Windows 10: After update all programs and user profile moved to windows.old

Not sure what happened and junior was on the PC. Have a desktop with fairly new pc, not used much and win10 home. Was going to add some video software so first created a system restore point. Something asked about an update but don't remember what it said and some one else was using the pc and I didn't see what they did.

After the update my usual user that would show on startup was gone, just said "other user" so had to create another account before I could login, my user account was gone.

in the c drive I see there is a windows10update folder, windows folder and a windows.old folder.
The windows.old folder has all the programs I have installed to date and I see my original user account folder is there.

When I go to system restore there are no restore points even though I created one before the update. Any tips on how to go back the state before the update?

Or can I copy the programs & user profile from my windows.old folder would someone know what I did to create the windows.old folder in the first place?

thanks!!
-George

:)

 

Move Users Folder Location in Windows 10  

If not the best way to do that but at least the way I recommend:

• "Empty" your user profile folders as much as you can, copying documents, pics, videos, music and all other personal data from all user profiles to external HDD. As following steps require you to relocate Users folder two times, the less data is left in user profile folders, the faster the relocation process. Important: Leave system folder AppData for each profile intact, do not empty / move its content!
• Reverse the relocating, doing exactly as told in tutorial Method Two but this time relocating Users folder back to C: drive
• Shut down the PC, replace the disk where you had Users relocated
• Mount the new disk, boot to Windows, assign new disk the same drive ID letter than the old one had
• Again, do as told in Method Two, now relocating Users to new disk
• Restore the backed up personal user data from external drive to respective folders under each user profile

 

How to move the user profile folder to an external hard drive


*Confused I found a Windows 10 Forums article online about how to move the Users profile folder to an external drive, but it was not something easily understood by a not-too-techie user.

If there are some easy to follow step-by-step instructions on how to do this for a recently upgraded Windows 10 (not Windows Professional or Windows Enterprise) OS, I would be happy to get them.

 

Lost default photo viewer after profile rebuild


Thanks Brink. I've tried those steps before i started searching Google. After the profile rebuild i don't have the Photo app listed to choose to make it default in either the system settings for default apps or the Open With option.

I can't even find it doing a search. Seems to have been removed somehow with the profile rebuild, which doesn't make sense.

Might be helpful to list what i've done *Smile I've done the open with check, the choose default program in the system menu, tried that in device manager default programs also. I've checked the programs and features Turn windows features on/off and it's not listed there (never thought it was but that was a suggestion), searched the MS Store, it's not listed there either.

I don't like playing in the registry unless i have defined steps and haven't found anything for this yet, just the Win7 version like in my OP.