My laptop came with Windows 10 Home preinstalled with an image. I upgraded my Home version to Windows 10 Pro.
I may need to "recover" my Windows 10 Pro installation. However, I want to be prepared. Based on the Windows 10 Recovery options, will it recover my Windows from Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro?
Most likely attempting to use Windows 10 built-in recovery will just fail. But in the event that it does succeed, you will likely be returned to Windows 10 Home which you will then have to re-upgrade to Windows 10 Pro by changing the product key. Even Microsoft recommends using a third party backup image program as they have discontinued support for built-in Windows imaging. Most members here recommend using Macrium Reflect Free to create backup system images with. Make sure to create a Macrium Reflect rescue drive that you can boot your computer from and restore the saved backup image in the event of internal drive failure.
Macrium Software | Reflect 8 Free
Sammy,
I agree with NavyLCdr.
There are several commonplace imaging utilities, including free ones. Macrium Reflect [free edition] is an imaging utility that is often recommended in this forum and is so well-known here that you can get plenty of help for it.
Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect - TenForumsTutorials
Macrium Software Macrium Reflect Free
Macrium USB - TenForums
Macrium Reflect KnowledgeBase - user guide [version-independent link]
It can also make bootable system images. This facility is called viBoot.
Macrium viBoot - Macrium KB
Macrium viBoot - Create Virtual Machine using Macrium Image - TenForumsTutorials
While you're thinking about backups, consider Backup and Restore Device Drivers - TenForumsTutorials as well.
All the best,
Denis
Thanks again for the suggestions.
I just realized something. My Windows 10 Pro (upgrade) installation may have some issues. Whilst we’re can’t go back in time, can we force Windows (or Lenovo) to install the original factory image with all the bloatware and then create a new factory image after upgrading to Pro with one of the apps that was mentioned? Lenovo didn't provide me with a download link to the factory image iso file.
Sammy,
Surely you will provide what you need for yourself by making a Macrium Reflect image - it will capture your Pro Edition & whatever bloatware you have chosen to keep on your computer.
This will be better than anything Lenovo could possibly provide because it will be tailored to your needs.
No, I do not believe we can force anybody to do anything.
Denis
You may still have a partition intended to provide factory reset on your disk, I suppose.can we force Windows (or Lenovo) to install the original factory image with all the bloatware
However, there's really no point going back to something and losing all your time configuring it. You can clean install Win 10 any time you like.
Regular and routine disk imaging (of at least ALL partitions comprising the O/S - typically 4 for a UEFI installation) is the starting point for securing your system. System Restore is a useful complement.
Also plan to keep personal data off C: as far as possible so restoring an image of the O/S has as little impact on that as possible.
Sorry, I wasn't clear. I plan to create a new Pro image, but I'm not comfortable with the one I have. I've had to do a few System Restores already. I would like to do a clean fresh image even if it means upgrading back from Home to Pro. There was minimal customizations which I had to do with the Pro. I just spent time and effort getting rid of the bloatware that came with my laptop which is a few months old.
What I meant force Lenovo, I meant for my [Lenovo] laptop to extract and use the factory image which is still present on the factory partition.
- - - Updated - - -
Yes, the factory partition is still there and I have a HDD as well as SSD on my laptop. I use the HDD (D drive) for data.
Some options to avoid reinstalling an old build with bloatware (tutorials available):
- 'Refresh' Windows- various options, keeping the current build:
Refresh Windows 10
Option What it does Keep my files
- This is to refresh Windows 10.
- Reinstalls Windows 10 and keeps your accounts and personal files.
- Removes apps and drivers you installed.
- Removes changes you made to settings.
- Removes any apps your PC manufacturer installed. (If your PC came with Windows 10, apps from your PC manufacturer will be reinstalled.)
Remove everything
- This is to reset Windows 10.
- Reinstalls Windows 10 and removes all your accounts and personal files.
- Removes apps and drivers you installed.
- Removes changes you made to settings.
- Removes any apps your PC manufacturer installed. (If your PC came with Windows 10, apps from your PC manufacturer will be reinstalled.)
- If you're planning to donate, recycle, or sell your PC, use this option and choose to fully clean the drive. This might take an hour or two, but it makes it harder for other people to recover files you've removed.
Restore factory settings
- This is to do a factory restore on an OEM PC that came preinstalled with Windows 10.
- Reinstalls the version of Windows that your PC came with (either Windows 8 or Windows 8.1) and removes your personal files.
- Removes apps and drivers you installed.
- Removes changes you made to settings.
- Reinstalls any apps your PC manufacturer installed on your PC.
- This option isn't available on all PCs.
- do a clean install of Win 10... that way you also get the current build (now 21H1) if you use the MS media creation tool to create a bootable flash drive, rather than installing an old build and having to upgrade it.
Plus you can recover disk space and delete the factory reset partition - not needed.
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