Question Building a new PC - what's the easiest way to transfer files from my old one ?

[alexb75]

Hi,

I have an old Windows 10 PC, and building a new Ryzen 7000 Win 11 PC. Current PC setup as follows:

- Boot drive: SSD SATA 256GB
- Data drives: 2xHDD, 1xnvme SSD

NEW PC:
- Boot Drive: 1TB nvme SSD [NEW]
- Data drives: 1x SSD [new] + 2xHDD [old]

My current "My Documents" point to Drive D: and all files are there, there's also a copy of it on Synology Drive. I probably wanna put it back on the C: as it's much larger size now.

Questions:
1. What's the easiest way to move stuff over, I do NOT wanna clone the drive, as I wanna do a fresh Windows install
2. What folders on C: to copy?
3. How do transfer my list of programs, to re-install?
4. How to ensure my Windows license follows to new PC and upgraded to 11?

Thanks!

 

[USAFRet]

The ONLY thing to copy is your personal files.
No apps or programs. Those need reinstall

License? Is your current Win10 license linked to your MS account?

 

[Lutfij]

If I were you, I'd backup al data onto an external drive, then use that t copy over the data onto the new platform.

I wouldn't clone the drive since you're moving onto a new system but if you kept the system specs the same(save for a processor, ram or storage upgrade, a clone would've been the route to take.

 

[hotaru.hino]

Questions:
1. What's the easiest way to move stuff over, I do NOT wanna clone the drive, as I wanna do a fresh Windows install

Literally copying and pasting the files over. Though you should copy the files in the current install to a directory outside of your user folder, preferably an external drive. Not that there's a problem copying from one OS install to another per se, but you'll just have to keep telling Windows "Yes, let me access this folder" whenever you access stuff from the old install.

2. What folders on C: to copy?

Everything in C:\Users\[username] if you want a dead brain answer. Though delete the following once you've made a copy:

• C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft
• C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Temp
• C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft

It wouldn't hurt to also clean up what's the copy of C:\Users\[username]\AppData anyway.

When you reinstall Windows, move the copy back into your user folder, then reinstall the apps.

3. How do transfer my list of programs, to re-install?

With the exception of games from game store fronts (Steam, EGS, etc), you don't. Though technically a lot of apps don't really care if they weren't installed, but you should reinstall them anyway if you want the expected behavior.

For the games, you can just copy the games over to where the new path is for the store front's library path. So for Steam games, you can move the files from the old C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps to the new one.

4. How to ensure my Windows license follows to new PC and upgraded to 11?

You may not need to do anything, but just in case, keep a copy of the license key handy. If you don't know what it is, you can grab it in various ways.

 

[alexb75]

Thanks guys, good tips.

By programs, I didn't mean to move the entire program, but an easy way to list out all current programs so I can reinstall them all quickly. I guess I just have to do a screenshot from control panel. Apple makes this much easier!

 

[hotaru.hino]

Thanks guys, good tips.

By programs, I didn't mean to move the entire program, but an easy way to list out all current programs so I can reinstall them all quickly. I guess I just have to do a screenshot from control panel. Apple makes this much easier!

Check out https://ninite.com/ and see if this can batch install apps that you use for you.

I recently decided to finally try my hands at Powershell scripting and made something for my tastes that automates what that can't do. If you're interested I can give a quick crash course on how to make one for yourself.

 

[USAFRet]

Check out https://ninite.com/ and see if this can batch install apps that you use for you.

I recently decided to finally try my hands at Powershell scripting and made something for my tastes that automates what that can't do. If you're interested I can give a quick crash course on how to make one for yourself.

I use ninite on every system I build, or every full reinstall.

 

[alexb75]

I use ninite on every system I build, or every full reinstall.

It is freeware without bloatware and junk?

 

[hotaru.hino]

It is freeware without bloatware and junk?

It's freeware and it doesn't have any bloatware. In fact, it installs things without the bloatware a lot of those apps would've come with.

 

[alexb75]

You may not need to do anything, but just in case, keep a copy of the license key handy. If you don't know what it is, you can grab it in various ways.

QUESTION:
I have a Windows 10 Pro License Key, would it WORK for doing a fresh Windows 11 install?!

I am not so hot about Windows 11... BUT it enables some features, like using iMessage on Windows that maybe worthwhile having, as much I hate almost everything else about Windows 11.

 

[USAFRet]

I have a Windows 10 Pro License Key, would it WORK for doing a fresh Windows 11 install?!

Probably, yes.

I am not so hot about Windows 11... BUT it enables some features, like using iMessage on Windows that maybe worthwhile having, as much I hate almost everything else about Windows 11.

There really isn't a whole lot different from 10 to 11.
Clicks in a different place.