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I am planning on 'refreshing Windows', where Windows will reinstall itself whilst preserving 'personal files' on Windows 8.1 (downloaded as update from Windows store). However, I researched a bit online and apparently it doesn't preserve any installed programs other than Metro apps. Because of this fact, I have tried to collect up all of my installers for the programs I want to keep (I realised how much junk I have on my pc ;) ), but there are some I cannot find and I would rather not have to download them on account of a prohibitively slow internet conenction.

Is there anyway I can keep them or find the instalers?

I realise this is more of two questions but I would like to know if a) there is a folder somewhere with installers (much like every program including an uninstaller); and b) could I just copy the whole folder where the program is installed then re-paste it after the reinstall? It would be the same computer but I feel like this wouldn't work (registry keys - is that relevant?)

Thank you for the help

user317770
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1 Answers1

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This time you must reinstall all tools with the installers.

After you installed all programs you want to keep, open a cmd as admin and run this recimg command:

recimg -CreateImage C:\RefreshImage

This captures a snapshot of your Windows and includes all desktop programs, too and registered the Image as source for the refresh. The next time you do a refresh, the recimg image is used and all desktop applications are restored.

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magicandre1981
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