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Windows 8 provides File History as a central console for
backing up and recovering personal files. You can access this console
from Control Panel by tapping or clicking the Save Backup
Copies Of Your Files With File History under the System And Security
heading. Previous versions of files and folders also may be available
for folders shared on the network by file servers. Other tools for
backing up and recovering a computer’s data include the Startup Repair
tool, Windows Resume Loader, and System Restore. These tools are
discussed in the sections that follow.
Backing Up and Recovering Files and Folders Using Previous Versions
File servers running Windows Server 2012 have a Previous Versions
feature. Previous versions come from shadow copies and are created for
folders that are shared on the network. Although Previous Versions is
not a replacement for full system backups, it can be used to create
automatic backups of changed files and folders on monitored drives. If
a monitored file or folder was accidentally deleted or modified, you
can recover the file or folder to the previous version.
In File Explorer, when you right-click a file or folder shared on
the network by a file server and then select Properties, you see a
Previous Versions tab. If you select this tab, available previous
versions of the file or folder (if any) are listed. After you select a
previous version, you can then use:
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The Open button to open any of the previous versions. -
The Copy button to create a copy of a previous version. -
The Restore button to revert the file or folder to a selected previous version.
There are several possible reasons you might not see a previous version of a file on your computer:
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The file might be an offline file. Offline files are copies of
network files. Client computers do not create previous versions of
offline files. Previous versions might be available on the server where
the file is stored, however. -
The file might be a system file. Previous Versions does not create copies of system files. -
The folder in which the file was stored has been deleted. In this
case, you must open the properties for the folder that contained the
folder that was deleted. Use this folder’s Previous Versions tab to
restore the folder, and then access the folder to recover the previous
version of the file you are looking for. -
No shadow copy has been created since the file was created and saved.
Recovering from a Failed Start
When a computer running Windows 8 starts and is not resuming from sleep
mode or hibernate, Windows Boot Manager initializes the operating
system by starting the Windows Boot Loader, which in turn starts the
operating system by using
information in the BCD store. If Windows 8 fails to start, you’ll see a
Recovery screen the next time you try to start the computer. From this
screen, you can select Restart My PC to shut down and start the
computer again or See Advanced Repair Options to display additional
options that might help you repair the computer.
The advanced repair options include:
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Continue Exits the repair menu and continues to load the operating system -
Use Another Operating System Exits the repair menu and allows you to select the operating system to load -
Turn Off Your PC Exits the repair menu and shuts down the computer -
Troubleshoot Displays the Troubleshoot menu
The Troubleshoot menu has three options:
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Refresh Your PC
PC Refresh is a new feature of Windows 8 that reinstalls Windows 8 from
the operating system image stored on the computer while maintaining
personal files, accounts, and personalization settings. While desktop
apps and their related settings will be available after the refresh,
any programs that were previously installed will not be available. -
Reset Your PC PC
Reset is a new feature of Windows 8 that reinstalls Windows 8 from the
operating system image stored on the computer and resets the
installation to its original “factory” state. After a reset, no
personal files, accounts, or personalization settings will be
available, and you’ll need to reinstall both desktop apps and desktop
programs. -
Advanced Options Displays the Advanced Options menu.
The Advanced Options menu has five options:
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System Restore Allows you to use a restore point saved on the computer to restore Windows. -
System Image Recovery
Allows you to recover the computer using a system image file. This is
similar to a reset, except that you select the image file to use for
recovery, and this image file can come from a remote computer. No
personal files, accounts, or personalization settings will be available
after recovery and you’ll need to reinstall both desktop apps and
desktop programs (except for those that are already part of the system
image). -
Automatic Repair
Allows you to start the Automatic Repair tool, which can repair
problems that prevent Windows from starting, including bad entries in
the boot configuration data (BCD) store, corrupted system files, and
damaged boot managers. Normally, this tool is started automatically if
Windows detects a fixable problem. -
Command Prompt Allows you to access a command prompt and work with the commands and tools available in the recovery environment. -
Windows Startup Settings
Allows you to change the startup behavior for Windows 8. This allows
you to restart the computer so you can disable driver signature
enforcement, early-launch anti-malware protection, and automatic
restart on system failure. It also allows you to enable low-resolution
video mode, debugging mode, boot logging, and safe mode.
Recovering from a Failed Resume
When a computer running Windows 8 enters sleep
mode or hibernates, a snapshot of the current state of the computer is
created. For sleep mode, this snapshot is created in memory and then
read from memory when a user wakes the computer. For hibernate mode,
this snapshot is written to disk and then read from disk when a user
wakes the computer. Both operations are handled by the Windows Resume Loader.
Problems with resuming a computer can occur for a variety of
reasons, including errors in the snapshot, physical errors in memory,
and physical disk errors. If there is a problem resuming after waking
the computer from sleep, Windows Resume Loader proceeds to system-boot
and the operating system starts without the sleep data. If there is a
problem resuming after waking the computer from hibernate, Windows
Resume Loader proceeds to system-boot and the operating system starts
without the hibernate data.
