How to backup computer windows 7 before installing windows 10

Windows 10 is set to arrive on July 29. The update will be free for the first year for qualifying Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 users. You can find out if you qualify for the free upgrade here.

In addition to an improved design and better functionality, Windows 10 marks the return of a real Start button. It also adds the Cortana voice assistant, the new Edge Web browser, Xbox game streaming, and more.

Before you jump right in and install Windows 10, you should take a few moments and prepare your PC to ensure the upgrade process goes off without a hitch. This article will guide you through the steps of checking for updates, backing up your personal information and creating an all important system image.

Can your PC run it?

The answer is most likely yes. Windows 10 requires the same minimum hardware requirements as Windows 7. Those requirements are:

• Processor: 1GHz CPU or faster
• RAM: 1GB (32-bit) or 2GB (64-bit)
• Disk space: 16GB (32-bit) or 20GB (64-bit)
• Graphics: DirectX 9-capable video card with WDDM driver

You can also check to see if your machine is capable of running Windows 10 right from your desktop. You will need a computer or tablet running Windows 7 Service Pack 1 or Windows 8.1 Update. From the desktop, click on the small Windows icon located at the right end of the taskbar, and select the "Check my PC" option from the left menu.

Free up space

You will need at least 16GB of free space to install Windows 10. To check how much free space is on your hard drive, head to Computer, right-click the C:/ drive, and select Properties. You can free up some space by clicking the Disk Cleanup button. This usually won't free up enough space, so you may also have to uninstall programs that you no longer use.

To uninstall a Windows 8 program, go to the Start menu (the screen with the tiles), right-click the tile you want to remove, and select Uninstall. You can also uninstall programs through the Control Panel, which you can search for in Windows 8.

In Windows 7, click the Start button, followed by the Control Panel, and select Uninstall a program.

Back up your data to the cloud or an external drive

Regardless if you are upgrading to Windows 10 or not, it's always a good idea to back up your data. You can use a cloud service, such as OneDrive, Dropbox or Google Drive, or an external hard drive. Simply drag and drop the personal files -- documents, photos, videos, music -- you would like to keep safe to the cloud or external drive.

Windows 8 users can also use the File History feature to automatically back up personal files. You can learn how to use the feature here.

Create a system image

Both Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 come with a tool that lets you create a system image (a full backup of everything on your computer). Head to the Control Panel and select "Back up your computer" under the Systems and Security section. On the left choose to create a system image, pick the location you want to save it to (I chose my external storage drive), click Next, confirm that everything looks good, and then click Start backup.

At the end of the process, you will have the option to create a system repair disc. This can be used to help you repair Windows if you run into any problems. You can also create a USB recovery drive, which you can learn how to do here.

If you end up having to restore your PC from a system image, you can do so in the Control Panel. Start by typing "recovery" in the search box, click Recovery, followed by Advanced recovery methods, and select to use the system image you created earlier.

Update device drivers

Whenever installing a new version of Windows, it's always a good idea to verify that you're using compatible drivers. This will help you avoid stability issues that could arise due to your computer's hardware.

Many hardware manufacturers already have Windows 10 drivers available now. To check for drivers, head to your PC manufacturer's support website. More advanced users can access the DXDIAG tool in Windows to check drivers. I also recommend downloading the drivers to an external thumbdrive, just in case you need them during the installation process.

After you've successfully updated your PC to Windows 10, be sure to check out CNET's complete guide for more tips and tricks.

Microsoft has ended support for Windows 7 on January 14, 2020, which means that your device is no longer receiving security and maintenance updates, and there’s no more support from the company. 

If you are still using Windows 7, it’s now the time to upgrade to Windows 10, but before going through the process, it’s recommended to create a full backup with a copy of the installation as well as a copy of your settings, apps, and files, in case you need to roll back.

In the case that you are moving to a new clean installation of Windows 10, it’s also recommended to create a backup of your files stored on Windows 7, which you can then restore in the new installation.

In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to create a full backup and a file backup to protect your installation and files before upgrading to Windows 10. In addition, you will learn the steps to restore your computer if the upgrade presents any problems, and the steps to restore your files on Windows 7 on your new Windows 10 installation.

