SOLVED Windows 10 restore to earlier time

[walcott]

installed Windows 10 on my laptop. Installation went OK but then problems. Wifi was randomly getting turned off, Skype click to call was disabled as was Avast online security. On checking these extensions there was no button present to re-enable.just a message saying disabled (with 8.1 I never had these problems). I decided I would restore to earlier time ie to the date of 10 installation and try to see what had changed to create the problems.Two restore points were offered so I chose the first. Laptop closed down properly but on restart the sequence gets as far as computer starting up but then all I get is the mouse pointer and loading circle just going round and round, boot does not continue beyond this. I have been into setup (F2) and tried booting from HDDO, same result. I did not make a recovery disk (much regret) as I have never had a problem with other Windows versions on the few times I have needed to restore so did not expect this and also my understanding of the blurb with Windows 10 says this should not happen as system is failsafe. I have tried recovery with EasyRE repair disk in CD drive but it is not recognised. The laptop is a Packard Bell Easynote TE. Does anyone have a solution preferably one where I will not lose all my files on the drive?

 

[Robert Cairnduff]

How did you even restore to an earlier time ? I can't find any 'system restore'in Windows 10...

 

[BigFeet]

Type create restore point in search.

 

[Robert Cairnduff]

thanks, but it's inactive ...well, I can't activate it anyway

 

[davidhk129]

thanks, but it's inactive ...well, I can't activate it anyway

Robert,
Go back to the window you said "it's inactive".......
click Configure > click at the dot in front of " Turn on system protection" > click OK.
Now it is active and ready.

 

[walcott]

Of topic really. Does not help with my issue.

 

[Robert Cairnduff]

Again, thanks. But it's just not happening: the dot won't activate, and is stuck on "off". Nothing happens.

 

[walcott]

OK here is an update after some lateral thinking. I am not a complete novice: I accessed the hard drive of the problem laptop using my notebook on a LAN connection so have managed to retrieve all my files and folders (phew). On accessing the laptop hard drive there were two main folders ie my personal one and one named: default.migrated 6/8/2015. This is the folder Windows 10 files are copied to so I opened, this is the sequence: default.migrated 6/8/2015 > AppData > Local > Microsoft > Windows > Empty. No wonder the laptop will not boot there are no files to boot from. It would appear that the restore function has wiped all the installation files from the laptop hard drive. Hope this is helpful to others. If it happens to you and you have problems establishing a LAN network connection with another computer try using, WakeMeOnLan it is free from: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wake_on_lan.html
My next steps to resolve this problem are to install on the laptop a copy from disk of XP for which I still have the key. Once installed find 'select factory defaults' these should be on a protected, not visible partition on the hard drive and from there it should re-install OEM Windows 8 and then get an auto 8.1 update. Hopefully this will solve the problem........................as to Windows 10, I will install it in about a year's time, it needs much more work to fix some serious bugs and in my view has been released to soon.

 

[Robert Cairnduff]

Again, thanks. But it's just not happening: the dot won't activate, and is stuck on "off". Nothing happens.

I gave up on my troubles, and returned to Windows 7.