Windows 10 Profile Transfer / Data Back Up, Where Has Windows Easy Transfer Gone

[Flux]

Hi All

Since I just got a new motherboard cpu and memory and I'm going to upgrade my pc, I've turned my attentions to backing up all my Data and Profile in Windows 10.

Problem is unlike in a Windows 7/8 to Windows 10 upgrade where you could use the Windows easy transfer tool to transfer all my data and profile over, Microsoft seems to have removed it.

I've started to use the New File History feature in Windows 10 to back up all to my data an external drive now, but I'm not seeing a way to backup the Windows user profile.

They have the Back up and Restore (Windows 7) feature again, but it wants to make a system image size file even though I'm using the, let me choose option, and selecting all my Libraries.

So why the heck are Microsoft making it so bloody hard to transfer / backup data for moving between Windows 10 PC's, other people on the net seem to be having similar issues, but now found a great solution yet.

Been thinking I'll back up the data best I can using what I can and just install the parts into my PC then use the Windows refresh to get a clean install of Windows and select the option to save all my personal data, but not 100% sure that's going to work great.

 

[Thelosouvlakia]

I think they want you to use your microsoft profile for that. You just log in with your microsoft profile all settings will be saved and synced to every other device

 

[Wraith]

I've come to love Win 10 and its ability to move things around :lol: once you have your hotmail or live email linked to Onedrive everything in your "My Documents" backs up automatically and when I upgraded I thought I'd lost everything but NO! it transfers everything right back I would say though it's still just as important to physically back things up externally.

 

[Flux]

I just went with a local Windows profile when I set up 10. Will have to look in to the backing up features of their online profile. You just don't really know what they are going to do will all the masses of data they acquire from everyone's accounts.

Currently I've been back to the shop to return this external 2TB hard drive to get a 3TB version, to try get the Back up and Restore (Windows 7) feature to work for me.

 

[Pr3d4t0r]

just partition os and clonezilla it, like most with good free backup solutions.

windows backup even works? how many dvd's does it want me to burn again?

 

[NeverBackDown]

just partition os and clonezilla it, like most with good free backup solutions.

windows backup even works? how many dvd's does it want me to burn again?

Use an external drive... faster anyways

 

[Flux]

They brought it back after depreciating it in Windows 8 and removing in 8.1.

Back up and Restore is back in 10, after they received complaints, & lets you use old school CD's or hard drives. Useful if you skipped 8 and went straight to 10 from 7 also.

Going to check out this clonezilla too.

 

[Flux]

I'm up and running now on my X99 system. So far used the File History and Back up and restore.

But when I put all my parts into my PC and started it for the first time, Windows 10 just sorted itself out and have been able to use it straight off the bat without a reinstall of windows yet. Looks like I'll be going with a Windows refresh and see how that goes.

I was very impressed with how Windows 10 just sorted itself out from the first boot with the new hardware and it did not really take that long at doing it either.

I've had to reactivate my Windows 10 Pro since adding my parts though. I did an online chat with them and they sorted it out for me, as it would not accept my key at first.

 

[Flux]

I've done a Windows 10 refresh now and all is, a ok, so far.

Using the Windows 10 refresh method has meant that I was able to choose to keep all my files and just lose all the installed programs and drivers from my old build that was slowing the PC down and causing some compatibility issues.

So on the backup front, I have my new external USB3 3TB hard drive using File History to keep everything backed up automatically, I dropped my older 1TB one from on top of my PC to the desk surface, not far but it won't work now, so new one for the win.

 

[NeverBackDown]

Well get everything backed up now and it'll just mean it'll prepare you for a fresh install in case something goes wrong again in the future. I've done both methods, "refresh W10" and a complete reinstall. I find both work well, though reinstall is faster, much faster too if you already have a lot of files on your PC compared to the restart/refresh path.

And yeah in the future if you upgrade your Motherboard(almost 100% of the time) or CPU, you will need to get the key reactivated after a certain time period to keep it genuine. Either calling them or reinstall(from 7/8.1 to 10) works too. Although after the free period ends, you'll just have to call from that point on.

 

[Flux]

Yes when I did the Windows 10 refresh, it was really fast, and has worked great so far.

I did an online chat with Microsoft support to get my Window 8 Pro key reactivated back to 10, they took control of my PC to sort it out. But since the free upgrade to 10 is ending at the end of this month, they gave me a new Windows 10 Pro key to use if I have any more problems, which was great.

 

[NeverBackDown]

Yes when I did the Windows 10 refresh, it was really fast, and has worked great so far.

I did an online chat with Microsoft support to get my Window 8 Pro key reactivated back to 10, they took control of my PC to sort it out. But since the free upgrade to 10 is ending at the end of this month, they gave me a new Windows 10 Pro key to use if I have any more problems, which was great.

Wow! That's really good of them. I think I need to do this now. Otherwise if i ever need to reinstall from scratch i'll be screwed..