Set Number of Days can Go Back to Previous Version of Windows  

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    Set Number of Days can Go Back to Previous Version of Windows

    Set Number of Days can Go Back to Previous Version of Windows

    How to Set Number of Days can Go Back to Previous Version of Windows in Windows 10
    Published by Category: Installation & Upgrade
    28 Feb 2021
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Set Number of Days can Go Back to Previous Version of Windows in Windows 10


    When you upgrade to Windows 10 or update to a new version or build of Windows 10 (ex: Windows Update), a copy of the previous installation is saved to the Windows.old folder in the root directory of the Windows 10 drive as a backup. This backup will allow you to be able to go back to the previous version of Windows for up to a 10 days after upgrading to Windows 10 if you should want or need to.

    Starting with the Windows 10 April 2018 Update v1803, new DISM commands have been added to:
    • Find out how many days after an upgrade that an OS can be uninstalled (go back to the previous version)
    • Initiate an uninstall (go back to the previous version)
    • Remove the ability for a user to uninstall a Windows upgrade (go back to the previous version)
    • Set the number of days that a user has to uninstall a Windows upgrade (go back to the previous version)

    See also: DISM operating system uninstall command-line options | Microsoft Docs

    This tutorial will show you how to see and set the number of days after an upgrade you are still able to go back to a previous version of Windows in Windows 10.

    You must be signed in as an administrator to set the number of days.

    Note that these DISM commands are only available while you can still go back to a previous version of Windows.

    If either of the following are true, then DISM will report Error 1168, Element not found. This error message indicates that the previous version has been deleted, and there's currently not a previous version to go back to.

    1) Windows has removed the previous version automatically after 10 days.
    2) The previous version has been removed using Disk Cleanup.



    Contents

    • Option One: See Current Number of Days after an Upgrade You Can Go back to Previous Version of Windows
    • Option Two: Set Number of Days after an Upgrade You Can Go back to Previous Version of Windows
    • Option Three: Remove Ability to Go back to Previous Version of Windows



    EXAMPLE: "Go back to the previous version of Windows 10" after set number of days have expired
    Set Number of Days can Go Back to Previous Version of Windows-recovery_settings.jpg






    OPTION ONE

    See Current Number of Days after an Upgrade You Can Go back to Previous Version of Windows


    1 Open an elevated command prompt.

    2 Copy and paste the command below into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

    DISM /Online /Get-OSUninstallWindow

    3 You will now see the number of days (ex: "10") currently set after an upgrade to be able to go back to a previous version of Windows. You can now close the elevated command prompt if you like.

    Set Number of Days can Go Back to Previous Version of Windows-get-osuninstallwindow.png






    OPTION TWO

    Set Number of Days after an Upgrade You Can Go back to Previous Version of Windows


    1 Open an elevated command prompt.

    2 Type the command below into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

    DISM /Online /Set-OSUninstallWindow /Value:<days>

    Substitute <days> in the command above with the actual number (2 to 60) of days you want. The default is 10 days.

    For example: DISM /Online /Set-OSUninstallWindow /Value:30


    3 You can now close the elevated command prompt if you like.

    Set Number of Days can Go Back to Previous Version of Windows-set-osuninstallwindow.png






    OPTION THREE

    Remove Ability to Go back to Previous Version of Windows


    This option will remove the ability to go back to the previous version of Windows on your PC.


    You will be able to go back to a previous version of Windows again after the next time you update Windows 10 to a new version or build via Windows Update.

    This will not delete the Windows.old folder or its content.


    1 Open an elevated command prompt.

    2 Copy and paste the command below into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

    DISM /Online /Remove-OSUninstall

    3 You will now no longer be able to go back to the previous version of Windows on this PC. You can now close the elevated command prompt if you like.

    Set Number of Days can Go Back to Previous Version of Windows-remove-osuninstall.png


    That's it,
    Shawn






  1. Posts : 31,398
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #1

    Note that these DISM commands are only available while you can still go back to a previous version of Windows

    If either of the following are true:


    then DISM will report Error 1168, Element not found.

    Set Number of Days can Go Back to Previous Version of Windows-dism-getosuninstallwindow-element-not-found.png
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Thank you Bree. I added a note at the top of the tutorial for this.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 841
    Windows 10 Pro 21H2
       #3

    Brink, I did not know this totorial was here, did not show up in "search", please take a look at this: Extend rollback time
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 841
    Windows 10 Pro 21H2
       #4

    Bad news, this is what happened going from 2004 to 1909: I checked the restore days and it said 10. I extended the restore days to 60 and double checked it. Then I tried to rollback to previous version and I got this even though windows.old was still visible and after I reset it to 10 days.
    Set Number of Days can Go Back to Previous Version of Windows-capture.png

    2004 seems to have a lot of problems. I think I will wait until end of life in May before trying it again. And BTW, all this was done after doing an Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade. Macrium saves me one more time...
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #5

    rdwray said:
    Bad news, this is what happened going from 2004 to 1909: I checked the restore days and it said 10. I extended the restore days to 60 and double checked it. Then I tried to rollback to previous version and I got this even though windows.old was still visible and after I reset it to 10 days. 2004 seems to have a lot of problems. I think I will wait until end of life in May before trying it again. And BTW, all this was done after doing an Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade. Macrium saves me one more time...
    It looks like you were too late, and the previous version was already deleted.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 841
    Windows 10 Pro 21H2
       #6

    Brink said:
    It looks like you were too late, and the previous version was already deleted.
    Nope, I upgraded 8/27/2020.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #7

    rdwray said:
    Nope, I upgraded 8/27/2020.
    Do you remember if you may have done anything like run Disk Cleanup or Storage Sense that may have mistakenly deleted the Windows.old folder?
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 841
    Windows 10 Pro 21H2
       #8

    Brink said:
    Do you remember if you may have done anything like run Disk Cleanup or Storage Sense that may have mistakenly deleted the Windows.old folder?
    No. I just restored 2004 with windows.old from an image and it is working to restore 1909. I have installed 2004 approx 5 times now because of a problem with deleting files and Recycle Bin and File Explorer not updating and the file icon remains in place and I have to use the Desktop context menu Refresh to remove the icon.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #9

    rdwray said:
    No. I just restored 2004 with windows.old from an image and it is working to restore 1909. I have installed 2004 approx 5 times now because of a problem with deleting files and Recycle Bin and File Explorer not updating and the file icon remains in place and I have to use the Desktop context menu Refresh to remove the icon.
    Hmm, I'm not sure either what would be removing the previous version then.
      My Computers


 

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