Windows Server accidentally installed

[TaBethaGroshong]

I am taking a systems programming class and was instructed to download Windows server 16 into a virtual box and was not given clear directions so I believe that the server was directly installed onto my computer. I am now stuck on the administrator command screen and hopefully my entire computer has not been ruined. Can someone help me restore or figure out what happened? 

[WAWood]

@TaBethaGroshong 

Based on your comments, I have to presume you installed Server ON TOP OF your existing install -- essentially, wiping it out.

We don't support Server OS versions here and I have not used any, so I don't know how destructive such an install would be.

But likely, it overwrote the entire OS partition, essentially removing any stored data you have.

So, you have two actions to consider now -- data recovery and Windows reinstall.

---------- Data Recovery ----------

All you will be able to recover at best from the drive is personal data. You will not be able to recover settings, website information (including user accounts and passwords) or applications.

Your best bet for recovering data now is to do the following:
1) Remove the disk drive from the old PC. If this is a SATA hard drive or a SATA SSD, this is a simple thing to do. If this is an m.2 SSD, that could be either screwed to the motherboard or soldered to the motherboard. If the second, you would need to have a techician remove it for you, or you risk seriously damaging the PC doing it yourself.
2) If you have a desktop PC with a spare hard drive connector, then connect the old drive to that. If the old drive is a SATA drive, connect both the power cable and the data cable. (This adapter is illustrated below) If the old drive is an m.2 SSD, you will need a USB-to-mSATA cable.

3) Try to retrieve the files and folders you want to save from the old drive and copy them to the new PC.

If this does not work, then you need to do the following:
1) Download and install this utility on a working PC
https://www.minitool.com/data-recovery-software/free-for-windows.html

2) Run the data recovery utility to see what can be retrieved from the old drive.

If that tool does not find what you need, an alternative is Recuva http://www.piriform.com/recuva

And, if that does not work well, the best tool out there is this one, but only the demo version is free https://www.runtime.org/data-recovery-software.htm

---------- Windows reinstall ---------

If your PC is a 2016 model or newer, you should see if you can make a bootable USB recovery drive using the HP cloud recovery tool on a working PC.

The recovery drive can then be used to install Win10 and the HP drivers and utilities that originally came with your PC.

Here is the link: https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c06162205