Backing up all non-windows files automatically?

yujinloh · 22 Sep 2017

Recently I helped to upgrade someone's computer from 8.1 to windows 10.
But the windows update refused to work,had no chance to get it to work and tried a ton of options online.
I plan to format the hdd and have a clean w10 install.
The problem is on the hdd contains some personal files,how can i backup all personal files automatically(preferably sort of restoring the files back to the same place automatically too after install)?

TL;DR
What I'm planning to do:
1)Backup personal files on c drive, keep the backup files would be on d drive
2)Do a clean w10 install(start afresh,keeps nothing on c: drive)(afaik the d: drive wont be touched right?)
3)Restore the files back to c:

Mooly · 22 Sep 2017

You say you formatted the HDD in order to do a clean install. That action will have deleted all that was on the HDD previously meaning that the old files are not recoverable.

f14tomcat · 22 Sep 2017

yujinloh said:

Recently I helped to upgrade someone's computer from 8.1 to windows 10.
But the windows update refused to work,had no chance to get it to work and tried a ton of options online.
I decided to format the hdd and have a clean w10 install.
The problem is on the hdd contains some personal files,how can i backup all non-windows files automatically(preferably sort of restoring the files back to the same place automatically too after install)?

Where (what type of drive and size) are the personal files stored? If you formatted the drive you installed to, how did you back up those files first?

Mark Phelps · 23 Sep 2017

Sorry, but "non-Windows files" is too vague and broad to be a useful term.

There are lots of "non-Windows" files that are not personal files, so there's no simply way to identify them for backup purposes.

Your only easy options are to either: (1) backup up the entire image, so that all the personal files are automatically included, or (2) select specific personal files and back them up.

As to recovery, even when a drive is reformatted, the existing files are not removed -- but some of them are overwritten.

You MIGHT be able to use data recovery applications to retrieve some of the files you want, but if they have been overwritten, they are gone.

yujinloh · 30 Sep 2017

Mooly said:

You say you formatted the HDD in order to do a clean install. That action will have deleted all that was on the HDD previously meaning that the old files are not recoverable.

Sorry I made a mistake there, I havent formatted the hdd.

yujinloh · 30 Sep 2017

f14tomcat said:

Where (what type of drive and size) are the personal files stored? If you formatted the drive you installed to, how did you back up those files first?

Sorry for the late reply.
I've edited my post for clarity.
I haven't formatted the drive,just planned to do it but the personal files on it are troublesome to backup 1by1.
The files are store on c: drive(windows system drive) of 200++gb
I'm planning to move the files to d: drive(an 500gb hdd are split into 2 partitions, c: and d:)

Im planning to do this:
1)Backup personal files on c drive,the backup files would be on d drive
2)Do a clean w10 install(start afresh,keeps nothing on c: drive)
3)Restore the files back to c:

yujinloh · 30 Sep 2017

Mark Phelps said:

Sorry, but "non-Windows files" is too vague and broad to be a useful term.

There are lots of "non-Windows" files that are not personal files, so there's no simply way to identify them for backup purposes.

Your only easy options are to either: (1) backup up the entire image, so that all the personal files are automatically included, or (2) select specific personal files and back them up.

As to recovery, even when a drive is reformatted, the existing files are not removed -- but some of them are overwritten.

You MIGHT be able to use data recovery applications to retrieve some of the files you want, but if they have been overwritten, they are gone.

Can u explain the first option?

Did u mean to backup the entire image before formatting?
Can u recommend a software that is easy to use and powerful to do this?

f14tomcat · 30 Sep 2017

yujinloh said:

Can u explain the first option?

Did u mean to backup the entire image before formatting?
Can u recommend a software that is easy to use and powerful to do this?

@yujinloh

Macrium Reflect. It's free, and also a paid version for advanced functions. #1 recommended here on Tenforums.

Here is a tutorial written by a Tenforums member in our tutorial section.

Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect Windows 10 Backup Restore Tutorials

Here is the Macrium Reflect link for the free edition.

Macrium Software | Your Image is Everything

dalchina · 30 Sep 2017

Once you have the disk image created, you can mount it (so it appears as another drive letter) and copy whatever you need.

The advantage- no need to worry about forgetting something.

We also strongly advocate the routine use of disk imaging to support Windows- so you can restore Windows to a previous working state should something go wrong that can't be readily fixed. Applies also to any other disk or partition.

Mark Phelps · 30 Sep 2017

yujinloh said:

Can u explain the first option?

Did u mean to backup the entire image before formatting?
Can u recommend a software that is easy to use and powerful to do this?

I've been busy and unable to get back here until now ...

But, others have answered your questions.

And, I have used MR for years and found it to be an invaluable solution for backup and recovery.