Product version is exactly the same and I'm sure it's 1909.
I already started running the creation tool so I going to let it finish.
- - - Updated - - -
I have everything backed up but will I have to restore files like Thunderbird folders and firefox Bookmarks?
I didn't have to last time. Some stuff didn't come over but everything showed up.
Marc
I don't know about Thunderbird.
I have Firefox and I know how to backup & restore the Bookmarks in its Bookmarks toolbar. I'll post my notes [and check to see if the procedure also covers other Bookmarks, I don't know].
Denis
Backing up and restoring Thunderbird is relatively easy if you follow this link:
Moving Thunderbird Data to a New Computer | Thunderbird Help
You will be doing this basically as a new computer. Just do the old computer part before the clean install and the new computer part after the install.
Firefox bookmarks - Backup & restore
Restore bookmarks from backup or move them to another computer - Firefox Help
- This procedure covers all Bookmarks.
- I have used this procedure successfully. I can remember being baffled by not being able to see the same dialog as they show but it turned out that I was looking at my Bookmarks list having got there by a difference route. Once I got there by the route they specified, I was fine.
- I use the json part of the procedure [Backup, Restore] rather than the html method [Import / Export].
Denis
Okay,
I've got that backed up.
Do I need to do the "custom install windows"?
Marc
Just to round off all the nagging.
No custom install is normally needed. Just follow the clean install tutorial link above. Nothing you have said makes me think you need this but the custom procedure is in Custom Install - TenForumsTutorials
Preparations - backup your drivers. I cannot find a tutorial. In an admin command prompt, run this but using the path to a convenient folder for you & copy them across to your external drive.
Dism /online /export-driver /destination:D:\Desktop\DriverBackup
- Then you will be able to cope with any drivers that Windows does not find & install automatically.
- See Backup and Restore Device Drivers in Windows 10
1 Don't bother connecting to the internet during installation. It simplifies a couple of bits.
2 The user account you create during installation will have admin status. You can call it whatever you want. Give it a decent password and write that password down then keep it somewhere secure yet accessible [mine are on a piece of paper in a small tube attached to my keyring]. It will be a local account [if you install without an internet connection] and that is a good thing as it is simple.
3 As soon as you have completed installation, make a spare admin account in Settings, My family & other animals - Add Local Account or Microsoft Account - TenForums make it an admin account as well. Give it a decent password and write that password down as well. If your normal user account ever gets corrupted then you'll be able to get into the computer using this spare one.
4 We should all use a standard account for day-to-day tasks but I don't bother and many other people don't bother. If you are going to use an admin account as your day-to-day account then change "UAC" to its highest level - see Change User Account Control level - TenForumsTutorials
5 If you are going to want to use an MSAccount then you can change one of those accounts to be an MSAccount now.
6 Notice that the Built-In Admin account will not appear at your login screen - it is disabled by default.
7 If you want to bypass login then use netplwiz - see Sign in User Account Automatically - TenForumsTutorials
8 Make a system image and make a fresh one every so often. Macrium Reflect Free is often recommended in this forum and there is plenty of help available here for it.
Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect - TenForumsTutorials
Macrium Software Macrium Reflect Free
Macrium USB - TenForums
Macrium Reflect KnowledgeBase - user guide [version-independent link]
I use Acronis TI not Macrium Reflect so I cannot provide any help for it.
End of nagging,
Denis
Thanks again Denis this has been a big help. Going off line to get started.
Marc
I did the install. I suppose it was a clean install but I was having dinner while it ran and if finished while I was away form my computer. I am still 'Administrator'. Nothing changed in that regard.
Marc
Marc
You have not installed Windows. If you had then you would have been made to create a new user account during the process.
Perhaps you ran a "Repair install" by accident. This is a repair procedure [that is not useful in the current situation] that involves booting normally and then just running the installation disk's setup.exe file from within your existing Windows.
Use the procedure in Clean Install Windows 10 - TenForumsTutorials This involves booting from the install USB and it will create an entirely new OS on your computer.
Denis
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