desktop icons & start menu backup

[Firestorm31]

anyone recommend some software that backs up the destop icons and start menu?

I got this laptop which comes with win 10. don't really like it. considering replacing it with win7.

 

[mitchell65]

What backup software do you use now, if any?

 

[TechnoMage2016]

In case of a HD crash, or data corruption, you'll need to have a lot more than those two things backed up.

Many folks, (maybe not you) have no clue what a real HD backup should include.
A good backup makes a complete copy of your hard drive, at least the C: partition, and then writes it to an external media, like an External HD, Flash Drive or even a DVD.
The ultimate backup is a CLONE of your main drive to a second HD. Impossible on most laptops, but relatively easy on a Desktop PC.

Also, that same Backup/Restore software must NOT be on your main drive exclusively.
After your main drive has squalled, balled, smoked and Crashed, you'll need to have your Backup software on some bootable media, like a CD, Flash Drive, etc. I even have a little SD Memory Card, that can boot up my PC and run my Backup software.

So if you want to save anything on your PC, save everything. Just go ahead and back up the whole thing. It only takes a few minutes to do a full C: drive backup. I do mine about once a week. At least once a year, I'll need to use that latest Backup Image to fix something on my HD.

"The only bad backup, is the one you decided NOT to make"

Cheers mates!
TechnoMage

 

[mitchell65]

The ultimate backup is a CLONE of your main drive to a second HD. Impossible on most laptops, but relatively easy on a Desktop PC.

You need to create an image of your system not a clone! It is wrong to say that it is impossible on a laptop! It is just as straightforward to create a system image of a laptop as a PC. The procedure is exactly the same. Macrium Reflect (free) is the most recommended software on this forum

 

[Lance1]

I use Ghost to backup my laptop to my remote HDD on a regular schedule. So to say " Impossible on most laptops" is inaccurate.

 

[Firestorm31]

What backup software do you use now, if any?

no back up program at the moment, unless you're refering to windows backup?

I do have an external 2TB hard drive that I'm using for back up but have not hooked it up yet.

I just want something to reconstruct the desktop icons & maybe the start menu when I replace win 10 with win 7 pro.

 

[mitchell65]

Can't see how this would work. Most of your desktop icons are created when you install a program. Have you checked to make sure your laptop is Windows 7 compatible

 

[Firestorm31]

Can't see how this would work. Most of your desktop icons are created when you install a program. Have you checked to make sure your laptop is Windows 7 compatible

I have a lenovo ideapad 110.

some people have downgraded from win10 to win7 with this machine.

 

[Firestorm31]

thanx for the tip the backup software. I'm just gonna back up win10 for now (I hate it).

so far its

Ghost backup from Norton/Symantec?
Macrium Reflect
Genie's ReadyVault.

now its been said not to put backup software by itself on the main drive.

what about on the back up drive itself? thoughts?

 

[Lance1]

thanx for the tip the backup software. I'm just gonna back up win10 for now (I hate it).

so far its

Ghost backup from Norton/Symantec?
Macrium Reflect
Genie's ReadyVault.

now its been said not to put backup software by itself on the main drive.

what about on the back up drive itself? thoughts?

It's not the software on the same drive but the backup itself. If your backing up the C:\ you can install the software there. Your backup should be stored on a remote drive separate from the main system. It's Ghost for me... Always has been always will because it's never failed me.

O! And thanks for getting back so quickly. 2 years...

 

[johnhoh]

thanx for the tip the backup software. I'm just gonna back up win10 for now (I hate it).

so far its

Ghost backup from Norton/Symantec?
Macrium Reflect
Genie's ReadyVault.

now its been said not to put backup software by itself on the main drive.

what about on the back up drive itself? thoughts?

another option is to keep win10 but convert the way it looks and acts to be like win7
Making Win10 look and act like Win7

 

[RoWin7]

no back up program at the moment, unless you're refering to windows backup?

I do have an external 2TB hard drive that I'm using for back up but have not hooked it up yet.

I just want something to reconstruct the desktop icons & maybe the start menu when I replace win 10 with win 7 pro.

For just the desktop arrangement, I use Desktop Restore. But I don't think you can save it in one OS and reuse it in another OS. The Start Menu settings come from Classic Shell. And CS does have its own backups, one for StartMenu and one for Windows Explorer. it also handles IE settings, but I've never used IE.

 

[Firestorm31]

O! And thanks for getting back so quickly. 2 years...

sorry about that. I just forgot.

 

[Firestorm31]

another option is to keep win10 but convert the way it looks and acts to be like win7
Making Win10 look and act like Win7

now that was good timing!