This software would sell a trillion if available.

PeterL · Feb 15, 2022

Today I bought a programme from the Microsoft store to backup and Restore Google Chrome with all its settings. It started me thinking, many times I am tempted to reset my PC but the thought of re- installing all my software gives me nightmares If someone could produce software that would backup any programme I chose and re-install it with all the appropriate ids keys and passwordsetc.... they would make a fortune. Windows 11 64 bit, Version 21H2

CornishRattler · Feb 15, 2022

Wouldn't an in place upgrade achieve pretty much the same thing?

cereberus · Feb 15, 2022

CornishRattler said:
Wouldn't an in place upgrade achieve pretty much the same thing?

Mostly yes, but I would couple that with a good tidy up e.g. disk cleanup before doing it.

PeterL · Feb 15, 2022

I'm sorry but I don't follow that, if I do a reset but keep all my files I then have to re-install all my programmes

Ghot · Feb 15, 2022

PeterL said:
I'm sorry but I don't follow that, if I do a reset but keep all my files I then have to re-install all my programmes

An In-Place Upgrade re-installs Windows but leaves your programs and files... untouched.

Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade

This tutorial will show you how to do a repair install of Windows 11 by performing an in-place upgrade without losing anything. If you need to repair or create a new recovery partition or having problems with the Windows 11 operating system on your PC, and the usual solutions will not fix it...

www.elevenforum.com

Here is the short version of the In-place upgrade tutorial...

DISABLE non-Microsoft:
a) antivirus software
b) firewall software
c) drive encryption software

Make a full OS backup with a program like Macrium Reflect (free)
Macrium Software | Macrium Reflect Free

Go here and get the Windows 11 ISO (use the 3rd option), and save the ISO to your desktop.
Download Windows 11

Right click the ISO image and choose: MOUNT
Open File Explorer and you will see a new drive letter. It will "look" like a DVD optical drive.
Double click the new drive letter to open it.
Find setup.exe and double click it to start the in-place upgrade.

Choose the Keep personal files and apps option.

After it's all done... to UNmount the ISO image, right click the new drive letter and choose: EJECT.

The ONLY thing you will lose is some of your personalizations. Your programs and data will be intact.

CornishRattler · Feb 15, 2022

PeterL said:
I'm sorry but I don't follow that, if I do a reset but keep all my files I then have to re-install all my programmes

You can choose to keep all your apps and files

AddRAM · Feb 15, 2022

Ya it just fixes anything wrong with windows.

Stigg · Feb 15, 2022

The closest thing that I know of is Ninite.
I have never used it, but I know of computer shops that use it to install software automatically and quickly.

Ninite - Install or Update Multiple Apps at Once

The easiest, fastest way to update or install software. Ninite downloads and installs programs automatically in the background.

ninite.com

Haydon · Feb 15, 2022

I wonder why the in-place upgrade (re-install OS only, leaving apps and data untouched) is not offered as the third recovery option, using the internal storage (perhaps by creating and deleting a temporary partition)

Just push a button and voila, a fresh OS!

PeterL · Feb 15, 2022

Ghot said:
An In-Place Upgrade re-installs Windows but leaves your programs and files... untouched.

Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade

This tutorial will show you how to do a repair install of Windows 11 by performing an in-place upgrade without losing anything. If you need to repair or create a new recovery partition or having problems with the Windows 11 operating system on your PC, and the usual solutions will not fix it...

www.elevenforum.com

Here is the short version of the In-place upgrade tutorial...

DISABLE non-Microsoft:
a) antivirus software
b) firewall software
c) drive encryption software

Make a full OS backup with a program like Macrium Reflect (free)
Macrium Software | Macrium Reflect Free

Go here and get the Windows 11 ISO (use the 3rd option), and save the ISO to your desktop.
Download Windows 11

View attachment 21963

Right click the ISO image and choose: MOUNT
Open File Explorer and you will see a new drive letter. It will "look" like a DVD optical drive.
Double click the new drive letter to open it.
Find setup.exe and double click it to start the in-place upgrade.

Choose the Keep personal files and apps option.

After it's all done... to UNmount the ISO image, right click the new drive letter and choose: EJECT.

The ONLY thing you will lose is some of your personalizations. Your programs and data will be intact.

Thank you so much for the advice and instructions , I was not aware that option existed, worked perfectly.

Ghot · Feb 15, 2022

PeterL said:
Thank you so much for the advice and instructions , I was not aware that option existed, worked perfectly.

Yeah... MS had a bad day, and made something great... the In-Place Upgrade.

PeterL · Feb 16, 2022

Stigg said:
The closest thing that I know of is Ninite.
I have never used it, but I know of computer shops that use it to install software automatically and quickly.

Ninite - Install or Update Multiple Apps at Once

The easiest, fastest way to update or install software. Ninite downloads and installs programs automatically in the background.

ninite.com

Thank you for that suggestion, I will examine that.

OldMainframeGuy · Feb 16, 2022

PeterL said:
Today I bought a programme from the Microsoft store to backup and Restore Google Chrome with all its settings. It started me thinking, many times I am tempted to reset my PC but the thought of re- installing all my software gives me nightmares If someone could produce software that would backup any programme I chose and re-install it with all the appropriate ids keys and passwordsetc.... they would make a fortune. Windows 11 64 bit, Version 21H2

That would be nice but such a program would have to have a boatload of insight into what each program did during its install - the kind of thing that some uninstaller programs observe during installation so they can perform uninstalls. I don't think its practical.

Hazel123 · Feb 16, 2022

Couldn't a system image do that? I do one after first setting up and after all programs installed.

Hazel123 · Feb 16, 2022

PeterL said:
Thank you for that suggestion, I will examine that.

I've tried/used ninite before but wasn't keen. You select all the programs you want - and there are a lot - and it uses it's own installer to install them. But then there is still some link with ninite for updating them - it's not the same as a vanilla install. So I wasn't keen having the installer installed! Some programs it won't have - like specific ones you've bought eg video editing or photo editing software.

It can take just as long reinstalling all your microsoft apps - but at least their saved in the microsoft store and will reinstall in the background.

AdvancedSetup · Feb 16, 2022

Though in-place repair can work wonders it isn't without issues as well.

GIGO - Garbage In - Garbage Out

Would you buy a new house and bring the trash cans from the old house to the new house? Why do it with Windows?

If your system is already having issues then simply double-check and make sure all your personal data is backed up (one should already be keeping a comprehensive list of installation keys, emails, etc) and then do a CLEAN install of Windows.

I'm not a fan of using the Microsoft online account but to each their own. I'll keep mine local thank you very much MS.

Greg Carmack - MVP 2010-2020 -Clean Install Windows 10
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...ndows-10/1c426bdf-79b1-4d42-be93-17378d93e587

How to Create a Local Account While Setting Up Windows 10
How to Create a Local Account While Setting Up Windows 10

Greg has been monitoring and helping users perform CLEAN installs now since 2017 and continues to reply often.

hdmi · Feb 16, 2022

PeterL said:
If someone could produce software that would backup any programme I chose and re-install it with all the appropriate ids keys and passwordsetc.... they would make a fortune.

I believe someone already did that. His name is Sacha Labourey.

Installation Automation - How Much is Enough?

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