How to uninstall windows 10 step by step
Table of contents:
- How to uninstall Windows 10 step by step
- 1) System recovery
- 2) Clean installation
- 3) Windows Recovery
Today we bring you the tutorial on how to uninstall Windows 10 step by step and without any problems. Is that currently Windows 10 can be installed for free by users of Windows 7 and 8. However, if you have done this and you face any incompatibility with the drivers or any application does not work properly, downgrade may be the only solution at your fingertips.
How to uninstall Windows 10 step by step
Therefore, if Windows 10 does not work well or you simply do not like it, you do not get used to its interface or you simply do not find Cortana useful at all, you can uninstall it in three ways.
To make Windows 7 and 8.1 users' lives easier, Microsoft allows to abandon the installation of Windows 10 and return to the previous system within 30 days after the update.
Using the native Windows 10 tool it is possible to downgrade without any personal file being deleted. However, installed applications and modified settings after upgrade will be lost.
But it is good to keep in mind that downgrading for your previous system requires that you have your Windows.old folder in C: \ Windows.old. If you usually delete this folder after making improvements, or have already done a clean install of Windows 10 after upgrade, it will not be possible to uninstall Windows 10 with this first method.
Before uninstalling the operating system, check that the two folders exist. In the File Explorer, inside the C: drive, you will find the Windows.old folder, but you will have to click on the View tab and select the option to see the hidden elements in order to see the $ WINDOWS. ~ BT folder.
1) System recovery
Before using the return option, take some time to set things up. First of all, you need to be sure that you have backed up all your important files to an external hard drive or a cloud based backup service like Mega or Dropbox.
It is also important that you make sure that you have the access codes of your Windows 7 or 8 in case they are necessary. You probably don't need them, but it doesn't hurt that you already have them on hand.
The keys for the above systems must be on a sticker on the back of the computer (underneath the battery if it's a laptop), or included with the Windows discs that came with your desktop or laptop. In case of online purchase, you will have it in your contact email.
Once you have all of this organized, it's time to start the process. Open the Start menu, and follow the following path: Settings> Update and Security> Recovery .
In case you still have the option to go back to the previous operating system, you will have an option that says "Go back to Windows 8.1" or "Go back to Windows 7". If you see this, click Start and follow the instructions.
Once you have returned to the previous version of Windows, it will be necessary to adjust the system again. Some older programs may have to be reinstalled, and if you have a different password on the old system than the Windows 10 code, you will need to log in with the old password.
Obviously, storing all the files from your old Windows installation takes up considerable space, so keep that in mind. If you open the Disk Cleanup application, you will see the amount of space it uses. Click the Start button, type " Disk Cleanup " for the search and click " Clean System Files ".
Select " Previous Windows Installations " and " Temporary Windows Installation Files " from the list, and you will see the amount of space they consume on your hard drive. If you are sure you don't want to go back to the previous version of Windows, use the “Clean System Files” tool to delete the files and immediately free up space.
2) Clean installation
Assuming you have an old computer upgraded to Windows 10, with which you previously used Windows 7 or 8.1, it means that the computer comes with a product key that allows the use of Windows 7 or 8.1. To go back to a previous version of Windows, you will have to do a clean installation of Windows.
Fortunately, Microsoft now offers an easy method to download ISO files from Windows 7 and 8.1. Download the Windows installation media and burn the ISO file to disk or copy it to a USB drive.
Subsequently, you can boot from this ISO file and reinstall Windows 7 or 8.1, telling the system to overwrite the Windows 10 installation. Make sure you have backup copies of all your important Windows 10 files first, since This clean installation method removes everything stored on your computer.
WE RECOMMEND YOU Cheap USB keyboards for less than 30 eurosHowever, if you have purchased a new PC that came with Windows 10 and wish to revert to an earlier version of Windows, you will need to purchase a Windows 7 or 8.1 license to install from scratch.
3) Windows Recovery
It is always recommended to periodically make a complete backup of your equipment, you never know when you will need it. Therefore, if you have previously created a full backup, you can now use it to roll back to the previous version of the operating system.
You will need a repair disk to start the computer in the Windows Recovery Environment to restore the previous version. If you haven't created a backup yet, follow these instructions:
- Access the hidden Start menu (Win + X) and select Control Panel. Click on System and Security. Click on Backup and Restore (Windows 7). In the left panel, click on "Create a disk of System Repair. ”Follow the on-screen instructions to create the repair disc.
Once you have the repair disc created, use the following steps to go back:
- Connect the drive that contains the backup to your computer. Restart the computer with the repair disk. On the Settings screen, click Next. Click Repair. Select "Troubleshoot." Click Advanced Options. Select "System Image Recovery." Log in with your user account. Select the backup you want to recover.
If applicable, follow the instructions on the screen, and click Finish to complete the process.
After the recovery process is complete, you will be back to the previous version of Windows. Remember to reinstall the apps you have installed when upgrading to Windows 10 and don't forget to restore the new backup files too.
It's worth mentioning that if your PC manufacturer includes a recovery option, you might be able to use it to restore your computer using factory settings.
As always we recommend reading our tutorials and if you have any questions, you can contact us.
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