The absolute first step with a new Win10 laptop

[ChrisGreaves]

RM> Your laptop was just picked up by the taxi.

Let's assume that the taxi arrives here at 6pm tonight.
Let's further assume that I can resist powering-up the beast until I wake up tomorrow morning (which pre-supposes I can sleep tonight!).

What is the first thing I want to do?
Well, make a full system backup, of course!
I am sure that there will be a 300MB partition with the "factory restore" copy, but I have been in the habit of using the awkward Win7HP native System Backup application.

Assume further an intelligent operator who has been making backups for all sorts of systems. I have used Macrium and the like off and on over the years. This backup will be made to an existing USB 500GB drive, newly formatted tonight after I have gone to bed.

What Win7Pro application should I use, or what Third-party application should I d/l and install to make this first backup?

Based on my past history, after making this backup I will play around, screw up some settings, and after a day or three want to return to Tuesday morning. I may go through two weeks of this, until I am more familiar with Win10Pro. At that time I plan to settle down into a periodic full system, or incremental backup procedure.

I am looking for a Quick-Start one-click system backup and restore here, enough to get me through the first two weeks.

I should add that I am wading backwards through this Win10 form and am at https://eileenslounge.com/viewforum.php?f=55&start=475
Thanks
Chris

[jstevens]

Chris,

You may just want to tuck that new laptop under your pillow to get a good nights sleep.

[StuartR]

I use Acronis TrueImage for this, but there is no free version.

It has the advantage that it can boot from a DVD, or USB stick, so you don't have to install anything before taking the first backup.

[JoeP]

As long as the PC has a recovery partition to return to factory settings, I install and configure all my "normal" software before making a system image. Then I have a known starting point before restoring data, installing any new/not-normal software, and further settings changes. Once I have everything installed and set as I want it, I make another image before starting normal use. Yet another fallback position if needed.

[ChrisGreaves]

You may just want to tuck that new laptop under your pillow to get a good nights sleep.

Sounds too much like "Stones thy pillow, earth thy bed" to me
Cheers
Chris

[ChrisGreaves]

I use Acronis TrueImage for this, but there is no free version. It has the advantage that it can boot from a DVD, or USB stick, so you don't have to install anything before taking the first backup.

Thanks Stuart. I think I looked at Acronis many years ago. I will end up needing a DVD, even if it is the Windows "Recovery boot" or whatever they call it.
Cheers
Chris

[ChrisGreaves]

As long as the PC has a recovery partition to return to factory settings, I install and configure all my "normal" software before making a system image. Then I have a known starting point before restoring data, installing any new/not-normal software, and further settings changes. Once I have everything installed and set as I want it, I make another image before starting normal use. Yet another fallback position if needed.

Thanks for this Joe.
I believe I can return to the Factory state at any time, but a VERY quick look last night showed a "Windows Old" folder, so it is possible that an earlier version (8?) of Windows was in place and a more recent, completely updated Win10 was installed, so a factory reset would maybe take me further back than I want to go.
The backup that I make today or tomorrow, assuming the rain holds up, will be an "as delivered" copy. That is my known starting-point.
I suspect that I will be making several changes before I get to Real Data.
I want to partition the hard drive (Windows &Data), encrypt, install TrueCrypt/VeraCrypt for the data partition, install Office 2013/2016/2019? and install my data backup system, all before I get around to any serious work.

All of that will be a learning effort for me, long before I get around to what I think of as "tweaking Windows".
When the dust has settled I will probably start a fresh USB drive for regular system backups.

Thanks for the input; it all helps me to clear my head!
Cherers
Chris

[JoeP]

FYI, Windows.old is a folder created when you install a Windows 10 feature update. It contains the version of Windows which was just replaced thereby providing a method to return to the prior Windows 10 version. Normally, the windows.old folder is automatically removed after 10 days.

[ChrisGreaves]

FYI, Windows.old is a folder created when you install a Windows 10 feature update. It contains the version of Windows which was just replaced thereby providing a method to return to the prior Windows 10 version. Normally, the windows.old folder is automatically removed after 10 days.

Thank you Joe.
I am at Windows 10 Pro; Version 2004; Build 19041.329 so I imagine that Windows.old is something like Version1909 (did I get that right?), and ought to be nothing for me to worry about.
Thanks
Chris

[JoeP]

Windows 10 is supposed to automatically get rid of all the content and the folder after 10 days.

