Question How can I know which important data to keep before reinstalling windows

[carl678]

My 500GB SSD has barely any storage left so the time has come to reinstall my OS but I always forget to save important data therefore I'd like to know which files I should save before wiping my SSD.

 

[CompuGuy71]

Why are you going to reinstall your OS? Are you moving to a bigger drive? If you need more space just delete the files and programs you don't need or use.

The only person who knows what files are important is you. If you're reinstalling an OS you don't need to keep any system files since they'll be overwritten anyway.

 

[Rokinamerica]

Why not buy a 1TB SSD and move everything to it so you have everything plus another 500GB of space to start organizing so you can know where you keep your stuff?

Work could go into a work folder, music into a music folder, pix/vid into its own folder and such.

Then next time you run into this issue, you know where your important things are.

 

[fzabkar]

Save any keys.

 

[USAFRet]

My 500GB SSD has barely any storage left so the time has come to reinstall my OS but I always forget to save important data therefore I'd like to know which files I should save before wiping my SSD.

Document all your username/passwords.
Document a list of all the software you want to install after the OS.
Document any serial numbers and license keys for software.

Go through the whole drive and find ALL your personal files. Save them to another drive or the cloud.
Download any needed hardware drivers to a USB flash drive. If nothing else, the LAN driver, just in case Windows does not install a working one.


Check all that again.


Why are you doing this reinstall?

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forums.tomshardware.com

 

[Lafong]

Browser bookmarks?

Email if you keep it on your hard drive at all.

 

[carl678]

Why not buy a 1TB SSD and move everything to it so you have everything plus another 500GB of space to start organizing so you can know where you keep your stuff?

Work could go into a work folder, music into a music folder, pix/vid into its own folder and such.

Then next time you run into this issue, you know where your important things are.

I don't like spending money on computers. That <Mod Edit> would cost me +100€

 

[Rokinamerica]

I don't like spending money on computers. That <Mod Edit> would cost me +100€

Well there you go. It all really comes down to what is important to you.