Solved Preparing to image my computer, need help

Just put the folder into List view and screenshot with Alt+Prtscn and paste it in paint to save as a png. Get both Program Files and x86.

You can install office 2010 32bit and office 365 64bit and run them both after you reimage

glasskuter said:

Click the blue "add folder" right under those suggested folders and you can sync any folder you choose.
You can know a folder is synced by browsing to to google drive folder>My Drive The synced folders have a tiny cloud overlaid over top of your folder icon.

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Yesterday, when I logged onto the computer and viewed Google Drive, it reported that it had already copied approximately 7 GB of my allowed 15 GB. Yesterday I deleted everything from the GDrive.

Today when I logged in I got a message saying something to the effect that it was copying information from another drive. This is its current state of affairs. Double clicking on MyDrive reveals: --1KB of data on Google Drive.

After a restart
I wonder if there is something special about placing material on GDrive so I look up the issue and find that it seems that rather than just moving (sliding the file from its location to GDrive) I need to go to Google Drive: Sign-in and use the [New] button to put anything into GDrive. I copy a small folder, and using the [New] button, execute the transfer of a small folder containing less than 1Gb of files.

Also, wondering what GDrive has already decided to copy (without any intervention whatsoever) https://drive.google.com/drive/search?q=type:document I search for documents already existing on GDrive. and find out that GDrive DOES ALREADY HAVE 7.26GB in it despite my never having instructed it to have anything to do with these files (from wherever it got them). IN FACT, NOW THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED, I'M WORRIED THAT I CAN RECOVER THEM, because I have no idea how GDrive has appropriated them!

In other words (hi Wynona), if I delete all the 7.x Mb of files/folders from GoogleDrive will they be deleted from the place they used to exist (and I will lose them completely) or do I need to find each and every file to determine where GDrive took them from and try to save them in time?

Hi Ghot. All I'm trying to do is to keep the information I need, and have spent years to organize into a usable database (made up of folders and directories--rather than, say, some generally acceptable, MSAccess--, :"database" approach) I'm finding that at every turn, my attempts to hold on to the data that's important to me is being taken away by mechanisms such as GoogleDrive and OneDrive who have been instructed, without my ability to control or to do anything, manipulate and control the information they decide belongs to their control.

jro11 said:

Hi Ghot. All I'm trying to do is to keep the information I need, and have spent years to organize into a usable database (made up of folders and directories--rather than, say, some generally acceptable, MSAccess--, :"database" approach) I'm finding that at every turn, my attempts to hold on to the data that's important to me is being taken away by mechanisms such as GoogleDrive and OneDrive who have been instructed, without my ability to control or to do anything, manipulate and control the information they decide belongs to their control.

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That's pretty much why I don't use either. I have OneDrive completely uninstalled, and I never used Google Drive.
Good backups are the best method, in my opinion.

Ghot said:

That's pretty much why I don't use either. I have OneDrive completely uninstalled, and I never used Google Drive.

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If what you're saying is true, and if what I'm communicating is accurate, it seems that what we're actually implying is that the communication/interaction between the computer industry and the people who participate in the fruits of that industry is sloppy and inaccurate, and that, because the industry operates based on principles and goals relevant only to the industry, cares less about what their users have to confront and more about what the industry hopes to have happen--for their own benefit. It was incredible being able to participate/experience the infancy of the Macintosh and PC industry. So much care and interest was taken to communicate clearly and accurately to their user base. But now there are more important and attractive goals tempting the (bottom line of the) computer "industry". And there seems to be a relatively unsophisticated user base buying the hardware and using the software of that industry--I don't think it's a large leap to say most current/new computer users are interested in simply fielding email, phone messages, browser pages, and games.
The kinds of questions this forum tackles are certainly not "How do I get the email I never knew I didn't get"; "What happened to that phone call I learned a week later I'd never received"; "Why didn't the browser page work as it used to work"; or "Why wasn't I able to use my machine-gun screwdriver to blow away the bad guys like I used to be able to?" The industry wants us to believe everything we're experiencing as problems is an improvement we need to research, understand, accept, incorporate and get used to--because someone (or someone's boss who thought s/he knew better) got hired who thought everything should be changed, and that change enough was good enough.
This forum's issues are about the nitty gritty of the experience we're being offered. Some of the people on this forum know how things used to work and why it seems to differ from what we used to experience. Others can't understand why the rest don't just accept that there is no explanation-for or admission-that it changes in ways that make no sense compared to how it used to operate before.
I keep remembering the (to a techie, fascinating) movie, The Playlist, that followed the development of Spotify a program that rationalized allowing a user base that didn't have to pay a monthly fee (as well as those that did decide to pay), based on the rationale that Spotify would constantly change almost every part of their user interface and program capability,........constantly. (I've even gone so far as to ask friends: "How would you feel if your car had a circular steering wheel today; a square one tomorrow; two sticks thrown on the ground the next day; and a piece of styrofoam the next...")
RE: this thread, all I'm trying to do is save what I need from my computer; reformat and install a CLEAN copy of Win11; reinstall what I needed (and hopefully fully saved); and go on, secure in the fact that I'm not going to constantly struggle with unexpected changes and anomalies with my operating system during the rest of my computer involvement and experience. But that doesn't seem in the cards. Operating Systems aren't even allotted Version.Version-change renumbering for the random changes that are thrown our way.

