I’m in the process of emptying off my old laptop in order to bequeath it to my brother-in-law. I’m taking my sweet time doing it, because I keep forgetting about things I need to back up and transfer! I mean, My Documents is easy—but the stuff that hides in Application Data and elsewhere makes it a little more complicated. Not to mention the fact that I’m switching from XP to Windows 7, which changes a few more things. (But just for the record, I’m really liking everything I’m discovering about Windows 7!)
Here are some of the folders and settings I almost missed. So tell me—before I wipe it all with CCleaner—what files have you almost forgotten to back up?
My Skype conversation history
Look for the “Skype” folder found in the user’s “Application Data” or “AppData” folder.
My Font files!
Easy to copy from and to C:\Windows\Fonts.
My Windows Live Writer Drafts
I had to copy/paste the “My Weblog Posts” folder, and enter all my blog settings again, since neither of the import/export programs I tried seemed to want to work going from XP to 7.
My AdBlock settings
You can export your custom filters from Adblock (Preferences, Filters, Export) so you don’t have to reset all the sites you do want to see ads on (like this one!).
My Web Favorites
Easy to export/import in Firefox, Chrome, and IE (not that I had any in IE since I don’t use it!).
My Thunderbird Mail Account Settings
Check Tools, Account Settings, Server Settings, Local Directory to see where each mail account stores its messages, then copy/paste those folders. But be sure to use MozBackup to backup and import your account settings.
My FireFTP Accounts
Easy to do via Tools/Export.
I’m sure your brother-in-law is going to be happy with his new-to-him laptop!
I don’t know if you use something like thunderbird or not, but I ALWAYS forget to back up my address book when I switch computers. You’d think after going through all the crazy steps to keep my emails, I’d remember something so simple, but I haven’t yet. And that…is very, very much a bad thing to forget.
I love the little snowflakes, btw! Is that something you did?
Okay. I am completely out of it. Because I READ that you used thunderbird and read it as firefox and was wondering how you had mail settings in that.:P Anyway…yes, be sure you get your address list, because I think it backs up separately.
Other than that…I can’t think of anything else you may have missed…
Bedtime, I think.