Ever upgraded your Windows and happened to lose your files in the process? This sounds like a nightmare, but there is a simple solution to this problem. If you know how to restore files from the Windows.old folder, you can upgrade without fear. The process is simple. Check out the steps below.

What is the Windows. Old Folder?

When you upgrade your Windows, the computer will automatically create a Windows.old folder. This is a backup that will contain all the files and data from the previous Windows installation.

Warning: Windows will delete the Windows.old folder 30 days after you upgrade. Recover your files right away or move the folder to a different location before the 30 days are over.

How to Restore Files from Windows.Old Folder

Open the File Explorer window
Go to C:\Windows.old\Users\username Browse the files
Copy and paste the files that you want to restore into your current Windows installation
After you have restored your old files, you might consider deleting the Windows.old folder since it will be taking up a lot of space in your system.

Use the Wizard

Admittedly restoring all your files via the manual method can be rather tedious. So Microsoft has recently introduced a new troubleshooter http://windows.microsoft.com/en-ZA/windows-8/restore-files-upgrade-windows-old” which you can grab from the Windows site, that automatically moves all your files in the Windows. Old folder to the corresponding locations within your new Windows installation.