Introduction

Windows provides an Upgrade Assistant that makes it easy to migrate from an older version of Windows to Windows 10. This upgrade utility ensures that your files and programs aren't deleted, but backed up and restored after the upgrade process is complete. All your files are backed up in a folder named "Windows.old," which remains accessible after the upgrade is finished.

There's also a small chance that some third-party apps, files, and settings might get removed. This is mostly due to compatibility issues, which would require you to manually restore all of that content after the upgrade. This usually happens with Windows 8/7/XP/Vista installations.

A Windows 10 upgrade usually doesn't delete your files and programs, but there are specific cases where you can lose data, and once it's gone, it's gone for good. This usually happens when the upgrade fails abruptly, you get a Blue Screen of Death (BSoD), or any sudden crash.

Usually, the upgrade process goes smoothly, but it's crucial to back up your data first. You can copy your files manually to an external drive, or use specialized software to back up or create an image of your system for later restoration.

Page content:

Preparing for the upgrade to Windows 10
How to back up your programs, files, and settings
How to upgrade to Windows 10

Before you upgrade to Windows 10

Before you upgrade, the two most important things to do are back up your programs, files, and settings with third-party software, and make sure you have enough space on your installation drive.

To back this up, you'll need software or a program that can create a system drive image. Make sure you have a USB flash drive or external hard drive with enough space. You can calculate this based on how much space is used on your system drive and ensure that you have that same amount of space available.

Check the storage space on the system drive

Before an upgrade, Windows Update needs to copy files to your system drive. Ideally, you'll need at least 30 GB of free space to start the upgrade. If you're already short on space, it's time to figure out what's taking up room on your PC by checking your Downloads folder and large, unnecessary apps.

How to Back Up Your Programs, Files, and Settings

It's crucial to back up your programs, files, and settings before an upgrade, in case you need to roll back to your previous operating system. The best way to do this is with specialized software like Todo PCTrans.

The Todo PCTrans tool offers several features around file transfer and backup/restore. It can also perform a system cleanup, a comprehensive file cleaner, app management, and product key scanning.

Aside from other things, backup and restore capabilities come in handy when you need to copy data and later restore it on the same or another PC. Here's the list of features:

    • Transfer apps from your old PC to your new one.
    • Skip reinstalling apps, pictures, music, documents, user accounts, and settings.
    • Use compression to save space.
    • Create a system image for an easy recovery.

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Step 1: Create a backup file.

1. Connect your USB (flash) drive/external hard drive to the source computer. Launch Todo PCTrans and click “Backup & Restore > Start” on the main screen.

Transfer files via Backup and Restore – Step 1 Transfer files via Backup and Restore – Step 1

2. Tap "Data Backup" to continue.

Transferring files through Backup and Restore - Step 2

3. Click “Edit” next to Applications, User Accounts, and Files to select the specific data and apps you want to back up.

Backup and Restore to Transfer Files - Step 3 Backup and Restore to Transfer Files - Step 3

The second step is to restore from the backup file that was created.

1. Insert the USB drive with the backup files into the target computer and launch Todo PCTrans. Click on “Backup & Restore > Start > Data Restore.”

Transfer files via Backup and Restore – Step 1 Transfer files via Backup and Restore – Step 1

2. Click “Browse” to find the image file. Then select “Restore” and proceed to the next step.

Transfer files from image - Step 2

3. Now, you can select the app/file/account that you want to restore.

Or you can click on the “Edit” button to select specific data to transfer. Click “Finish” to confirm. Alternatively, you can click the Edit icon > “Commit” to change and save the destination path for the recovered file.

Send files via image - Step 3

Please note that when upgrading from 32-bit to 64-bit, a fresh installation is required. During the transfer, you may need to download and reinstall incompatible apps. Folders will be named accordingly if files already exist at their destination.

How to Upgrade to Windows 10

Step 1: Back up all your files and apps using a backup utility, or create a system image so you can restore if something goes wrong. Make sure you have enough room on your system drive; you'll get a warning if you don't.

Windows Upgrade Assistant

Step 2. Download the Update Assistant or Media Creation Tool from the Microsoft website. This launches a wizard that checks your system's compatibility and backs up your existing files and folders. You can also opt for a clean install, but in that case, the wizard won't back up any of your existing files.

Windows installation process

Step 3: If everything checks out, the wizard will restart your computer and proceed with the upgrade. The progress will be displayed on-screen, and when it's finished, you can log in using the same account credentials.

Finally, check that everything is as it should be, including files and programs. If you're missing something, look for it in the Windows.OLD folder on your system drive.

Bottom line

Upgrading to Windows 10 is no longer rocket science. The process has been optimized over the years and usually goes smoothly. However, in specific cases, an upgrade can fail due to hardware issues, problematic drivers that cause rollbacks, Blue Screen of Death errors, or sudden crashes. This is where having a backup and a system image becomes crucial. Todo PCTrans offers a simple and effective method.