{"id":3231,"date":"2019-08-27T07:00:50","date_gmt":"2019-08-27T11:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/langa.com\/?p=3231"},"modified":"2019-08-27T08:54:38","modified_gmt":"2019-08-27T12:54:38","slug":"my-pc-needs-repair-and-will-be-reformatted-should-i-just-save-my-files-and-programs-or-should-i-clone-my-entire-hard-drive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/08\/27\/my-pc-needs-repair-and-will-be-reformatted-should-i-just-save-my-files-and-programs-or-should-i-clone-my-entire-hard-drive\/","title":{"rendered":"“My PC needs repair and will be reformatted. Should I just save my files and programs, or should I clone my entire hard drive?”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The silver lining, when you have<\/em> to reformat a PC, is that it\u2019s chance to start over with a 100% clean rebuild \u2014 to set up everything afresh in a like-new, pristine setup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For that, a simple \u201cfiles and data\u201d backup can suffice: After the repair, reinstall the OS from your official setup\/install medium, add drivers from your hardware vendor support sites, reinstall your apps, and then restore your previously backed-up user files. Presto! A perfectly lean, clean, like new setup!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But if that doesn\u2019t work perfectly, having a full-on image backup (\u201cclone\u201d) of the previous setup \u2014 with everything known to be working properly \u2014 can be very useful as a relatively fail-safe option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So: (1) use this opportunity to start fresh with a like-new setup; and (2) be safe \u2014 make both types of backup!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Permalink: https:\/\/langa.com\/?p=3231<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"[seperator]\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

COMMENT \/ QUESTION<\/strong> on THIS ITEM?<\/strong> See the<\/em> Comment box<\/strong> at bottom of this page!<\/em>

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(Want free notification of new content? Click<\/em> <\/strong>here<\/a><\/b>!)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The silver lining, when you have to reformat a PC, is that it\u2019s chance to start over with a 100% clean rebuild \u2014 to set up everything afresh in a like-new, pristine setup. For that, a simple \u201cfiles and data\u201d backup can suffice: After the repair, reinstall the OS from your official setup\/install medium, add…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3231","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-a-reader-asks","category-windows"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paaiox-Q7","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2603,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/04\/16\/reprint-win7s-no-reformat-nondestructive-reinstall\/","url_meta":{"origin":3231,"position":0},"title":"(Reprint): Win7\u2019s no-reformat, nondestructive reinstall","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-04-16","format":false,"excerpt":"The column reprinted below was originally published in the July 14, 2011, Windows Secrets newsletter. I\u2019m reprinting selected Windows Secrets columns here to help ensure readers can find and access information I\u2019m referencing in new columns; until older Windows Secrets\/LangaList columns are moved to their new home at\u00a0AskWoody.com. Specifically, this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Long Form"","block_context":{"text":"Long Form","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/long-form\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/W20110714-TS-FinalUDate.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2622,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/04\/16\/repost-a-no-reformat-reinstall-for-windows-8\/","url_meta":{"origin":3231,"position":1},"title":"(Reprint): A \u2018no-reformat reinstall\u2019 for Windows 8","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-04-16","format":false,"excerpt":"The column reprinted below was originally published in the August 15, 2013, Windows Secrets newsletter. Today, it supplements a new, free column, \u201cWhy am I not able to reset my PC or reinstall Windows?\u201d (all versions), posted here: https:\/\/langa.com\/?p=2602. I\u2019m reprinting selected Windows Secrets columns here to help ensure readers\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Long Form"","block_context":{"text":"Long Form","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/long-form\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"[seperator]","src":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/SEPERATOR-short-grey.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4109,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/01\/23\/what-applications-do-windows-laptops-come-with-that-can-be-uninstalled\/","url_meta":{"origin":3231,"position":2},"title":"“What applications do Windows laptops come with that can be uninstalled?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2020-01-23","format":false,"excerpt":"(Answer requested by Ryan Nugent) In my experience, all of them. Windows 10's various Reset and Fresh Start options can strip away most or all (your choice) of the preinstalled software on any Windows PC. You'll be left with a PC running as \"pure\" and unmodified a Windows setup as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/reset-dialog.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/reset-dialog.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/reset-dialog.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/reset-dialog.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":544,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2018\/10\/01\/a-reader-asks-why-is-the-no-reformat-reinstall-failing\/","url_meta":{"origin":3231,"position":3},"title":"A reader asks: Why is his no-reformat reinstall failing?","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2018-10-01","format":false,"excerpt":"Reader Bill Hagemeyer asks, via the Contact link: Q: I have tried to do your Win7 no-reformat reinstall several times, but the system just doesn't ever finish. It gets lost in the middle of the process and never completes. Any advice would be welcome. A: I think we can get\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":285,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/06\/a-reader-asks-fred-whats-your-current-recommendation-for-backups\/","url_meta":{"origin":3231,"position":4},"title":"A reader asks: Fred, what’s your current recommendation for backups?","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2018-09-06","format":false,"excerpt":"Reader Eric Desman writes: Fred, You have always had a practical approach to layered backups. In 2018, what is your recommendation for backups? I currently backup to a local external hard drive and use Backblaze for off-site backups. I found an old version of Zipit.bat that made me think of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":472,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/24\/a-reader-asks-how-do-i-fix-an-operating-system-not-found-message\/","url_meta":{"origin":3231,"position":5},"title":"A reader asks: How do I fix an ‘operating system not found’ message?","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2018-09-24","format":false,"excerpt":"Q: How do I fix the \"an operating system wasn't found\" screen, with all the words are mixed up and the screen is white and twitching?\u00a0 (via Quora) A: An \"Operating System Not Found\" or \"Missing Operating System\" or similar message will occur when you boot\/start\/restart a PC, but something\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3231","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3231"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3231\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3309,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3231\/revisions\/3309"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3231"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3231"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3231"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}