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Old 05-13-16, 08:36 AM   #4
Rockin Robbins
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: DeLand, FL
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Lots of good ideas in your second link you posted there. I'm not a believer in two partitions on the same hard drive. When the drive takes a dump, both partitions are typically eaten. I would MUCH rather have data on a separate drive altogether. Also keep in mind that some programs don't get with the program and insist in keeping their data in non-standard locations no matter what you do.

Therefore the best solution is not to worry too much about moving those personal data directories. Your data isn't the most critical thing you need to preserve anyway, even though it's very important. The most important thing is all your settings for each application and Windows itself, your bookmarks, your e-mail addresses, your browser preferences, your downloaded software that isn't installed through Windows install .msi or .exe processes, so are not represented in the registry, and then of course the registry itself!

The best solution is to organize any way you please, for whatever reasons blow your skirt up and then to use a program like Acronis True Image or the excellent and free Veeam Endpoint Backup to make disk images of hard drives with difficult to replace stuff on them, especially your system partitions.

That way you have your computer in a time capsule, in a single file, which when restored will resurrect your entire system, Windows, programs and data with all settings, bookmarks, e-mails and addresses.... When you restore it's like you never left.

Remember that when your critical hard drive bites the big one, it takes your backup program with it. A critical step in your backup strategy is to make a bootable CD/DVD or flash drive with the restore software on it. Both Acronis and Veeam make this a one button procedure.

Lately Acronis has gone crazy with the social and cloud stuff and made their software very difficult to work with. I recommend Veeam Endpoint Backup as the superior solution.

Danger! The first link with the scripts entirely duplicates the work of the much superior GWX Control Panel and may conflict with it in unpredictable ways. I wouldn't install those on a bet. GWX Control Panel has had to be changed three different times as Microsoft tries to subvert attempts to avoid Windows 10 assimilation and these scripts are totally static. Are they still valid? Do the changes they make now harm your system instead of innoculate it? How would you even know?

GWX Control Panel is under continuous review and updated to ensure that it operates to protect you from unauthorized updates to Windows 10. It also has easy off switches in case you change your mind and decide to go to the dark side. Those scripts have no such adaptability. Trash 'em. They aren't needed.

I also recommend installing Spybot Anti-Beacon to control Microsoft telemetry. Some changes to Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 have been to import some of the Windows 10 privacy invasion to the older operating systems. Spybot Anti-Beacon prevents that from being a problem and keeps you aware of where your info is being beamed to the mother ship.

Last edited by Rockin Robbins; 05-13-16 at 10:33 AM.
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