows 8.1 from the Command Prompt?


    I have been running Windows 10 Pro on my HP desktop for overa week with no problems. Over theweekend Windows attempted installing an upgrade; not sure when, but during theupgrade process I received a Critical Process Died BSOD with no error code. All system restarts result in the same error, and I havebeen unable to use Repair, Recovery Mode, or Safe mode to isolate theproblem.

    The only usable option seems tobe to do a System Restore where I have the choice of losing all installed apps,or losing both all installed apps and files.

    Is there any way to roll back to the Windows 8.1 that isstill located in the Windows.old folder from the command prompt?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #2

    I read somewhere that booting from a Windows 10 install media (USB stick/DVD) and the repair this PC option gives you the option to roll back. Not sure. I'm an all or nothing kind of guy. After a couple days I delete all the old stuff required for a rollback - but I still have my trusty hard drive image stored on USB hard drive.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 3
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #3

    NavyLCDR said:
    I read somewhere that booting from a Windows 10 install media (USB stick/DVD) and the repair this PC option gives you the option to roll back. Not sure. I'm an all or nothing kind of guy. After a couple days I delete all the old stuff required for a rollback - but I still have my trusty hard drive image stored on USB hard drive.
    I did try booting from a Windows 10 install DVD; I'm pretty sure that after a failed repair attempt that only options were a full install (with re-partitioning the HD), or an install where all settings/apps/files were lost - I don't remember seeing the roll back option. Thanks, I'll take another look at it tonight to be sure.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 14,046
    Windows 11 Pro X64 22H2 22621.1848
       #4

    How is rolling back to Windows 8.1 better than doing a System Restore? It will cause you to lose the same apps (which is not true, only apps you installed after the restore point was created) and it will lose you Windows 10.

    I'd recommend truying the restore and see what happens. You may be pleasantly surprised.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 3
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Ztruker said:
    How is rolling back to Windows 8.1 better than doing a System Restore? It will cause you to lose the same apps (which is not true, only apps you installed after the restore point was created) and it will lose you Windows 10.

    I'd recommend truying the restore and see what happens. You may be pleasantly surprised.
    Yep I fully agree, just tried the restore again to make sure of what I was seeing. I get a message stating that "No System Restore Points Have Been Created on your Computer's System Drive". So I am seem to be unable to do a restore. I also just tried the Go Back to Previous Build option, and get an error stating "We ran into a problem and won't be able to take you back to the previous build. Try resetting your current build instead". Tried Reset, but it only gives me the option of Keeping my Personal Files - but removing apps and settings, or Remove everything.

    I had upgraded my wife's notebook computer to Windows 10 Pro at the same time that I upgraded my desktop system. She hated Windows 10, but the OS provided the option of rolling back to her Windows 8.1 as long as it was done within 30 days and the Windows.old folder had not been deleted. The rollback worked like a charm. The Windows.old folder is still intact (with all the files) on my desktop, but because I can't get past the OS boot up, I can't get to the Roll Back function - hence my question if it is possible to access the Windows 10 Roll Back feature from Command Prompt?
    Last edited by rosteven; 17 Aug 2015 at 16:59.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 14,046
    Windows 11 Pro X64 22H2 22621.1848
       #6

    Rats, another bad decision by Microsoft, to disable System Restore by default.
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 1,249
    Windows 8.1, Win10Pro
       #7

    NavyLCDR said:
    I read somewhere that booting from a Windows 10 install media (USB stick/DVD) and the repair this PC option gives you the option to roll back. .
    Tried that on my failed HP laptop upgrade -- and all it would say was that it could not restore my system. So, I tried the Repair option -- and all it would say was that it could not repair my system.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 2
    Windows 10
       #8

    rosteven said:
    Yep I fully agree, just tried the restore again to make sure of what I was seeing. I get a message stating that "No System Restore Points Have Been Created on your Computer's System Drive". So I am seem to be unable to do a restore. I also just tried the Go Back to Previous Build option, and get an error stating "We ran into a problem and won't be able to take you back to the previous build. Try resetting your current build instead". Tried Reset, but it only gives me the option of Keeping my Personal Files - but removing apps and settings, or Remove everything.

    I had upgraded my wife's notebook computer to Windows 10 Pro at the same time that I upgraded my desktop system. She hated Windows 10, but the OS provided the option of rolling back to her Windows 8.1 as long as it was done within 30 days and the Windows.old folder had not been deleted. The rollback worked like a charm. The Windows.old folder is still intact (with all the files) on my desktop, but because I can't get past the OS boot up, I can't get to the Roll Back function - hence my question if it is possible to access the Windows 10 Roll Back feature from Command Prompt?
    I know this thread is a little old, but I got the same message when trying to Go back to a previous build today. Two things I did finally worked for me. First, I had to login as a user with administrator rights that had a user profile on the computer before the upgrade. NOTE: The Domain Administrator account wouldn't work. When logged in with that account the Roll Back button did absolutely nothing and the roll back method you tried gave the message "We ran into a problem and won't be able to take you back to the previous build. Try resetting your current build instead". Don't ask me why rolling back didn't work as the Administrator. I have no idea. Second, I had to delete any user accounts created after the upgrade to Windows 10. In our case, this was a domain connected computer. So, the user profile that needed to be removed could only be removed by going to the System Control Panel | Advanced settings | User profiles. Once that was removed we also had to enable the local administrator account with a password we know. Then we were able to revert to the previous version. I wish some of this was documented. So, I hope this comment helps others because it is still an issue.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 15,441
    Windows10
       #9

    Ztruker said:
    How is rolling back to Windows 8.1 better than doing a System Restore? It will cause you to lose the same apps (which is not true, only apps you installed after the restore point was created) and it will lose you Windows 10.

    I'd recommend truying the restore and see what happens. You may be pleasantly surprised.
    Hold on - people are confusing a System Restore with a System Recover/Reset.

    A System Restore only winds pc back a few days to last restore point. Useful for small niggling issues.

    A recovery/reset rebuilds OS from scratch (keeping data files if selected).
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 14,046
    Windows 11 Pro X64 22H2 22621.1848
       #10

    Agree, I thought that's what I said?
      My Computers


 

  Related Discussions
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 10 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 10" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 20:43.
Find Us




Windows 10 Forums