"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
I do have the laptop backed up - using the Win7 facility - to an
external HD. Would I be able to retrieve my files from that if
anything goes wrong to the new Win10 while installing? Or should I do
a second backup of the files I know I might want later? JPGs and so on.

Be cautious about proprietary backup processes which back up parts of the PC
to a humungous backup file. You would need the same program on the recipient
PC (ie after upgrade to Win10) to extract any files that hadn't been
preserved.

I tend to use Microsoft SyncToy (other similar programs are available, such
as Robocopy) which make a simple file-and-folder backup of selected
directories, so you can do a simple copy of selected files or folders from
the backup drive, without needing special software to extract them from the
amorphous single backup file.

As a tip, open Control Panel | Programs and Features and screenprint the
list of all the installed programs, so you know what to put back if the
upgrade doesn't preserve it. Also take a screenshot of the desktop so the
layout of the icons that you have carefully arranged (if you're anything
like me!) can be restored. Maybe also find how your browser stored saved
username/password for sites, and either copy the relevant files or
screenprint a list of them.

Make sure you have a copy of all the email files and folders in case the
upgrade screws them up. Likewise make sure you know email settings (POP/SMTP
servers, ports, encryption method, username/password) in case you need to
re-make anything.

In short: assume that the upgrade process will make a real hash of the
upgrade, leaving the PC in a worse state than it started - and be pleasantly
surprised if it works OK ;-)