My old PC recently died and to replace it I'm attempting to build my own for the first time (since I'd been meaning to learn anyway) and am getting hung up on how to recover my old data. Apologies for the post's length, and many thanks for any answers in advance!
Background: On my old comp, once a week I ran Windows Backup to an external drive. The internal drive isn't damaged. I purchased that PC from Dell a few years ago, with Vista pre-installed. A couple years later I upgraded to Windows 7 via digital purchase online...so, I don't have the install CD =(.
1) From what I've read, it's possible to reuse an old HDD in a new PC build if you have the OS install (as opposed to repair) CD or so long as your copy of Windows is not an OEM copy. I'm confused as to whether my OS would be an OEM version or not, since I had later upgraded?
2) I understand that I'd likely have to reinstall my programs on the new comp, but what if I want to get at, say, my old game saves? When I look at the backups made bye Windows Backup utility, they are in large compressed files...How can I access individual files like game saves or word docs?
3) Is this a viable scenario: I buy a fresh HDD for the new build and install a new copy of Windows 7. Then I connect my external hard drive that has my "Windows Backup" backups from my old computer. Would I be able to "restore from this drive" to the new computer and basically get my old desktop environment, games, data, etc. that way? Or it still wouldn't work because it'd be a new copy of Windows 7 I'd be trying to "restore" to?
4) One more scenario...I install a newly purchased copy of Windows 7 on a new drive (possibly SSD) in the new build. Then I add my old internal HDD just as if it were an extra mechanical drive for data storage for the new build. But it's already got all my old stuff on there...including my old Windows installation(?). What happens then? Everything explodes in fireworks? Can I just delete the old OS off of there but keep the rest of my data?
Thanks again for any advice!
Background: On my old comp, once a week I ran Windows Backup to an external drive. The internal drive isn't damaged. I purchased that PC from Dell a few years ago, with Vista pre-installed. A couple years later I upgraded to Windows 7 via digital purchase online...so, I don't have the install CD =(.
1) From what I've read, it's possible to reuse an old HDD in a new PC build if you have the OS install (as opposed to repair) CD or so long as your copy of Windows is not an OEM copy. I'm confused as to whether my OS would be an OEM version or not, since I had later upgraded?
2) I understand that I'd likely have to reinstall my programs on the new comp, but what if I want to get at, say, my old game saves? When I look at the backups made bye Windows Backup utility, they are in large compressed files...How can I access individual files like game saves or word docs?
3) Is this a viable scenario: I buy a fresh HDD for the new build and install a new copy of Windows 7. Then I connect my external hard drive that has my "Windows Backup" backups from my old computer. Would I be able to "restore from this drive" to the new computer and basically get my old desktop environment, games, data, etc. that way? Or it still wouldn't work because it'd be a new copy of Windows 7 I'd be trying to "restore" to?
4) One more scenario...I install a newly purchased copy of Windows 7 on a new drive (possibly SSD) in the new build. Then I add my old internal HDD just as if it were an extra mechanical drive for data storage for the new build. But it's already got all my old stuff on there...including my old Windows installation(?). What happens then? Everything explodes in fireworks? Can I just delete the old OS off of there but keep the rest of my data?
Thanks again for any advice!
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