I've finally went from 23H2 to 26H2... I want to clear up a thing or 2. (rant (kinda))

Hey all.

A few weeks ago, I started this thread: In-place upgrade or fresh install?

In the end, I decided to only keep User Files but made several backups before going forward. AND THANK GOD I DID.

In the thread above, I asked in post 8 of the thread:

Also, now that I think about it, if I only keep the user files, does it keep the Local, LocalLow, Roaming folders in AppData? What about ProgramData at root of C:\? Or are they considered system data and are wiped? Because if they're not, that alone would save me A LOT of time while still performing a relatively clean install.

Click to expand...

and this is what I was told, in the next post:

Yes.

Click to expand...

If I'm saying this, it doesn't take a genius to guess that the reality is...

NO, WINDOWS DOES NOT KEEP APPDATA AND PROGRAMDATA FOLDER INTACT. THEY ARE WIPED CLEAN. (Although I never expected the latter to be left as-is) But everything else in the user's folder is left intact.

How did I figure it out? Well. I installed Waterfox after installing drivers, reconnecting my NAS as network drives... and once it launched it was the basic OOBE of the browser. No open tabs, no bookmarks, no cutomization. GONE.

Because I was so paranoid, I did make a .mrimg of my whole nvme SSD with Macrium before doing the in-place upgrade AND copy the entire content of AppData to an external hard drive. So, dumping a copy of the content of the profile folder back into place was the only thing needed to restore everything.

Then, a minor issue with the current tutorial is that it misses a step before Step 17 in Option 2 where there's a Windows OOBE screen where it asks privacy stuff.

Unrelated to all of this, this month's update gave the error at 4% when trying to download:

We didn't find any updates that are published for your edition at this time. We'll try again when the next scheduled update is published.

Click to expand...

Just Paused updates for the next 90 days a s aresult after finding out that Known Issue could affect me (I'm using USB headphones).

Note that I'm not putting blame on anyone here.

Cheers.

P.S My optical drive issues weren't fixed and I doubt it will until a clean install is done *or* there's a driver or something interfering.
P.P.S Also encountered a bug where my Start Menu pins had also just vanished into thin air after a reboot.

Lebon14 said:

Hey all.

A few weeks ago, I started this thread: In-place upgrade or fresh install?

In the end, I decided to only keep User Files but made several backups before going forward. AND THANK GOD I DID.

In the thread above, I asked in post 8 of the thread:


and this is what I was told, in the next post:


If I'm saying this, it doesn't take a genius to guess that the reality is...

NO, WINDOWS DOES NOT KEEP APPDATA AND PROGRAMDATA FOLDER INTACT. THEY ARE WIPED CLEAN. (Although I never expected the latter to be left as-is) But everything else in the user's folder is left intact.

How did I figure it out? Well. I installed Waterfox after installing drivers, reconnecting my NAS as network drives... and once it launched it was the basic OOBE of the browser. No open tabs, no bookmarks, no cutomization. GONE.

Because I was so paranoid, I did make a .mrimg of my whole nvme SSD with Macrium before doing the in-place upgrade AND copy the entire content of AppData to an external hard drive. So, dumping a copy of the content of the profile folder back into place was the only thing needed to restore everything.

Then, a minor issue with the current tutorial is that it misses a step before Step 17 in Option 2 where there's a Windows OOBE screen where it asks privacy stuff.

Unrelated to all of this, this month's update gave the error at 4% when trying to download:


Just Paused updates for the next 90 days a s aresult after finding out that Known Issue could affect me (I'm using USB headphones).

Note that I'm not putting blame on anyone here.

Cheers.

P.S My optical drive issues weren't fixed and I doubt it will until a clean install is done *or* there's a driver or something interfering.
P.P.S Also encountered a bug where my Start Menu pins had also just vanished into thin air after a reboot.

Click to expand...

The person you cited was a bit confused over what you were doing and gave you the information for an in-place upgrade which keeps everything intact.

Lebon14 said:

NO, WINDOWS DOES NOT KEEP APPDATA AND PROGRAMDATA FOLDER INTACT. THEY ARE WIPED CLEAN. (Although I never expected the latter to be left as-is) But everything else in the user's folder is left intact.

Click to expand...

The "Yes" answer you got from me was assuming you would be following the usual In-Place Upgrade selections to "Keep User Files AND Apps".

Windows setup clearly warns you that if you select "Keep personal files only" your apps and setting will be deleted.

That's what you chose, and that's what setup gave you.

Next time, take some time to actually read and understand what is about to happen.

And by all means, continue to do backups.

HeavyHemi said:

The person you cited was a bit confused

Click to expand...

No confusion here.

Banjoman301 said:

The "Yes" answer you got from me was assuming you would be following the usual In-Place Upgrade selections to "Keep User Files AND Apps".

Windows setup clearly warns you that if you select "Keep personal files only" your apps and setting will be deleted.

That's what you chose, and that's what setup gave you.

Next time, take some time to actually read and understand what is about to happen.

And by all means, continue to do backups.

Click to expand...

I re-read my question and the reply 3-4 times and more. It is very clear that you said "YES, your settings will be kept with user files only".

Because I ASKED, very clearly:

"If I choose 'Keep User Files only', will it keep AppData and ProgramData intact?"

You quoted that, said "Yes", quoted a blog/website (I couldn't find) with what it would keep. And I took it to heart.

But why would I think that? Because "AppData" is a folder that's part of the user files folder although hidden.

You didn't mention you were talking about "Keep personal files and apps". So, don't shift all the blame to me.

HeavyHemi said:

The person you cited was a bit confused over what you were doing and gave you the information for an in-place upgrade which keeps everything intact.

Click to expand...

Dunno about the confused part but, to me, the way I was quoted basicly gave me wrong info.
Also it's still an "In-place upgrade" if you only keep User Files. (pedantics I know)

Lebon14 said:

So, don't shift all the blame to me.

Click to expand...

You were all over the map in the first thread.

And chastising folks in that thread for not reading what you posted...

See a pattern?

Ultimately, it's your system, and your responsibility to know what you're doing and why, before you do it.

In the thread above, I asked in post 8 of the thread:

Also, now that I think about it, if I only keep the user files, does it keep the Local, LocalLow, Roaming folders in AppData? What about ProgramData at root of C:\? Or are they considered system data and are wiped? Because if they're not, that alone would save me A LOT of time while still performing a relatively clean install.

and this is what I was told, in the next post:

Yes.

Click to expand...

It appears that you asked more than one question there. I think it would have been wise to ask for confirmation as to which question the 'Yes' response addressed, particularly when dealing with issues that involve a potential loss of data, settings, apps etc.