Question New Computer & Transferring All Files

[cade_777]

I want to preface this by stating that I only have experience building new computers, and I have never explored the realm of switching from one computer to another. My current PC only contains a single 1TB M.2 NVMe drive that I use as my only storage source. It contains all of my game downloads, work/school files, and the Windows 10 installation that I used when I first booted it up. Obviously, I need to retain all of the files that I currently have. My new computer is going to support Windows 11, so I am hoping to download that once I get the computer all built. My new motherboard supports 3 M.2 drives, so I got a new 2TB M.2 drive. I want to use the old one in my new computer as well. Could anyone give me a detailed description of how I should go about getting Windows 11 installed on the new computer, being able to retain all of my files from the old M.2, and end up using both M.2 drives in the new build? I have read that it is better to back up all files on a separate drive (I have two so not an issue) and download a clean Windows install.

If possible, please give a step-by-step process on the process of getting this completed in the best way possible (order in which I should do things/which drives to use for what/etc...). Sorry for the needy question, but I just really cannot lose these files. Nor do I want to do anything wrong and dig myself into a deeper hole.

 

[USAFRet]

being able to retain all of my files from the old M.2

Depends on what you specifically mean by "all my files".

 

[cade_777]

Depends on what you specifically mean by "all my files".

Sorry, I may not have specified this in my original post. By all of my files, I am quite literally referring to everything that I am able to transfer over seamlessly. I don't have experience in changing computers, so I don't know if certain things pose more difficulty than others. I have application files (lots of game and productivity-related apps) and school/work files (Microsoft and PDF format for the most part) on my current M.2 that I would like to get onto my new PC. Looking at it, could there be possible issues with installing application files that were formatted for Windows 10 onto my new computer running Windows 11?

 

[USAFRet]

Sorry, I may not have specified this in my original post. By all of my files, I am quite literally referring to everything that I am able to transfer over seamlessly. I don't have experience in changing computers, so I don't know if certain things pose more difficulty than others. I have application files (lots of game and productivity-related apps) and school/work files (Microsoft and PDF format for the most part) on my current M.2 that I would like to get onto my new PC. Looking at it, could there be possible issues with installing application files that were formatted for Windows 10 onto my new computer running Windows 11?

Your personal files...doc, pdf, mp3, etc...no problem.

Your applications...BIG problem. As in No, you can't do this.

 

[USAFRet]

When an application is installed, it makes dozens/hundreds of entries in the Registry and elsewhere.

Your new OS in the new system knows nothing of these.

 

[cade_777]

When an application is installed, it makes dozens/hundreds of entries in the Registry and elsewhere.

Your new OS in the new system knows nothing of these.

So, would you recommend the following? Just doing a fresh install of Windows on the new drive? Downloading all of my wanted applications on the new computer with only the new drive installed. Making folders of my wanted personal files from the old computer (backing them up before this), transferring them onto a USB drive, downloading them to my new computer, wiping the old drive completely, then installing the cleanly wiped old drive into the new computer?

 

[cade_777]

Or is there an easier pathway of doing this? Are you noticing anything that could cause issues in the new and old computers?

 

[USAFRet]

So, would you recommend the following? Just doing a fresh install of Windows on the new drive? Downloading all of my wanted applications on the new computer with only the new drive installed. Making folders of my wanted personal files from the old computer (backing them up before this), transferring them onto a USB drive, downloading them to my new computer, wiping the old drive completely, then installing the cleanly wiped old drive into the new computer?

Pretty much, yes.

In the old system, copy all your personal files to some external device.
Copy all the install files of your applications.
Document ALL your username/passwords on some device.
Export browser profiles if applicable.

New OS install in this new hardware.
New install of all your applications.
Copy your personal files, and inport browser profiles.

 

[Lafong]

Yes to the clean install, WITH ONLY ONE DRIVE CONNECTED.

I'd probably download BUT NOT INSTALL new versions of any programs you'd want to install on the new drive right now....save them on the old drive in uninstalled form. Or you could wait and not download them until after you get running on the new PC.

You should already have your personal files backed up somewhere. So you'd have 2 versions of all personal files....originals and at least one copy of the originals. Maybe on an external hard drive.

