How To Revert Back To XP Or Vista From Windows 7.

If the computer has the Windows.old folder - Reverting Windows 7 back to a previous Windows system:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/971760



Windows.old on your C: drive - Usually, but not always, after installing Windows 7 you will have a Windows.old folder on your C: drive that contains data from the previous Windows installation. Open Windows Explorer and under "Computer" click on the C: drive - if the Windows.old folder is there you should be able to revert back to XP/Vista.



If it's not there, make sure you can see the Windows.old folder:

1. Click Start, type: hidden

2. Click "Show hidden files and folders"

3. Click to select "Show hidden files and folders"

4. Uncheck the next three items:

Hide empty drives

Hide extensions from known file types

Hide protected operating system files

5. Click OK and look for the folder

(Note: after you are done go back and recheck "Hide protected operating system files." If you want to change the other settings back do so.)





If there is no Windows.old folder:

If you have a restore partition (check your manual) you can use that, or if you have XP/Vista disks you can use those. If you don't have either and Windows came installed on your computer contact the OEM computer manufacturer and ask them to send you an install disk - they may or may not do it. If they agree to send you one they may charge a small fee.



___

STEP 1 – Locate Windows folder

The first step is to open the Windows 7 drive and locate the Windows.old folder in the drive. This is essential to change from Windows 7 to Vista and without it, this process would not be possible. Now you need to ensure that ample free space is available in the Windows 7 drive as all contents of Windows 7 is moved to a folder and the Vista contents from the Windows.old folder is copied.



STEP 2 – Reboot your PC

Now it is time to insert the Windows 7 installation disk in the DVD drive. Once this is done, reboot your PC. When the first screen shows up select your language, time and currency format and keyboard input method and click the ‘Next’ button.



Step 3 – Launching Windows7

Now the Install Windows window appears. Simply click on the ‘Repair your computer’ option to launch System Recovery Options dialog-box. You now need to select your Window 7 OS and click the ‘Next’ button again. Now you click on ‘Command Prompt’ to launch it.



STEP 4 – Move Windows 7 folders

In the next step, you will type the following commands in a serial manner and hit ‘Enter’ after typing each one of them. This action moves all the contents of Windows 7 to a new folder.

C:

Md Win7

Move Windows Win7\Windows

Move “Program Files” “Win7\Program Files”

Move Users Win7\Users

Attrib –h –s –r ProgramData

Move ProgramData Win7\ProgramData

Rd “Documents and Settings”



Step 5 – Copy Windows Vista files

Again the same process is repeated with a different set of commands that are given below and this ensures that the contents from Windows.old folder are copied to the drive.



move /y c:\Windows.old\Windows c:\

move /y “c:\Windows.old\Program Files” c:\

move /y c:\Windows.old\ProgramData c:\

move /y c:\Windows.old\Users c:\

move /y “c:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings” c:\



STEP 6 – Restore the Boot Sector

You have to restore the boot sector of your Vista OS by giving the following command.

D:\boot\bootsect /nt60 c:



Finally type ‘Exit’ to reboot your PC