Multiple questions about installing - transfer accounts etc.


  1. Posts : 184
    Windows 11 Pro
       #1

    Multiple questions about installing - transfer accounts etc.


    My desktop PC has finally reached the end of its life. I had something to do with it (inadvertently pushing it to a quick end, but probably that's a story for another forum).

    I decided to buy a laptop instead of a desktop PC.

    Here's some background information:
    All my data is saved on two disks. One of them, an SSD device had drive C on it. My documents, photos etc. were stored on an internal HDD (drive D).

    I used three Windows accounts: 1. A Windows Administrator, 2. A local Administrator and 3. A local User.

    I used the PC as a local User for day to day activities.

    I run Windows 10 Pro for which I have a digital license. The laptop is going to have Windows Home edition. In both cases 64 bit.

    The laptop is going to have a single SSD drive.

    The laptop is a Dell Inspiron. The desktop PC was an HP model.

    Since both the desktop PC's C and D drives were on internal disks I can use a gadget to connect them singly to my laptop. Thus I can have access to the old C or D drive.

    I don't mind if I have to reinstall all my software to the new laptop.
    My questions for which I would be grateful for some advice are as follows:

    1. How may I transfer the three Windows accounts to my laptop?

    2. How can I transfer the data on the old D drive to the laptop's Documents folder?

    3. Can I upgrade the Windows version on my laptop from Windows Home edition to Windows Pro? If so, how and possibly equally important, at which point should I do this?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
       #2

    Fortitude said:
    1. How may I transfer the three Windows accounts to my laptop?
    According to you, the accounts were Windows built-in admin, a local admin and standard user. None of them needs to be moved.

    The built-in admin account, as the name says, will be there when you boot the laptop first time. It is disabled by default, you just need to enable it. For two other accounts, simply create same accounts on laptop.


    Fortitude said:
    2. How can I transfer the data on the old D drive to the laptop's Documents folder?
    Attach the HDD to laptop using an external USB enclosure, copy contents of data folders to respective folders on laptop.


    Fortitude said:
    3. Can I upgrade the Windows version on my laptop from Windows Home edition to Windows Pro? If so, how and possibly equally important, at which point should I do this?
    You mentioned that the desktop accounts were / are local accounts, not Microsoft accounts. See the options to get Pro here:

    If you can still access Windows on desktop, boot it up, make it a Microsoft account and link license to that MS account. Tutorials:

    When done, see this tutorial. It will show step by step what do on the laptop to transfer desktop license to it: Use Activation Troubleshooter in Windows 10

    This article is the best I have seen about when a license transfer is possible, and when not:


    Kari
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 184
    Windows 11 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Thank you Kari,

    Lots of useful information. Unfortunately I don't have access to the desktop anymore. It's gone for recycling!

    I don't have the laptop yet, but when I receive it I'll try and login from my Microsoft account and see if I can work out anything from there.

    If everything goes well and Windows Pro is installed/activated, then I'll create the other accounts as you suggest.

    Thankfully the transfer of data should be easy as you described it.

    I'll post back with the results in a few days time.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 3,505
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit 21H1 (May 2021 build 19043.1083)
       #4

    Create the same accounts on laptop. Connect the old hard disk using a USB enclosure or a SATA-to-USB adapter to the notebook. Your user data should be into the folder Users/username. Open that folder (it might take a while if the account was password protected). You can then copy the Documents, Downloads etc folders into the respective user folder of the laptop, if you need to be at the same places. Any applications must be installed again on the laptop, copy-paste the folder doesn't work. However, you could copy-paste the folders of certain applications into the respective folders on the laptop and then reinstall that application which should restore your settings. For example, if you copy-paste the Mozilla folder from Program Files, User/AppData/Local (and some other folders) and then install Mozilla Firefox, you should see "Upgrade" at the final button and then restore all your bookmarks, settings and stored passwords. This trick worked for me at Firefox and Google Chrome. Not sure if it works for other applications.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 184
    Windows 11 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Thank you spapakons. I'll certainly try this solution.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 3,505
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit 21H1 (May 2021 build 19043.1083)
       #6

      My Computer


  7. Posts : 184
    Windows 11 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Update: I upgraded Windows Home to Pro with no problem. Windows was upgraded with a digital license linked to my Microsoft account.
      My Computer


 

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