topic Re: New PC using Backup & Restore in Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc

New PC using Backup & Restore

bobw1943 — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 10:35:55 GMT

I'm replacing my old Desktop PC which is getting very slow and "glitchy".

It's an old (maybe 8 yrs) Acer with Windows 10 64 bit, 3GB Ram, 500GB HDD.

Backup and Restore is set to operate every week. the backup is on an external HDD

The current size of the backup is 140GB

The replacement PC is a refurb Dell Optiplex which has a 240GB SSD and a 1TB HDD and I'm wondering whether this might somehow complicate the process of using the backup of my old machine.

Re: New PC using Backup & Restore

jab1 — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 11:04:18 GMT

@bobw1943 I assume this 'new' machine has already got an operating system installed? If so, merely copying individual files/folders from your backups shouldn't be any issue - just don't copy EVERYTHING across - that would cause a screw-up.

Re: New PC using Backup & Restore

Baldrick1 — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 11:19:48 GMT

@bobw1943

Personally I would never consider this method. The new computer should already be configured with Windows 10, unless you have a full retail version on your old computer AND have exactly the same hardware you can't just restore Windows to a different platform, apart from OEM licences not being transferable you will need different drivers etc.

Make a list of all the applications that you use on your old computer. If they are licenced then download a free application such as Belarc advisor. Run this and extract all the licence numbers and activation codes. Then do a clean install of these apps after downloading them from the suppliers web site. If some are no longer available then assume that they are no longer supported so find an alternative.

Once you have all the applications you can transfer your user data from the old computer to the new, copying and pasting data into the appropriate directory..

Re: New PC using Backup & Restore

jab1 — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 11:36:36 GMT

@Baldrick1 Good points. I was merely thinking of the personal files, but licensed programs will obviously need that data transferring - I always keep a copy of the licences anyway.

Re: New PC using Backup & Restore

bobw1943 — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 11:39:37 GMT

Thanks for your help.

The new machine does have Windows 10 Pro installed. I upgraded my own machine to Windows 10 Home 64 bit from Windows 7 around 5 years ago. According to the backup info on my present machine it says the backup content is "Files in libraries and personal folders for all users and system image."

Does that information affect your advice?

Re: New PC using Backup & Restore

Baldrick1 — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 11:50:58 GMT

@bobw1943

In a word, no.

It’s a pain I know but by starting again with a clean installation will be less fraught with problems, leave behind a load of dross and make the computer run better.

Re: New PC using Backup & Restore

bobw1943 — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 11:59:05 GMT

OK, fine.

So next questions....

I assume that the OS will be on the SSD on the new machine. Should I install apps on the SSD or the HDD?

I assume that I should copy the user data to the HDD?

I assume I should continue to use backup and restore to my external HDD after setting up my new PC.

Re: New PC using Backup & Restore

Baldrick1 — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 12:17:01 GMT

@bobw1943

For the best performance, Install the apps on the SSD. All your user data should go on the HDD. For example, if you have a load of photos, your photo app should live on your SSD but all your photos on the HDD. This needs to be configured in the app.

Back up and restore can still be used but I suggest that you store it in a new directory for a bit after which you can delete the old back up without getting confused.

Re: New PC using Backup & Restore

bobw1943 — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 12:17:58 GMT

Thanks.

In practical terms I had thought I would use my external HDD as the intermediary, copying all my user data from my old machine to it and then copying from it to my new machine. I'm not sure how I could copy directly fro one machine to the other.

Re: New PC using Backup & Restore

Baldrick1 — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 12:55:26 GMT

You can use your back up HDD or a USB stick to transfer data. Just copy and paste the data files to/from the transfer device of your choice. I would not use backup and restore for this.
Again how I would do it is remove the HDD from the old computer and fit it into an external caddy. Then once you have set up your apps on your new computer and have empty directories you can simply plug in your caddy with the old HDD. If for example you have a photos directory set up on your new HDD, which will be empty, you go to the same directory on the external disk. Copy the entire contents of the directory and paste it into the empty one on your new machine.

Re: New PC using Backup & Restore

bobw1943 — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 13:25:52 GMT

Thanks again.

