Windows 7 install - backing up

penny_pitstop

Please help. I want to install Win7 but need to back up everything before I do so. I have read the Backing Up sticky but I am none the wiser, it's all gobbledegook to me. I really an clueless!
Is there a simple way to do it? In an ideal world I would just click a button and wait!!
Help!!:eek:

bat999

Hi
What is it that you want to back up?
Documents, photos, music - stuff like that?

penny_pitstop

bat999 wrote: »

Hi
What is it that you want to back up?
Documents, photos, music - stuff like that?

Yes, that exactly

jmc160

OP, there's a very simple way. Just use Windows Easy Transfer

Windows 7 and Vista have it pre-installed. You can find it under All Programs\Accessories\System Tools. If you currently have XP, then you can install it for free from microsoft.com

With Easy Transfer, you can migrate files and settings for all users accounts in pretty much all locations to a network drive, external hard drive, a series of CDs/DVDs or even direct from your old computer to your new computer. Once you've done the transfer from you old system and installed Win7, just connect to the storage device where you have your migration file stored and double click it. I will then blow everything back on for you, into the same locations as you had them before. It will even copy over your email accounts, and put your desktop icons in the same positions as you had them!

Once you've gone through the wizard it will calculate how much storage space will be needed (it will compress everything too) and tell you how long it's likely to take. So you'll know if you have enough room on your chosen storage media.