• How to create full backup on Windows 7
• How to restore full backup on Windows 7
• How to create file backup on Windows 7
• How to restore Windows 7 file backup on Windows 10

To create a full backup of your Windows 7 device, use these steps:

1. Open Control Panel.

2. Click on System and Security.

3. Click the Backup and Restore option.

   
   Windows 7 back and restore option

4. Click the Create a system image option from the left pane.

   
   Create system image backup option

5. Select the On a hard disk option.

6. Select the external hard drive to backup your device.

   
   Select backup destination

7. Click the Next button.

8. Click the Start backup button.

   
   Start backup on Windows 7

Once you complete the steps, the backup process will begin, and at the end, you will be prompted to create a recovery disk, but you can ignore the option as you can use a Windows 7 installation USB media to access the recovery settings as needed.

How to restore full backup on Windows 7

To restore a backup to rollback to a previous Windows 7 installation, use these steps:

1. Start device with Windows 7 USB media.

   Quick note: To start your computer with a bootable media, you may need to change the BIOS or UEFI settings. This process usually requires pressing one of the function keys (F1, F2, F10, or F12), the ESC or Delete key. For more specific instructions, it’s recommended to check your manufacturer support website.

2. Click the Next button.

3. Click the Repair your computer option from the bottom-left corner.

   
   Windows 7 setup

4. Select the “Use recovery tools” options and “Windows 7” from the list.

   
   System recovery options on Windows 7

5. Click the Next button.

6. Click the System Image Recovery option.

   
   Windows 7 system recovery option

7. Select the Use the latest available system image option.

   
   Select image recovery

8. Click the Next button.

9. Click the Next button again.

   
   Windows 7 format and partition drive

10. Click the Finish button.

After you complete the steps, the device will go back to the previous installation, and you can start the upgrade process to Windows 10 one more time.

If you continue to have problems using the in-place upgrade process, then you should try to upgrade using a clean installation of Windows 10.

How to create file backup on Windows 7

If you only want to backup your files, you can connect an external drive to your computer and simply copy the files over, or you can use the file backup option on Windows 7.

To create a file backup on Windows 7, connect an external drive with enough space, and use these steps:

1. Open Control Panel.

2. Click on System and Security.

3. Click the Backup and Restore option.

4. Under the “Backup” section, click the Set up backup option.

   
   Windows 7 setup file backup

5. Select the external drive to backup your files.

   
   Select file backup destination

6. Click the Next button.

7. Select the Let me choose option. (The Let Windows Choose is also a good option, but it includes a system image, and these steps are meant to create a file backup that you can restore on Windows 10.)

   
   Windows 7 choose backup items

8. Check the Back up data for newly create users and your account Libraries options.

9. Use the Computer option to select additional files you may need to include in the backup.

10. Clear the Include a system image of drives option.

    
    Select files to backup on Windows 7

11. Click the Next button.

12. (Optional) Click the Change schedule option to define when the system should perform regular backups.

13. Click the Save settings and run backup button.

After you complete the steps, your files will copy over the external drive, which you can use to restore in your new installation of Windows 10.

How to restore Windows 7 file backup on Windows 10

To restore your files on Windows 10, connect the drive with the Windows 7 file backup to your computer, and use these steps:

1. Open Control Panel.

2. Click on System and Security.

3. Click the Backup and Restore (windows 7) option.

4. Under the “Restore” section, click the Select another backup to restore files from option.

   
   Windows 10 restore Windows 7 files

5. Select the Windows 7 file backup.

   
   Windows 10 select backup

6. Click the Next button.

7. Click the Browse for folders button.

8. Select the folder with the files that you want to restore from Windows 7.

9. Click the Add folder button.

   
   Select Windows 7 folder to restore

10. Click the Next button.

11. Select the In the following location option.

    
    Select restore location on Windows 10

12. Click the Browse button.

13. Select the folder location to restore your files.

14. Click the OK button.

15. Click the Restore button.

16. Click the Finish button.

Once you complete the steps, the folder with the files from Windows 7 will restore to the folder destination that you specified.

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