Regarding apps. I have the exe files still sitting in my downloads folder for a number of apps I use. If I copy these to the new machine will they install the apps again?

Re: New PC using Backup & Restore

bmc — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 13:38:41 GMT

@bobw1943

If you have both machines running then you can do the move in stages. Get one bit running to your satisfaction and then move on to the next.

I don't do back ups as often as I should but what I do is to "Copy" all data and paste to an external drive. So, for example I'll copy "My Documents", "My Pictures", "My Music" etc and paste so that keeps all directory folders intact. Each time I do it I need to remember to delete the old files before I copy in the new set. I also copy any data held outwith normal locations, eg my Pegasus Mail set up.

This doesn't work for program preserences / setups so eg, you might need to go looking for ".ini" files to copy and paste.

Brian

Re: New PC using Backup & Restore

Baldrick1 — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 13:49:02 GMT

@bobw1943 wrote:

Regarding apps. I have the exe files still sitting in my downloads folder for a number of apps I use. If I copy these to the new machine will they install the apps again?

You can but the risk is that there's a newer version available or it's no longer supported so it's time to use something that is still being maintained. If you use the old version then install updates you invariably leave dross on your computer. It is far better to note the program then download the latest version from the originators web site.

All this dross builds up after time, which slows a computer. Evey few years I tend to spend a day or so completely wiping my PC and re-installing all apps that I still am still using from scratch.

Re: New PC using Backup & Restore

bobw1943 — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 13:55:07 GMT

I suppose the avoidance of dross should be practiced whenever possible. It's just that I recall having to be so careful downloading free software over the years.

Thanks for all your advice, the "new" PC should be delivered tomorrow then I can begin the operation.

Re: New PC using Backup & Restore

Baldrick1 — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 14:12:47 GMT

@bobw1943

The first thing that I install on a fresh PC is a decent security program, I use Kaspersky. I then make sure that every download is checked and take very great care that it doesn't come with other embedded junk. You have to very carefully check the small print where they tend to tell you about the other stuff that comes bundled in.

Re: New PC using Backup & Restore

RobPN — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 14:24:07 GMT

@bobw1943 wrote:

... It's just that I recall having to be so careful downloading free software over the years.

@bobw1943

Before running them, it's worth checking your newly downloaded stuff at VirusTotal.com or alternative similar services.

Re: New PC using Backup & Restore

jab1 — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 14:37:12 GMT

I agree with @RobPN and the others on this subject, but in all the time I've been downloading /installing Windows programs (20years?) I have found that if you (a) use the official site {or a trusted third party} and (b) decline any 'additional offers' then you end up with what you expect.

The good news (for me) is that I've moved to Linux and programs on the official D/L sites are what they say they are, and from my limited experience don't contain nasties.

Re: New PC using Backup & Restore

Dan_the_Van — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 16:03:18 GMT

@bobw1943

when you fist receive the new pc I'd suggested making a clone of the system disk (C Drive) I use clonezilla but there are alternatives, this will allow your to restore the system disk back to it's original state in the event of an problem.

If you open Control Panel >Programs and Features this will list all the additional software you have installed, you can change the view to small icons, do a screen grab and print it. Handly check list.

Install all the programs you require before restoring data, the necessary destination folders will be missing otherwise.

I've used Windows 7 Backup and Restore user data without a system image to move data across. There are many tutorials and utliliies which makes the transfer less painfull than trying to remember what to do.

Dan.

Re: New PC using Backup & Restore

bobw1943 — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 14:49:37 GMT

I've set up the new PC after saving all the user data from the old one onto an external HDD. I'm not sure how to make use of the internal HDD on the new machine. As I expected the OS is installed on the SSD which is called "Local Disk (C:)", all my previous PCs have had a D drive which I have assumed is a recovery partition. This machine doesn't have a D drive, but there is a folder on the C: drive called Windows.
The 1Tb internal HDD is named "New Volume (E:) and has nothing on it at all. I've installed some apps onto the C: drive but I'm not clear how to utilise the E: drive for user data.

Re: New PC using Backup & Restore

Dan_the_Van — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 15:17:09 GMT

This might help you

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-move-default-user-folders-new-drive-windows-10

You can rename the E drive if you want to

Dan