[ChrisGreaves]

Windows 10 is supposed to automatically get rid of all the content and the folder after 10 days.

Thanks Joe.
I note with interest the phrase "is supposed to"
Cheers
Chris

[Jay Freedman]

Windows 10 is supposed to automatically get rid of all the content and the folder after 10 days.

Thanks Joe.
I note with interest the phrase "is supposed to"
Cheers
Chris

This laptop is still on 1909, which was installed last November. There is still a Windows.old folder on C: although it's now empty.

[JoeP]

I've seen it happen both ways. Sometimes deleting the folder and sometimes not. That is why i said "supposed to".

[JoeP]

I installed the latest Insider Preview build yesterday and just ran disk cleanup using "cleanup system files". Windows.old was removed. Maybe disk cleanup is the key. NOTE: you can use Settings | System | Storage to clean up the disk too.

[Doc.AElstein]

Hi Chris

The absolute first step with a new Win10 laptop

Well , I suppose I would say, de install windows 10 as first priority!!
Failing that, partition your hard drive and dual boot.

I think I read in a recent post of yours that you said that you are going through this Windows 10 Sub Forum
In some posts here and at some other forums I was able to help some issues with some you tube video links.
I will make you a list of the ones i think are most useful, and pass them on to you, maybe by P.M. It is nothing I haven’t already posted here, but I will put it all in a more logical order and give you a play list in Windows Media Player that you can download and maybe watch next time you loose contact to the outside world and get bored

Alan

[ChrisGreaves]

I installed the latest Insider Preview build yesterday and just ran disk cleanup using "cleanup system files". Windows.old was removed. Maybe disk cleanup is the key. NOTE: you can use Settings | System | Storage to clean up the disk too.

Thanks Joe.
I am taking things very slowly here. I had a plan sketched out, and I am aided by my "Rebuild073.doc" which I began back in the days of Win95 and a tower case. This document itemises each step I take in installing and customising applications and settings. I am maintaining a diary with snapshots of the underside of the case, license keys and so on.

So far I have:-
(1) Fired up the machine and checked that it is NOT connected to the WiFi router.
(2) Recorded snapshots of the underside of the case, license keys and so on.
(3) Removed the battery (conditioning the battery is a three-cycle process I can defer; the laptop isn’t going anywhere until it is properly set up)
(4) Made a system image backup
(5) Renamed the computer “Acer073” and the administrative user “Chris073”
(6) Turned off System Updates in as many ways as there are threads in the forums, including Group Policy Editor.
(7) Partitioned the HDD to double the space currently occupied by C:\Windows etc and Veracrypted the remaining 400GB for my data partition.
(8) Copied across an interim copy from my nightly data backup external drive (so I can play with a few applications) and set up my WinAmp jukebox on the New Laptop (Hooray!)

I have not defined my next step. In essence I am treating this period as an off-line exercise, getting used to the keyboard, customising Win10 at a high level, such as Start Menu layout, bloatware and so on. Everything that I can do without going online.

At the time that I go online I will be ready to install mail and browser software and start using the beast in a serious manner.

Cheers
Chris

[DaveA]

Why did you rename "administrative user “Chris073”"?
Why did you not just name it to this when you made the account?

When you rename an account, the using folder does not het renamed!

[ChrisGreaves]

Hi Dave, and thanks for the questions. I ***think*** I know what I'm doing, but I ***know*** I'll be making mistakes!

Why did you rename "administrative user “Chris073”"?

Because since about 1995 every machine I have ever owned (at one time three-on-my-desk) has been given a unique identifier for purposes of backups and accounts in general.
I am now on my 73rd installation of Windows in 25 years, so this installation, which happens to be on the Acer, will have a user "Chris073", distinguished from the Toshiba user "Chris072", distinguished from the DELL "Chris071". When I look at/for a user's files on any backup drive, I can identify them by their unique username.

Why did you not just name it to this when you made the account?

Because I did not make the account; the account was made when the dealer (or the factory) installed the original Windows.

When you rename an account, the using folder does not get renamed!

Dave, I'm not sure what you mean by "using accounts".
Under C:\Users I now see "Acer" and "Chris073". I will try to delete the C:\Acer; I want all Chris's stuff to be living under Chris's name.

Cheers, Chris

[DaveA]

One needs to be very careful, this Administrator Account may just be the built in one and should only be used as a last resort.
I agree with the renaming of the computer, but renaming user accounts and their folders can lead to headache.