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  1. NadimJ
    NadimJ

    I have a Windows 11 machine upgraded from Win10 several months ago, original OS install was from 5 years ago. All the methods listed here tell me the OS was installed this year.

    1. Ciprian Adrian Rusen
      Ciprian Adrian Rusen

      Isn’t this information? After all, you installed Windows 11, the version you’re using, sometime earlier this year?
      Also, did you read the guide until the end, and tried all methods? The last one might provide you with different information.

  2. Truman
    Truman

    Della,

    1. Click the Start Button in the lower left corner of your screen (looks like a window tilted diagonally a little bit)

    2. Type the words “high contrast” (without quotes).

    3. Select the option at the top that says “Turn high contrast on or off”

    4. Under the heading at the top that says “Use High Contrast”, check to see if the area that says “Turn on high contrast” is set to “On”.

    If it’s set to “On” click that button that says “on”, and that should turn it off, which should return the color configuration back to normal.

    I hope this helps! Merry Christmas!

  3. Della Kan
    Della Kan

    my computer has negative color problem. How to get the correction or return to default?
    Or reinstall the window 10 ? how to re install?
    As a 78 yrs old senior and English is my 2nd language, all these information are helpful but I can not remember them.
    Please show your method by using technical writing rule with each step identified in numbers in a seperate paragraph.

  4. Patrick Koning
    Patrick Koning

    If you use CCleaner and click on Uninstall it shows you a list of programs, including the install dates. Sort these dates and the oldest one is probably also the one that you installed Windows 10. The other methods are not always proven because Windows 10 upgrades its ‘core’ also, like in my case right now, I have 1903, which was installed in January 2020, but my oldest program in CCleaner was installed in April 2016. So CCleaner can give you a good indication.

  5. bob
    bob

    The Windows folder created date may not be an accurate indication as to when Windows was installed. I installed Windows 10 on a laptop, on 8/18/2020, using the iso upgrade disc created from a Microsoft download. However, the Windows folder shows a created date of 12/7/2019. I assume that is the date that Microsoft created the folder for their iso file.

  6. mark
    mark

    Another way is to look at the list of installed programs. Especially a device driver or device software that was likely to be installed when windows was installed.

  7. wspanialy
    wspanialy

    on my system the creation date of system.ini and win.ini files was the date when Windows was installed initially

  8. Daniel Parvin
    Daniel Parvin

    What about the original install date? These methods will only report when the latest large update was installed, in my case 03/10/2018

  9. Muriel Arthur
    Muriel Arthur

    I would like to re-install Office 2016

    1. Anonymous
      Anonymous

      And what is stopping you from doing that?

  10. Anju
    Anju

    Hi,

    From last 2 weeks i was using windows 8 laptop.
    I would like to change my old microsoft account to new microsoft account, if i do this is every thing same as old or not, any lost of applications or anything, plz le tme know ASAP..

    Thanks
    Anju

  11. L Benson
    L Benson

    systeminfo | find “Original Install Date”

    Command Prompt error message:
    ‘systeminfo’ is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

    WinXP SP3

  12. Fawaz
    Fawaz

    very useful, thank you!

    1. Ciprian Adrian Rusen
      Ciprian Adrian Rusen

      I’m glad you found this article useful. 😀