How can I "backup" my files in preparation for the windows 10 upgrade?

[ProtoflareX]

I have been told that it would be a good idea to "backup" my files before I upgrade from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10. How can I go about doing this?

 

[nukemaster]

Burn then to CD/DVD or copy them to a USB stick or external drive.

Most of your files should be under c : \ users \ your login name \

If you have game saves, it is a good idea to google around for the locations. If you use steam, take a copy of the steamapps folder then you can just past it back over.

With any luck you will not even need these backups(normal upgrades should migrate them over), but it is better to have it and not need it than the other way.

 

[ProtoflareX]

Burn then to CD/DVD or copy them to a USB stick or external drive.

Most of your files should be under c : \ users \ your login name \

If you have game saves, it is a good idea to google around for the locations. If you use steam, take a copy of the steamapps folder then you can just past it back over.

With any luck you will not even need these backups(normal upgrades should migrate them over), but it is better to have it and not need it than the other way.

That last sentence was reassuring, but out of curiosity, is there any chance that the upgrade could go horribly wrong and delete everything on my computer?

 

[nukemaster]

You have an option to do that .

While Windows 10 was in Preview, It updated over it self quite a few times and every time it took files and even programs along with it.

I have not done the normal upgrade from 7/8.1 yet, but by default it should be just that, an upgrade.

 

[kombivan]

If your going to backup win7 once you do it hide it from windows 10 as win 10 is still win7 in an upgrade and if you save your win 7 backup like I did and changed the name windows 10 still sniffed it out like a blood hound and ruined it so I don't have a windows 7 backup for my laptop any more I'm screwed unless I do a recovery fronm where ever you recover I had a good run with win 7 6 years and not a single glitch and my knoweledge base suffered bacause it was trouble free. Hide your backup away from your computer.

 

[nukemaster]

Please explain how it was ruined and what you used to back it up?

I am running 7 and 10 on the same system without issues.

If you are worried, use software that can image the drive or partitions. Windows 10 will not be able to mess with those.

This is a pretty old thread by this point as well.

 

[kombivan]

I used an external usb backup device that is only connected to the computer during a backup but because I changed the name of the windows 7 backup while the device was connected windows knew I had changed the file name so when I went to use the usb device with windows 10 it went straight for my windows 7 backup and corrupted the file before I could pull the usb connection out. so Keep your windows 7 backup totally disconnected from windows 10.

Please explain how it was ruined and what you used to back it up?

I am running 7 and 10 on the same system without issues.

If you are worried, use software that can image the drive or partitions. Windows 10 will not be able to mess with those.

This is a pretty old thread by this point as well.

 

[nukemaster]

Very strange. Sucks that that happened.

 

[kombivan]

Its not strange the reason you don't have a problem is because you are running two systems with two seperate backups I on the other hand had one backup for two different systems.

Very strange. Sucks that that happened.