The corporate world is Microsoft's cash cow. The rest of us... just don't matter.

I’ve said it at least a dozen times in here before, it’s Microsofts company, they can do what they like. We adapt and have this forum to help us. No big deal. Complaining is cool though, it’s a part of the process.

Wynona said:

When you delete temporary files, you should find both .tmp and .temp. They're all safe to remove.

One thing to beware of is that if you delete a file from OneDrive, it will also be deleted from your computer. And vice versa, I think. I know that when I delete a file from OneDrive, I'm warned that it will be removed completely . . . never to be seen again.

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This is why I don't like One Drive! I always uninstall it straight away. Oh and it also slows up the computer when running.

This all sounds very messy and complicated. Do you really need cloud storage? I'd just copy all files to an external drive and do a clean install and copy all files back again. Plus what Ghot said - export bookmarks to the back up drive. Could the Chrome profile things be backed up in Chrome itself? (Don't understand what that is). Keep it simple. After the clean install, uninstall One Drive from control panel. Before putting files back on.

jro11 said:

I'm finding that at every turn, my attempts to hold on to the data that's important to me is being taken away by mechanisms such as GoogleDrive and OneDrive

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I don't use OneDrive, but as far as Google Drive is concerned, that is nonsense.

You just need to take the time to learn how to use it properly.

trevo said:

I don't use OneDrive, but as far as Google Drive is concerned, that is nonsense.

You just need to take the time to learn how to use it properly.

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What is it, precisely, that you find nonsense about Google Drive?
This?
or the fact that I had instructed none of these and more (7.x GB) files to be accessed or stored on Google Drive.
This
(oops, 8.24 GB up another GB+ in the last few hours)
or the fact Copy of Friends folder contains
988 Mb and My Drive contains the same amount of content. (Where are those other 7+GB ???)
or the fact that for all the categories listed in the leftmost dropdown that all of them list "no matching results..."

I've got to agree with you...Google Drive appears to be sheer nonsense.

I'm about to try and do a clean install, wo the Internet (therefore NOT involving my Microsoft account), using (link) Windows 11 clean install. If I'm not able to see this forum and keep the tutorial up on that computer I will be unable to get anywhere--a piece of news I'm sure will be appreciated by some of the people whose valuable time I've destroyed. This is a most difficult thing for me. Currently I have signed into my old/bloated (from OneDrive, thank you!!) Win10 computer and hope (it already has updated twice and is showing signs of stalling at installing the updater) I'll be able to pull it into working order in order to stay in contact with the group.

Titled: Local Windows11 Clean install Forum: Installation, Updates and Activation

glasskuter said:

If so, well done.

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Everythings so wrong, I just wanted to start out with a compliment.

Spunk said:

If the drive is healthy, attach an external USB HDD. Drag and Drop or Copy and Paste your C:\Users\UserName folders to the external (ie) Documents, Desktop, Downloads etc.

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All my drives are healthy.

Hazel123 said:

This all sounds very messy and complicated. Do you really need cloud storage? I'd just copy all files to an external drive and do a clean install and copy all files back again. Plus what Ghot said - export bookmarks to the back up drive.

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All cloud drives have proven preposterously greedy and I've unmounted them.

dacrone said:

Just buy a new drive and leave that one intact. Install and setup windows on the new drive. Then put your original back in and boot. Slave off your new drive with a usb adapter and copy all files to the local user account you setup during install.

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Main drive is in a laptop. I have 2 empty 2tb drives available. Because I am running off a laptop I gather there's no way I can make the external drive the System (C-drive) and make the internal a supplemental drive--CAN I DO THIS??? (I think) it would be great if I could.

glasskuter said:

How many gmail accounts do you manage?
The thing is I've never seen it show gmail. I do not know where it's coming from or why. .

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I was not willing to delete the 5 gmail instances (and all the other crap) in Add/Remove Programs. Didin't seem the right thing to do when I was being told that would delete all Gmail.

