Restore a user account in Windows 8 - Please help!

Messages
3
Hi There,

I deleted my brothers user account in Windows 8 and need to know if there is a way to restore it. I have tried running a system restore to an earlier date (roll back / fall back option) but have tried this about 5 times, even tried it once in safe mode but all to no avail. Is there another way please?
Every time I run the system restore option, when I restart my machine and login to my account, it says the system restore didnt complete successfully and my brothers account doesnt show up on the login / start up screen.

I have had to create a NEW login for my brother (seen on the far right - Matthew Bryan) but I need his old one back as this new one doesnt have any of his old stuff or files on it, its just a new logon.

Please can someone help?
Many thanks

Dan Bryan
 

Attachments

  • desktop login.jpg
    desktop login.jpg
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My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS Desktop PC CM6330, CM6630, CM6730, CM6830_M11AA SERIES
    CPU
    INTEL PENTIUM G2030 3.00GHz
    Motherboard
    64bit
    Memory
    8GB RAM
    Graphics Card(s)
    ?
    Browser
    chrome
    Antivirus
    ?
Hello Dan, and welcome to Eight Forums. :)

As you discovered, restore points only include system files and not anything for user accounts.

Do you have a system image backup instead to restore?

Check to see if the account's C:\Users\<username> profile folder may still be there. If so, you can copy any needed files from it to the new account.

You can also look to see if there may be a C:\Windows.old folder. If so, check inside it to see if there may be an old copy of the account's profile folder to copy from.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
Hello Brink, thank you so much for your kind reply.
I'm not sure if I have a "system image backup" --> Sorry I'm not very computer savvy.
I have typed C:\Users into the run command and came up with the attached image. My Brother's old account was simply named "Matthew" and the NEW one I have created is called "Matthew Bryan" (as per the screenshot in my first post), so perhaps this folder in the second image is his old account...?, however it states it was 'modified' on the 30th of December 2019 which was when I created his NEW login/account so I'm not too sure?
Please see the attachment, sorry for the poor quality as I'm uploading the image from my mobile phone.
Please let me know what you think / what more can be done if anything please?
Thank you.

Daniel Bryan.
 

Attachments

  • helpimage1.jpg
    helpimage1.jpg
    565.1 KB · Views: 147
  • helpimage1.jpg
    helpimage1.jpg
    552.9 KB · Views: 161

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS Desktop PC CM6330, CM6630, CM6730, CM6830_M11AA SERIES
    CPU
    INTEL PENTIUM G2030 3.00GHz
    Motherboard
    64bit
    Memory
    8GB RAM
    Graphics Card(s)
    ?
    Browser
    chrome
    Antivirus
    ?
Hi Again,
Also - I tried the C:\Windows.old but I cant see anything in there that would help.
What about the registry, would there be anything saved in there I could potentially use?

Dan.
 

Attachments

  • helpimage2.jpg
    helpimage2.jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 160

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS Desktop PC CM6330, CM6630, CM6730, CM6830_M11AA SERIES
    CPU
    INTEL PENTIUM G2030 3.00GHz
    Motherboard
    64bit
    Memory
    8GB RAM
    Graphics Card(s)
    ?
    Browser
    chrome
    Antivirus
    ?
I'm afraid that it looks like it has been permanently deleted with nothing left to restore from. :(

A system image is basically a backup copy of the Windows drive that can be restore as needed.

I would also always recommend to keep a backup copy of any files you do not want to lose on a separate drive than the Windows drive to be extra safe.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
System image backups are those large, compressed, files residing, hopefully, external media, created by one of many free or fee backup/restore progrms. Naming just a few: Windows built-in backup/restore, Macrium Reflect, AOMEI Backupper, EaseUS ToDo, Image for Windows, Karen's Duplicator, and many more.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Pro 64bit [MS blue-disk set]
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    2 Acers & 1 Antec[?]
    CPU
    i7 in 2 Acers, i5 in desktop
    Motherboard
    Desktop w/Gigabyte
    Memory
    Two w/16GB, 1 w/8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Laptops GameWorthy; Desktop maybe GameWorthy
    Monitor(s) Displays
    flatscreens; 2 are BluRay worthy
    Screen Resolution
    1368x768; 1600x900
    Hard Drives
    1TB internals; 2 ext usb WD 1TB HDs
    PSU
    what's PSU?
    Cooling
    Regular plus external fans
    Keyboard
    desktio w/PS2
    Mouse
    desktop w/PS2
    Internet Speed
    DSL middle level [160?]
    Browser
    from Netscape 0.9 to FF 36
    Antivirus
    well-balanced, well-configured mult-layered defense is best
    Other Info
    From MS-DOS 3.3, MS-DOS 6.22, from Windows 3.1 to WFW 3.11 to Windows 95-98SE, now to Windows 7 Pro.
    Security for now: Windows 7 Firewall, Emsisoft AM, MSE [scan-only], SpywareBlaster, Ruiware/BillP combine
There is one remote shot in the dark, IF the old profile has not yet been overwritten, that harddrive in the computer of a local data recovery person, just remotely possibly might find and copy off little to some to most to all [ascending order of improbability] of that deleted profile's contents. That will not be a DIY, and it will cost you for that person's expertise, energy, time, and resources.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Pro 64bit [MS blue-disk set]
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    2 Acers & 1 Antec[?]
    CPU
    i7 in 2 Acers, i5 in desktop
    Motherboard
    Desktop w/Gigabyte
    Memory
    Two w/16GB, 1 w/8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Laptops GameWorthy; Desktop maybe GameWorthy
    Monitor(s) Displays
    flatscreens; 2 are BluRay worthy
    Screen Resolution
    1368x768; 1600x900
    Hard Drives
    1TB internals; 2 ext usb WD 1TB HDs
    PSU
    what's PSU?
    Cooling
    Regular plus external fans
    Keyboard
    desktio w/PS2
    Mouse
    desktop w/PS2
    Internet Speed
    DSL middle level [160?]
    Browser
    from Netscape 0.9 to FF 36
    Antivirus
    well-balanced, well-configured mult-layered defense is best
    Other Info
    From MS-DOS 3.3, MS-DOS 6.22, from Windows 3.1 to WFW 3.11 to Windows 95-98SE, now to Windows 7 Pro.
    Security for now: Windows 7 Firewall, Emsisoft AM, MSE [scan-only], SpywareBlaster, Ruiware/BillP combine
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