Best free migration software from Win10 to new Win11 laptop?

Hi guys

Not sure which forum this should be in, so please move if required.

I've a new Win11 laptop and need to transfer EVERYTHING from my old Win10 laptop.

No idea how to do this, but it needs to be as simple as possible .................... please!

Any advice on the best way to do this?

I'm assuming I'll need to download some software, hopefully free.

Unfortunately, I also need to do this soon, sorry.

 

Thanks everyone in advance,

Slime58.

Hi:

Short answer:

1. Copy all your "stuff" (documents, pictures, videos, emails, music, etc.) from the old computer to a USB external hard drive and then copy them from the external drive to the new computer. Added benefit of this approach: you now have a backup copy of all those files.


2. Your 3rd party programs cannot be copied. They will need to be installed on the new computer. If they are paid, licensed applications, you might need to deactivate the license on the old computer before using your license credentials to activate on the new computer.

Recommendation:

Before you do any of this, first ensure that the new computer has been fully updated with all Windows patches & properly configured/personalized. Then, create a system image using one of several free or paid 3rd-party imaging applications.

Others will have additional advice, I'm sure

Edited to add: I do not know of any free software to accomplish your task. Years ago, there were applications and peripherals (basically fancy USB-to-USB transfer cables). But I don't think those are still a viable option for modern computers, especiallyfor free. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

Edited by MoxieMomma, 16 April 2024 - 06:52 AM.

Just to add:

Some of the 3rd-party imaging programs include a "files and folders" backup feature.
I'm not sure if those are available on free applications or if they permit restoring the files & folders to different hardware. But I assume the latter to be the case.

Frankly, though, it's just as easy to perform a flat file/folder copy/paste to a USB external hard drive, at least for data files.

Others will, I'm sure, have different advice/opinions.

Just to add:

Some of the 3rd-party imaging programs include a "files and folders" backup feature.
I'm not sure if those are available on free applications or if they permit restoring the files & folders to different hardware. But I assume the latter to be the case.

Frankly, though, it's just as easy to perform a flat file/folder copy/paste to a USB external hard drive, at least for data files.

Others will, I'm sure, have different advice/opinions.

 

Thanks for this.

Would that also cope with all my bookmarks, e-mail settings and generally mirror the way my current laptop is set up.

I'm probably talking rubbish, by the way, but I am slightly in the dark regarding this sort of thing.

 

Again, many thanks,

Slime58
 

Browser bookmarks:
It would depend on which browser, whether you use "sync" & other factors.
But yes, one way or another there is a way to export bookmarks or favorites from old computer & import them on new computer, or to obtain them via a "sync" function.

Emails:
It would depend on whether you are using an email client or webmail, POP3 or IMAP, and other factors.
But, yes, there is a way to export/import those, too.

System configuration:
Windows 11 is a different version of Windows. You will need to configure the new computer from scratch during "OOBE" and thereafter. There are many available guides & tutorials with recommended and/or "best practices".

We would need more specifics about your old system & its installed programs in order to provide specific instructions.

Are you currently using OneDrive on the old computer?

You could make an image, using Macrium Reflect, and then restore that image of the old hard drive to the new hard drive/operating system.  Of course, the restoration would reflect Windows 10.

 

https://reflect.macrium.com/help/v5/how_to/redeploy/redeploy_a_system_to_new_hardware.htm

 

You would have to buy the Professional license version of Macrium.

 

Louis

Edited by hamluis, 16 April 2024 - 10:10 AM.

Are you currently using OneDrive on the old computer?

I do have it on my old machine, but have never used it.

I'd heard that it can only deal with small sized files, or is that incorrect?

 

Slime58

OneDrive **can** be useful to transfer stuff from one computer to another.
But it can be complicated and messy.
If you were already familiar with it, it might have been a good option.
Otherwise, probably not.

My personal preference would be NOT to use disk imaging in this situation.

First: I would not want to restore a Win10 image onto new Win11 hardware. This would essentially defeat the purpose of buying a new computer, especially since Windows 10 reaches end of service in October 2025.

Second: any minor/major bugs, glitches, corruption or other problems on the old system (known or unknown) would be carried over to the new hardware. Again, this sort of defeats the purpose of buying a new computer with a newer, clean version of Windows pre-installed.

Third: there **could be backwards-compatibility issues, eg with hardware/drivers? “Downgrading” from 11 to 10 *should* work, but (as I understand it) there can be glitches.

This is just my personal preference as a lowly home user. I prefer (for better or worse) to start fresh & to perform a “new computer” setup the old-fashioned way, especially when it comes to transferring my stuff & cleanly installing my programs.

But I defer to others more expert in these matters & to those with different approaches.
And investing in Macrium Reflect Home license - in and of itself - would be a good idea (I have no interest, financial or otherwise).

Cheers

As moxieMomma has said "sneakernet" is probably the easiest. (That is copy files to a USB and then upload them to the new PC) This will work for all photo's, documents etc.

 

Software needs to be re-installed as has been mentioned.

 

Browser fav's - you can copy the folder to your usb and then upload it into your new browser on the new PC. Open the browser, click the 3 little dots top right, open favorites, click the 3 little dots in the dropdown, click export favourites. save on your USB. On the new pc browser do the same but thistime click impoty favourites.

 

As for e-mail depends how you used it. If IMAP there is a copy of your e-mails on the web client unless you deleted them locally. If you downloaded them using POP3 then the copy is only local. Most e-mail programs let you make an archive file, this includes copying your inbox etc. For outlook for example look in account settings and see where the data flies are. Make a copy of each data file to your USB. Then import those files into the e-mail client on the new PC.

 

If you tell us which e-mail client you use we can be more specific.

 

As for e-mail depends how you used it. If IMAP there is a copy of your e-mails on the web client unless you deleted them locally. If you downloaded them using POP3 then the copy is only local. Most e-mail programs let you make an archive file, this includes copying your inbox etc. For outlook for example look in account settings and see where the data flies are. Make a copy of each data file to your USB. Then import those files into the e-mail client on the new PC.

 

If you tell us which e-mail client you use we can be more specific.

 

Hi aldfort, and thanks for your time.

 

I'm using Thunderbird.
 

To transfer Thunderbird data, see here:

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/moving-thunderbird-data-to-a-new-computer

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/products/thunderbird/install-migrate-and-update/copy-your-personal-information-one-thunderbird-another

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3QZ3gwJJwQ

Having said that, we could better assist you if you tell us whether your Thunderbird accounts are set up as POP3 or IMAP.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/difference-between-imap-and-pop3

PS Please don't bother using the QUOTE function to reply. It makes the thread hard to follow. Thanks.

Thanks for the above, my accounts are set up as IMAP.

Ok, depending on your e-mail provider(s) if you are using IMAP you should find a backup of all of your inbox contents  if you log into your provider via a web browser. (e.g. for Google open a web browser, log into your google account and click Mail. You should see everything you didn't delete from Thunderbird in the Gmail inbox in the browser. (This might be a good time to tidy up a little) So as a last resort you can still get access to old messages.

 

However the mozilla links provided by MoxieMomma in post 12 will let you migrate your Thunderbird folders from your old PC to your new one.

 

The great thing about IMAP is that you can work from more than one device and your inboxes "should" stay in sync.

 

Note though that once you delete an item you have limited time to recover it from the e-mail server. Most e-mail providers hang onto it for 30 days, then it's toast.

Edited by aldfort, 18 April 2024 - 08:32 AM.