Don't forget saved email and browser bookmarks.

You don't necessarily have to use a USB drive for anything other than installing Windows 11 on the new drive. They aren't overly reliable as a backup choice.

The old drive would not have to be wiped BEFORE re-installation into the new computer AFTER Windows 11 is up and running on the new drive in the new PC. It should just appear as D or E or some letter other than C.

 

[DSzymborski]

Also note that Steam games don't need to be reinstalled, just the Steam application itself on your new Windows install on your new drive. Then Steam can be pointed towards the existing Steam directory on the old drive, or you can have Steam move the Steam directory from the old to the new drive if you wish.

 

[cade_777]

Yes to the clean install, WITH ONLY ONE DRIVE CONNECTED.

I'd probably download BUT NOT INSTALL new versions of any programs you'd want to install on the new drive right now....save them on the old drive in uninstalled form. Or you could wait and not download them until after you get running on the new PC.

You should already have your personal files backed up somewhere. So you'd have 2 versions of all personal files....originals and at least one copy of the originals. Maybe on an external hard drive.

Don't forget saved email and browser bookmarks.

You don't necessarily have to use a USB drive for anything other than installing Windows 11 on the new drive. They aren't overly reliable as a backup choice.

The old drive would not have to be wiped BEFORE re-installation into the new computer AFTER Windows 11 is up and running on the new drive in the new PC. It should just appear as D or E or some letter other than C.

If I insert the old drive into the new running system (after the clean Windows 11 install) with all of my old files still on it, will anything be an issue (old Windows 10 download from previous computer/application files/etc...)? Nothing will automatically try to download/boot?

 

[USAFRet]

If I insert the old drive into the new running system (after the clean Windows 11 install) with all of my old files still on it, will anything be an issue (old Windows 10 download from previous computer/application files/etc...)? Nothing will automatically try to download/boot?

No, it won't try to boot from the old system.

You WILL, however, run into permissions issues in trying to access your files from that drive.

This is why you should copy all those files to somewhere else first, from the old system and old OS/User.

 

[cade_777]

No, it won't try to boot from the old system.

You WILL, however, run into permissions issues in trying to access your files from that drive.

This is why you should copy all those files to somewhere else first, from the old system and old OS/User.

Just to be sure I have this all correct

• New drive ONLY installed in new computer, clean install of windows 11. Download any applications that I need onto the new computer.
• Create a copy/backup of all of the files that I want transferred to new computer using an external hard drive
• Import those files from the external drive into my new computer and make sure they all work correctly
• Shut off new computer, transfer old drive into new computer, boot it back up, wipe the remaining files on the old drive to make it clean now

 

[Lafong]

Not necessarily in that order.

I'd do the "backup" right now. Today.

Get that USB Win 11 installer going right away. You need to confirm you did it correctly and that it in fact will boot a PC.

Will the "old computer" be intact and operable immediately AFTER you first install Windows onto the "new computer"? That can be quite useful to get on the Internet if you find yourself in a jam early on with the new PC.

I'd probably go the the web site of the manufacturer of the new motherboard right now. Go to the support area for your specific motherboard. Download at least the NIC driver (Ethernet). Maybe even all drivers. Windows normally would supply an appropriate Ethernet driver during the installation, but I'd prefer to know I already had an Ethernet driver on hand..........otherwise you could have issues connecting to the Internet on the new PC.

You'd probably want to run "Windows Update" shortly after doing the clean install of 11. That can make you sweat.

 

[Misgar]

I agree with all the helpful advice above, but if the new Windows 11 build doesn't use any components from the old Windows 10 PC, I'd be inclined to hang on to the old computer for several weeks, until everything on the new machine is working perfectly.

Whatever you do, above all else, do not wipe the old drive for at least a month. There could be some hidden gems you'd fogotten all about, until you discover they're not on the new build.

Even if you're using the old case, PSU, etc., with the new motherboard, it doesn't take very long to reconnnect the old motherboard and boot up to retrieve more information or check old program configurations.

As for file transfers between the machines, you could use a "crossover" Ethernet cable and set up Static IPv4 addresses on both machines, if you don't have a broadband router or network switch with two Gigabit Ethernet ports. This assumes you have two working machines.