Windows 10: Windows 10 Re-Install: Will This Work?

Hi all, I'm currently running Windows 10 Pro on an 2TB internal HDD. However, I want to buy a new 2TB internal HDD so I can backup my files.

I'm planning on using the new 2TB internal HDD I buy as the "main drive" and use my current 2TB internal HDD as the "backup drive." I'm worried about file verification.

How can I make sure that every that's copied from one 2TB HDD to the other 2TB HDD is identical? File verification is very important to me...

Thank you for any advice!

:)

 

Windows 10 upgrade - Will it re-install all of my apps and data???

all your files, applications and settings should be preserved and available in Windows 10.

however this is a major update and things could go wrong, make sure you have backups.

 

Windows 10 upgrade - Will it re-install all of my apps and data???

Need to know after downloading and then installing this upgrade from Win 8.1, IF this upgrade will RE-INSTALL all of my apps I already have EXISTING on my computer, plus all the data, or do I have to do all of that AFTER the upgrade has taken place???

I assume the latter, but members of my family asked me, so I told them I would ask, as I haven't seen this question asked, nor answered yet, on the FAQ's.

Thank you!

I sure hope this upgrade works, 'cuz if it doesn't, MILLIONS of users will be VERY upset at you, Microsoft!

Paul

 

The only sure way is to Clone the drive, many folks have mentioned Macrium Reflect. But if the current drive is working properly I'd just add the new drive and leave well-enough alone to assure no or minimal problems. An issue not mentioned much, but fully understood by most computer users, is if you get a power bump or failure you could lose a lot if not all. Have seen such a situation where the power failed mid-stream and the source drive was converted to RAW, can be difficult or impossible to deal with, results in lost data.

 

Thanks!

I've been using the current 2TB internal HDD for over 2 years and it's been running 24/7 so that's why I was wanting to install Windows 10 Pro to the new 2TB internal HDD...

 

Macrium Reflect Free with verification selected would work fine but this solution contravenes your desire not to use 3rd party applications1 I received guidance on this forum that it is better to image your system to another drive then install that system image on your new drive. You can do this if you have enough spare space on your current drive to store a full Macrium backup image, else you can store the image on an external drive.

 

Thanks!

Is there another way I can do this using a feature that's built into Windows 10 Pro?

 

It seems like it'd take much more time for me to install a new-install of Windows 10 Pro to the new 2TB HDD and this is why I was wanting to copy the current 2TB HDD's data and duplicate it to the new 2TB HDD.

 

Given your dislike of third-party tools, one option in Windows itself is to use 'Backup and Restore (Windows 7)'. Use its 'create a system image' function to make a system image of your current drive to an external USB HDD and when it finishes take the offered option to create the restore CD. Now remove your original internal drive, replace it with the new drive then boot from the CD to restore the image to the new drive.

If you do not have a CD/DVD drive to do this then you could try creating a USB Recovery Drive to boot from to do the restore. This is where Backup and Restore can be a little temperamental though, from long experience I've found the most reliable way to restore a System Image is to boot from media made by the same version of Backup and Restore as you used to make the system image. Use a different version and it may not recognise the system image as being one it can restore. If it can see the image, then the restore should be successful. In fact, the system I am using to write this was itself restored from a Backup and Restore system image.

The unreliability of Windows own 'system image' software is mostly in the uncertainty of being able to recognise an image as being restorable, though if it can see the image the restore seems to be full and complete. Macrium Reflect (yes, I know you'd prefer not to use it) is far more reliable in this respect.

 

This is an awesome idea!

Is it possible for me to do some type of file verification using this method?

 

No, but verification should not be needed. A system image is a copy of all the used sectors of the original disk, be they files or folder entries. If the restore completes successfully all your user files will there, just as before. There are a few minor housekeeping changes made to the windows system itself though, the most noticeable is that the Update History will be empty and says 'No updates have been installed yet'. All the previous updates are still listed in 'uninstall an update' though.

 

Thank you, Sir!

I'll try this out and then report back to this thread!

 

I don't know why exactly but i don't have that much trust in cloning and s.o. methods. Cleanest and safest way for me is the clean install. Other than that i thing that NiceAndShy gave you good tip*Smile

 

So you don't do any backups at all?

 

Why are you not wanting to use a superior 3rd party program like Macrium to accomplish what you want to do?
Is there some reason for this?

Just curious.