In either instance, any work that wasn’t saved before the computer
entered sleep or hibernate mode is lost. However, most current
applications are configured to save their working state automatically
when the computer enters sleep mode. As a result, if you restart the
applications that were running, recovery data might be available.
After a failed resume, Automatic Repair can examine recent
configuration changes that affected sleep or hibernate and reverse
them. As an example, if you edited the active power plan so that the
computer automatically hibernated after being in sleep mode for a set
number of minutes, Automatic Repair can remove that change.
Repairing a Computer to Enable Startup
To start properly, computers running Windows 8 need access to
specific system files. If a computer won’t start due to a corrupted or
missing system file, you can use the Automatic Repair tool. Sometimes
repairing a damaged or missing file won’t fix all the computer’s
problems, and you might need to continue troubleshooting to diagnose
and resolve the deeper problem.
Most other types of startup
problems occur because something on the system has changed; for
example, a device might have been incorrectly installed. The system
configuration or registry might have been updated improperly, causing a
conflict. Often you can resolve startup issues using safe mode to recover or troubleshoot system problems. When you have finished using safe
mode, be sure to restart the computer using a normal startup. You will
then be able to use the computer as you normally would.
In safe mode, Windows 8 loads only basic files, services, and
drivers. The drivers loaded include those for the mouse, monitor,
keyboard, mass storage, and base video. The monitor driver sets the
basic settings and modes for the computer’s monitor; the base video
driver sets the basic options for the computer’s graphics card. No
networking services or drivers are started unless you choose the Safe
Mode With Networking option. Because safe mode loads a limited set of
configuration information, it can help you troubleshoot problems.
Restart a system in safe mode by completing the following steps:
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If the computer won’t start normally, the Recovery screen is
displayed during startup. On the Recovery screen, tap or click See
Advanced Repair Options, then tap or click Troubleshoot. -
On the Troubleshoot screen, tap or click Advanced Options and then tap or click Windows Startup Settings. -
On the Windows Startup Settings screen, tap or click Restart. -
Use the arrow keys to select the safe mode option you want to use,
and then press Enter. The safe mode option you use depends on the type
of problem you’re experiencing. The key options are as follows:
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Repair Your Computer
Loads the Startup Repair tool. Choose this option to repair problems
that prevent Windows from starting, including bad entries in the BCD
store, corrupted system files, and damaged boot managers. Normally, the
Startup Repair tool is started automatically if Windows detects a
fixable problem that is preventing startup. -
Safe Mode Loads
only basic files, services, and drivers during the initialization
sequence. The drivers loaded include those for the mouse, monitor,
keyboard, mass storage, and base video. No networking services or
drivers are started. -
Safe Mode With Networking Loads basic files, services, and drivers, as well as services and drivers needed to start networking. -
Safe Mode With Command Prompt
Loads basic files, services, and drivers, and then starts a command
prompt instead of the Windows 8 graphical interface. No networking
services or drivers are started.
Tip
In Safe Mode With Command Prompt, you can start the Explorer shell
from the command-line interface by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task
Manager. On the File menu, tap or click New Task (Run) to open the
Create New Task window. Type explorer.exe, and then tap or click OK.
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Enable Boot Logging
Allows you to create a record of all startup events in a boot log. -
Enable Low Resolution Video
Allows you to
start the system in low-resolution 640 x 480 display mode, which is
useful if the system display is set to a mode that can’t be used with
the current monitor. -
Disable Automatic Restart On System Failure
Prevents Windows
from restarting after a crash. Otherwise, by default, Windows will
restart automatically after a crash.
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Disable Driver Signature Enforcement
Starts the computer in safe
mode without enforcing digital signature policy settings for drivers.
If a driver with an invalid or missing digital signature is causing
startup failure, this will resolve the problem temporarily so that you
can start the computer and resolve the problem by getting a new driver
or changing the driver signature enforcement settings. -
Disable Early Launch Anti-Malware Driver
Starts the
computer in safe mode without running the boot driver for the
computer’s anti-malware software. If the boot driver for the computer’s
anti-malware software is preventing startup, you’ll need to check the
software developer’s website for an update the resolves the boot
problem or configure the software without boot protection. -
Start Windows Normally
Starts the computer with its regular settings.
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If a problem doesn’t reappear when you start in safe mode, you can
eliminate the default settings and basic device drivers as possible
causes. If a newly added device or updated driver is causing problems,
you can use safe mode to remove the device, reverse the update, or
install a different version of the driver software. -
If you are still having a problem starting the system normally and
suspect that problems with hardware, software, or settings are to
blame, remain in safe mode and then try using System Restore to undo previous changes. -
If System Restore doesn’t work, try modifying startup options .
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