PGLS

thanks to anyone in advance who could direct me in the proper
way of taking my external drive back up of this computer I use
and loading it onto a new gaming laptop I got coming. to be honest I could kick myself in the ass for all the years
I have been using a computer and never learned more of the tech stuff I should have, as a matter of fact, this is the first time I ever even worried about and did a backup. been busy with golf games the last 15 years I guess, and now being sick I just don't got the time to do the research and learning
but I need to get the laptop ready because where I am at in my illness I just don't know when I may have to go for an extended stay in the hospital and I think in recovery being able to keep on the net would be good.

I did my backup with a program called Macrium Reflect.
A step by step would be cool or if someone could get on voice chat with me when I am
ready would also be great.

Mark, I know you will be reading this so I would also like to volunteer myself to take care of setting
Paul's Classic Tourney every month till I can't do it any longer. his passing has put my brain into overdrive right now and, I feel a big sorrow
for him and his family as I know my time is on the short side at the moment too. but that is all I am really able to take on at the moment
sure I would be around to handle the resumes if others were not, but with that and setting the Caddyshack Tourney every week I feel is enough at the time.

thanks for the time!!!!

Hi Dave,

I don't know anything about Macrium software, but I suspect that the restoring your backup to a new computer will somewhat depend on how the backup was made. I found some tutorials on Youtube that Macrium has prepared:
https://www.youtube.com/c/Macrium/videos

If you've made a system image file as your backup, then when you 'restore' that to the new computer, you'll likely wipeout the drive contents/partitions it came with. Not sure that is how you want to proceed, so I hope the videos on that YouTube channel will be of some guidance so you can create the type of back-up you want and be able to restore it to the new computer. Do you need just the data files (golf courses, etc.) backed up or are you looking for all the software as well? If the latter, it's perhaps more complicated to move to a different computer, since the hardware (and drivers) will likely be different. However, that is where a system image would be useful - to backup everything, restore, and then not have to install or reconfigure anything. Sounds easy, but I'd suggest that only for a replacement hard-drive (or as a system restore, like Windows can do).

Personally, I've only made a system image once and then restored it to a blank SSD (to replace a slower HDD). Since your new computer will likely have the OS installed on an SSD, I would suggest you just backup the data from your computer to move the new one. Having said that, it means you'll need to (re-download and) reinstall and reconfigure all the programs, games, courses, etc., but then you'll have a "clean" install without any lingering drivers that might cause issue with a new OS (Win 11?). Perhaps that isn't a suggestion you want to follow, though??

It may also depend on what version of the software you have - free, purchased, etc. In combination with the YouTube videos, you may want to visit/post on their forums for advice:
https://forum.macrium.com/

I can't be of any direct assistance with Macrium Reflect, I'm afraid. I only copy my data using Windows and save it on a different drive. That 'backup' is also not very recent, so should a crash occur, I'd likely be missing that last year or so of data.

Armand