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#1
What to Back Up Before Clean Reinstall?
Hello All,
Searched the forum but couldn't find an answer (keywords yield far too many irrelevant threads, no matter how I word it!), & so I post... newbie - sorry!
I have to do a clean re-install on my Win 7; some problems with software causing video glitches. I know I have to back up my browser & email (Firefox & Thunderbird - a no-brainer), as well as program-specific data (anything I've created stored in Program Files folders), and downloaded files, themes, etc., but what about global user data specific to individual user accounts?
Which Win 7 folders/data would you suggest I back up to my outside HD before doing the clean reinstall? I've never had a multiple-users situation before, so I was hoping that by copying the C:\Users folder out to the outside HD and then restoring it (pasting) upon completion of the reinstall I might be able to retain my multiple-user's data and settings - is this an incorrect assumption? I have a feeling it is...
Or will I have to re-create every user in the new install (add the identities one-by-one) and then reload the stored data into their newly-created folders?
I guess my question really is: where does 7 keep user-specific settings such as passwords, privilege levels, etc? I know documents, music, photos and other library items will be located in the individual user's folders, but 'global' data would be found - where?
Is there any way to export these settings before the reinstall to make things faster & easier after reinstall (hey, stop laughing!)?
Any other advice anyone might have would be greatly appreciated - thanks in advance for your time & assistance!