Since turning on the Win10 computer, (if successful, I will certainly attempt to do the same install on the Win10 machine) I notice that MS has been mucking around with it also, like what the devil is the Device Timeline Explorer??

Ghot said:

For just making a backup and the bootable rescue media... follow the pictures...

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It's your instruction and advice I will most be hoping for and counting on.

jro11 said:

If I'm not able to see this forum and keep the tutorial up on that computer I will be unable to get anywhere

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Surely you have a phone that can connect to the internet. Just view the tutorial on your phone.

antspants said:

Surely you have a phone that can connect to the internet. Just view the tutorial on your phone.

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Yes, but it is linked to WiFi (no towers in the area) and if I'm not able to operate with some semblance of sanity on this forum with less than 3 (counting the tiny laptop) monitors, I don't see how I'll be able to do it with a phone.

(My apologies for not having put you on this list.)

jro11 said:

Yes, but it is linked to WiFi (no towers in the area) and if I'm not able to operate with some semblance of sanity on this forum with less than 3 (counting the tiny laptop) monitors, I don't see how I'll be able to do it with a phone.

(My apologies for not having put you on this list.)

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"Download" those pics in the tutorial... to your phone, ahead of time.

Ghot said:

"Download" those pics in the tutorial... to your phone, ahead of time.

Macrium Reflect, AOMEI Backupper and Hasleo Backup Suite - GUIDES

How to use backup software... 1. When everything is working perfectly... make a full Windows backup. 2. Then, if something breaks... restore from the latest backup. 3. Then... try "whatever you were doing" a different way. If it still breaks Windows, then... go to step #2. 4. Repeat...

www.elevenforum.com

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Good idea. I often print a tutorial.

Also, this is one of the reasons why I own a tablet, most important for downtime or reinstalling Windows.

@jro11

Or... print them.

Or draw them on the wall of your computer room.




Making backups is not really that hard.
All you really need to do is steps 1, 2, 3... and then just click Next, Next, Finish.

You always want to make a backup after a clean install. Then if something goes wrong with program installs or customizing, you're covered.

I've gone back over this entire thread and must admit I am having a little trouble keeping everything in its proper prospective. Since installing with a local user account is the way you want to go, I suggest your print the tutorial in its entirety if at all possible. I know it would be difficult for me to try to follow it on a phone. I've done the procedure multiple times myself but I still pull out a marked up copy every time still just so I don't miss anything. Read it in its entirety beforehand and make sure it's steps are clear to you.

Dell ships their systems optioned as raid by default in the bios so you will either need the Intel IRST drivers mentioned in the tutorial before your nvme will be recognized OR you will have to change to AHCI in Uefi bios before install, so be prepared for that.

Also make your decision beforehand whether you want to let Dell maintain your drivers or Windows update. If you choose Dell, before you connect to the internet be sure and disable include drivers with Windows update. If you have PRO either method works (group policy preferred). If you use Home, use the regedit method. Enable or Disable Include Drivers with Windows Updates in Windows 11 Tutorial

Install Dell Command Update from your device support page. It will find any missing drivers for you as well as keeping them updated in the future. I run mine manually about once a month.
Good luck.

glasskuter said:

Install Dell Command Update from your device support page. It will find any missing drivers for you as well as keeping them updated in the future. I run mine manually about once a month.

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I didn't realize all this was necessary. THANK YOU !!
I logged Diane in at Dell and using her service tag number (10x magnifier required) managed to have this computer (Inspiron 16 7610 - Home Edition) listed under her profile. Tech support ended May 2023 (bought in 2022). It requires 6 Driver updates (3 critical) which I'm installing now...

I suspect since the Win11 reinstall will wipe the disk clean that I'll have to update the drivers again. And from what you say, because it's a Home Edition, it seems I'll only be able to do so through the Registry Editor. I have had absolutely no luck doing Reg Edits. Every attempt I've made has gone wrong. So I'm starting to think this whole venture is hopeless.

As I've noted in thread Local Windows11 Clean install (no one answers in that forum) there are so many diversions from the basic tutorial that to "Print the tutorial" is hopeless. For example, my last question involved

Creating a Win11 flash drive describes 3 Options to create a Windows 11 installation USB flash drive on your thumb drive. All three options are explained, from what I can tell, disregarding the fact I'm going for a clean install NOT INVOLVING my Microsoft account. In other words they all assume I am doing a standard Microsoft Win11 install. WHICH OF THE THREE OPTIONS DOES NOT REQUIRE i BE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET WHEN i CREATE THE wINDOWS11 INSTALLATION FLASH DRIVE.

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Best I can hope to do is to bring up the forum on my failing Win10 computer (caused by OneDrive again!) and run back and forth between rooms.