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installing windows 7

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  • 10-09-2012 9:40pm
    #1
    mobyfitz20
    Registered Users Posts: 68 ✭✭


    Hi all

    Im looking to install windows 7 on my laptop but before i do i wanna copy all my stuff from the laptop to my external hard hard.

    could you please tell me whats the easiest way of doing this.

    thanks so much


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    #2
    Random
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,082 ✭✭✭✭Random


    i use microsoft sync toy which is free and easy to use imo


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    #3
    yoyo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,011 Mod ✭✭✭✭yoyo


    Moved to Windows.

    Just copy the documents/desktop/music/pictures etc. folders in C:\Users\{username} (or c:\documents & settings\{username} for xp) to the external HD. This will likely backup all you stuff. You will need to reinstall your software, however

    Nick

    My Beer Glass collection site 🍺

    My Irish Callcards site



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    #4
    brianwalshcork
    Registered Users Posts: 607 ✭✭✭brianwalshcork


    If you want to be really sure, download disk2vhd from the Microsoft site and use it to back up your entire drive to a VHd file on an external USB drive.

    You can then mount this under the disk management utility under windows 7 after you install w7.

    Another option would be to use the file and settings transfer wizard on your current computer, save the files & settings to an external drive and then import them under the new os. It works well.

    Brian


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    #5
    brianwalshcork
    Registered Users Posts: 607 ✭✭✭brianwalshcork


    If your laptop is a couple of years old it would be a good time to stock in an ssd too, well worth the cash if you have it to spend.

    Brian


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    #6
    D'Agger
    Registered Users Posts: 13,385 ✭✭✭✭D'Agger


    Quick point on this but I'm open to correction - if you're running windows 7 and you choose the upgrade option over a clean install - it creates a windows.old folder on your c drive which should contain most of your files from the previous install.


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    #7
    mp22
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Regional South Moderators Posts: 6,854 Mod ✭✭✭✭mp22


    D'Agger wrote: »
    Quick point on this but I'm open to correction - if you're running windows 7 and you choose the upgrade option over a clean install - it creates a windows.old folder on your c drive which should contain most of your files from the previous install.
    You are correct,but if the install goes wrong you would find the .old folder has no contents.


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    #8
    D'Agger
    Registered Users Posts: 13,385 ✭✭✭✭D'Agger


    mp22 wrote: »
    You are correct,but if the install goes wrong you would find the .old folder has no contents.
    That's what I thought - I'd never advise on solely relying on Microsoft to backup for you :pac:

    I'd use synctoy or just a backup to a HDD and run an upgrade - no harm to backup to an external source anyway


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    #9
    homer911
    Registered Users Posts: 5,113 ✭✭✭homer911


    If you are using Outlook, manually back up your PST/OST files - I dont think the default location for these gets migrated


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    #10
    nucker
    Registered Users Posts: 790 ✭✭✭nucker


    mobyfitz20 wrote: »
    Hi all

    Im looking to install windows 7 on my laptop but before i do i wanna copy all my stuff from the laptop to my external hard hard.

    could you please tell me whats the easiest way of doing this.

    thanks so much


    Just move everything you have on to the external hard drive when you have installed Windows 7 just put all the files you want back to where its suppose to be.

    If your laptop has partitions, just copy instead of moving just in case you do something that wipes everything you don't want, no other software required


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    #11
    Monkeynut
    Registered Users Posts: 590 ✭✭✭Monkeynut


    windows explorer period. paid product fab's autobackup.


    common backup area's:

    xp
    c:/documents and settings/{username}/documents
    c:/documents and settings/{username}/desktop
    c:/documents and settings/{username}/favourites

    c:/documents and settings/{username}/local settings/application data/microsoft/outlook IF YOU HAVE USE OUTLOOK
    c:/documents and settings/{username}/local settings/application data/Identities\{guid}/microsoft/outlook express IF YOU USE OUTLOOK EXPRESS
    c:/documents and settings/{username}/application data/addressbook


    VISTA/7
    c:/users/{username}/desktop
    c:/users/{username}/documents
    c:/users/{username}/pictures
    c:/users/{username}/videos
    c:/users/{username}/favourites
    c:/users/{username}/contacts

    c:/users/{username}/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Outlook IF YOU USE OUTLOOK
    c:/users/{username}/AppData/Local/Microsoft/windows mail IF YOU USE WINDOWS MAIL
    c:/users/{username}/AppData/Local/Microsoft/windows live mail IF YOU USE WINDOWS LIVE MAIL

    backup in them places to external drive then do vice versa after win7 install.


    my backsplash isn't working. :/


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    #12
    nucker
    Registered Users Posts: 790 ✭✭✭nucker


    A tip here, if you have a SSD and want to install Windows 7, and your motherboard BIOS supports it, turn on AHCI in the BIOS, when you restart the computer, make sure the BIOS recognises the SSD as the drive to be the one that you want to install Windows on i.e. the C:\ drive


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