Need help moving files to new OS

[Aleximus96]

Hello, i am not sure if i got a sub-forum (thread) right, but please move it to right location if missed, and thank you.

So the story is, my mom's PC is ultra old, she still has Windows 7 Enterprise 32-Bit that has Expired (by expired i don't mean it's not activated, it's worse, it's expired somehow...) anyway, I want to update her system and i have a few newer components than hers, and want to give that to her.

Now here is the problem, she needs a new OS, and i want to install a Win-10 64 bit on New HDD, but i have no idea how to move ALL of her files to a new HDD, she actually need's everything from old (current) drive. I have never performed an operation like this one, i mean i understand i will have to use Win 10 drive as boot drive and boot into Win 10, and then connect her drive as storage drive and manually copy the files, but really, i have no clue how to copy everything without missing some files, about 90% of the drive are documents she is using for everyday work, and at any point she might need any file. It's frustrating, as her PC is ultra slow due to age and everything being junked up from 7 years of use. I did everything i could to speed up the system and remove junk files, but her HDD health dropped, and it's really a time for an upgrade. So i just kinda want her to receive a fully operational Win 10 system with all her files still on the computer.
Also, i have no external HDD, only My PC with 240 GB SSD, a almost new HDD of 1 TB that i plan to give to her, and her 500 GB HDD that is failing

If someone can shed some light on how this operation is done it would be a save.

This place, this forum, helped me with any question or problem i ever had in IT department, and i really appreciate it so much.

Thank you in advance, and and i apologize if something is not written correctly, English is not my mother tongue.

 

[jojesa]

Install Windows 10 and make sure only the drive you are installing Windows is connected.
After you are done with the installations and Windows have finished with updates connect the old drive.
Check in her PC have SATA connections for an additional drive and if it does you could connect the old drive.
If the PC does not have a internal SATA connections get a powered USB to SATA adapter to connect the drive via USB port.
At this point you will have both, new and old drive, connected to the system.
Now you could copy the data from folders on the old drive to the new drive corresponding folders, Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, Videos, etc.

 

[Aleximus96]

Install Windows 10 and make sure only the drive you are installing Windows is connected.
After you are done with the installations and Windows have finished with updates connect the old drive.
Check in her PC have SATA connections for an additional drive and if it does you could connect the old drive.
If the PC does not have a internal SATA connections get a powered USB to SATA adapter to connect the drive via USB port.
At this point you will have both, new and old drive, connected to the system.
Now you could copy the data from folders on the old drive to the new drive corresponding folders, Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, Videos, etc.

Well, that's the part i understand, i just don't know how to move everything, it's okay if i have to move a couple of folders mannualy, i just don't know which ones, i know that everything is grouped to some folders but don't know which ones are. Thanks for post.

 

[menlui]

A simpler method would be having all the drives in your up-to-date rig. Partition the 1tb hdd (C: ) for a Win10 partition I'd say 120gb (for a guide go here http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/faq/id-2569580/make-partitions-windows.html) and the rest (D: ) for storage, then copy all relevant files off the 500gb hdd to the D: partition, then put the 1tb hdd in her rig and install win10 from a usb drive/dvd follow this http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/faq/id-3567655/clean-installation-windows.html

 

[menlui]

If you're unsure what to copy just copy everything from c:\users it'll get everything from documents/pictures/video and all desktop items, and don't format her hdd incase you missed anything

 

[Aleximus96]

If you're unsure what to copy just copy everything from c:\users it'll get everything from documents/pictures/video and all desktop items, and don't format her hdd incase you missed anything

So if i got that right, you want me to put a HDD into my system, and format it in 120/880 GB (C and D) format, then place the HDD in her PC, copy everything from C:/Users onto D, and then on the end install Win 10 on already formated C ?

 

[menlui]

If you're unsure what to copy just copy everything from c:\users it'll get everything from documents/pictures/video and all desktop items, and don't format her hdd incase you missed anything

So if i got that right, you want me to put a HDD into my system, and format it in 120/880 GB (C and D) format, then place the HDD in her PC, copy everything from C:/Users onto D, and then on the end install Win 10 on already formated C ?

Put all drives in your system, so you should have you 240GB SSD with your OS, the 1TB HDD that you are giving to your mother and the 500GB HDD that your mother currently has. Format and partition the 1TB HDD 120GB C: 880GB D: so its clean and ready for a new OS.

Then copy everything from her HDD onto the 880GB D: partition while still in you rig, then remove the 1TB HDD from your rig and put in hers and install Win10 onto C: so you have a fresh clean install that way with her hardware config.

 

[jojesa]

Read this guide about copying and moving files

 

[Aleximus96]

If you're unsure what to copy just copy everything from c:\users it'll get everything from documents/pictures/video and all desktop items, and don't format her hdd incase you missed anything

So if i got that right, you want me to put a HDD into my system, and format it in 120/880 GB (C and D) format, then place the HDD in her PC, copy everything from C:/Users onto D, and then on the end install Win 10 on already formated C ?

Put all drives in your system, so you should have you 240GB SSD with your OS, the 1TB HDD that you are giving to your mother and the 500GB HDD that your mother currently has. Format and partition the 1TB HDD 120GB C: 880GB D: so its clean and ready for a new OS.

Then copy everything from her HDD onto the 880GB D: partition while still in you rig, then remove the 1TB HDD from your rig and put in hers and install Win10 onto C: so you have a fresh clean install that way with her hardware config.

did exactly that, after windows install and got to desktop windows said i need to restart before using something ( i made no changes what so ever), next boot, i get black screen with blinking dash on top left, and then i tryed to repair windows with usbi used to install, windows couldn't repair. the PC brick's if i try to install windows again. Jesus Microsoft please.

 

[jojesa]

You should have followed the steps I provided.

 

[Aleximus96]

You should have followed the steps I provided.

Couldn't really known. From my perspective, both of your answers were 50/50, meaning both had logic behind them, there is a chance both could've worked, and a chance both wouldn't.

That being said, i chose option 2, as it had more logic to me in that moment, it's not the end of the world. i can still do your steps. I just wish to try and troubleshoot the option i went with for now, if it fails i am happy to go with your option.

 

[jojesa]

When you install Windows you should only have the drive you are installing Windows connected to the computer. Otherwise Windows setup might decide to partition or copy data to all available drives. Windows setup could overwrite files in any of the drives, erasing your data.
Furthermore, if you remove a drive, Windows might not work because data needed for Windows to boot (Boot Manager) was written to any of the drives available and without the boot manager, Windows will not load on your computer.

 

[Aleximus96]

When you install Windows you should only have the drive you are installing Windows connected to the computer. Otherwise Windows setup might decide to partition or copy data to all available drives. Windows setup could overwrite files in any of the drives, erasing your data.
Furthermore, if you remove a drive, Windows might not work because data needed for Windows to boot (Boot Manager) was written to any of the drives available and without the boot manager, Windows will not load on your computer.

Now when you explain it in depth, it actually makes more sense...

will try once again in few days. Thanks for the post.